An editorial by Norman Spector in the Globe
and Mail questions La Presse’s coverage of the Oliphant report into
Brian Mulroney’s dealings with Karlheinz Schreiber.

While he notes some tough editorials in some papers (and in the Gazette‘s case, a tough editorial cartoon by Aislin, pictured), Spector writes:

“La Presse has yet to comment on the report; nor has the paper expressed a view on the re-payment by Mr. Mulroney of the $2.1-million in legal fees he received from Canadian taxpayers.”

He continues:

“[Some people] may attribute the silence of La Presse to a greater tolerance of political corruption in Quebec, but the paper has been very strong lately in attacking the Charest government; and last year, it did excellent work on corruption at the municipal level.

“Still others may see this silence as being the result of the ownership of the paper: it is common knowledge that Mr. Mulroney and the Desmarais family are on very good terms.
 
“Notably, the papers published by Pierre Peladeau’s Quebecor – a company that Mr. Mulroney himself chairs – have not taken up the cudgels for re-payment of the legal fees either.”