"The Quebec federalist network is a tightly knit clan. As in every family, very little happens without everyone eventually getting wind of it — especially when it continues, like the sponsorship program, over so many years and on such a costly scale."

"In time, Canadians will have to choose between believing that Martin — who cultivated every Liberal grassroots connection in sight during his multi-year bid to unseat Chrétien — existed in a bubble when it came to his own province, or deciding that looking the other way is appropriate behaviour for a would-be prime minister."

"And here's the question that, politically at least, could trump them all. Paul Martin has lived his adult life inside the Quebec wing of the federal Liberal Party. It helped get him elected leader. Does he want us to believe that he knows nothing about the unseemly ties between the Liberal government and certain advertising and communications firms in that province?"

"Had he no idea at all what was going on? No doubt Mr. Martin is hoping that he will not have to answer these questions right away. The Prime Minister has adopted an aggressive -- and convenient -- strategy of referring what could be called the legacy embarrassments to various arm's-length investigations: The Arar case, the CSL contracts. Now we have an inquiry into the Sponsorship Scandal."

"A contest: Name that scandal. Sponsorgate is too lame. Maybe a riff on Don Martin's riff on Dire Straits ('money for nothing, and cheques for free'): the 'Money for Nothing' scandal? Alfonsoscam? The Royal Canadian Money-laundering Program? What?"