In this exclusive extended interview, Dr. Gary Botting (PhD in Law, PhD in English), a 30-year former Criminal Defence Lawyer and author of the leading textbook on Extradition Law, provides expert insights on transnational government corruption, the U.S.-Canada extradition process, and the shortcomings of modern journalism.
Dr. Botting explains the escalating nature of corruption in an allegory:
"It's like a snowball—you start rolling it down the hill, it's all big fun, but all of a sudden, it becomes an avalanche. And there is a car down below, and the avalanche hits the car, knocks it into a train, and the train goes off the tracks and rolls into a house… Where does it start and where does it end?
But the point is, look at the kids throwing the snowballs, I guess, first, and work your way down until something significant—where there is intention to defraud, intention to act corruptly, to siphon off federal funds so the little businessman doesn't get the advantage of that, but only the huge megalithic corporations. That's where this problem begins and ends, I think.
The investigation into whether the megalithic corporation—tied to corporate greed and connected to Canada’s cabinet—is actually functioning in a way that is detrimental to Canadians and, ultimately, to Americans as well."
Dr. Botting criticizes the mainstream media for failing to dig deep enough into corruption:
"Having been an investigative reporter myself, it's a lost art, I think, unfortunately. I write novels, legal texts, and that's challenging enough, but what needs to happen is the writing of an exposé to show exactly what has happened here in the case of the [Gordie Howe International] Bridge and the [Regina] Bypass, and how corruption is alive and well in Canada."
Sections of this interview were released last year for the Gordie Howe International Bridge Scandal report. To mark it's anniversary, we are releasing the extended version of this interview with valuable insights from Dr. Botting. To learn more about the bridge scandal: GordieHoweScandal.com
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