I started reading this book almost two years ago and finished on Thursday night, after a lengthy pause. The problem wasn't boredom; the problem was the small font, since it was published in 1995.

For anyone interested in recent Canadian political history I highly recommend this book. The book details just how rapacious was the corruption during the Mulroney era. Apparently a large majority in Parliament creates a sense of impunity. The government controls all of the levers of power, with frighteningly few checks. People try to get in the way of obvious wrong at their peril.

As we saw more recently with the "Sponsorship" scandal that became publicly known in 2003 from the Auditor General's report, the Tories did not have a monopoly on gross corruption. I have the book four stars because despite a few references to Chretien and Trudeau era corruption it seemed solidly aimed at one party.

Notwithstanding the content was gripping and at time gruesome. There were deaths under mysterious circumstances. Helpless widows reduced to poverty. Fraudulent bankruptcies. It has all the thrill of a true crime novel, but it's non-fiction. ( )

This book is not about policy, it is about corruption. Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservative government spent 9 years in office during which time flagrant kick-back schemes, bid-rigging on government contracts, misappropriation of parliamentary budgets and patronage appointments were the norm. This regime caused the Canadian people to loose faith in their government and to then crush a once proud political party.
Mila's shopping sprees sounds like a clone of Imelda Marcos. You have to wonder how some people can sleep at night. The galling part is that so many of them feel they are entitled to squander the taxpayer's money or the Party's money (which are donated funds and therefore still taxpayer's money) for personal gain.
The names and events that are articulated are mind-boggling. So many people 'On the Take' you have to wonder if there are any honest people out there.

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Actually quite depressing - I can understand patronage but I don't like inept crooks and most of these people were. ( )

Cameron's book is an excellent one to read if you have read or are planning to read Brian Mulroney's memoirs. One event which is described in both is the scene when Mulroney bid goodbye to the staff at Harrington Lake after he had resigned as Prime Minister. Two more opposite takes on the same scene are hard to imagine. The two books maintain this contrast with Mulroney presenting his obviously very positive view and Cameron with a very negative one. There is no doubt that patronage was and is a significant part of politics. Cameron's thesis is that it was an overwhelming characteristic of the Mulroney years. Mulroney would maintain that Cameron is one of the left leaning press who would never have given his government objective coverage. Cameron compiles an incredibly detailed list of people and appointments documenting the sleazier side of Mulroney's time in office. Having heard the testimony of the sponsorship inquiries, one wonders whether her thesis that Mulroney's government exceeded all reasonable limits is as strong now as it was when the book was published. It seems rather that she has identified the problem, but tagged the blame only on Mulroney. The limits and fair use of patronage is an issue that is raised, but not discussed fully in this book. ( )