I recall an exchange that Mark Shore had with me last week concerning another Chinese billionaire with new interests in Canada now wonder investigation by the communist government.

Mark's defence of our government dealing with and selling out and off to such shady characters was that the criminal suspect in question was probably no more corrupt and dishonest than the Chinese government and had simply failed to bribe the right bureaucrats.

I then asked him if these were really the kind of government and business people with whom we should be interested in striking a more permissive trade and investment treaty and relationship.

I'm still waiting for a response.

As to ethical voids in the LPC, the Liberals at least starting under Chretien have prided themselves as being unencumbered by ideology and other things like  principals and values that might slow them down in their quest to say and do whatever it takes to seize and to keep power.

For Liberals, ethics are an inconvenience.