Black Watch: Today’s Top Stories

With the prosecution rested and the money-laundering charge dropped, Edward Genson came out with the line of the trial: “OK, I guess I can go.” The defence, seeming confident that they’ve parried the prosecution’s case to date and further evincing the power of American Independence Day (woe betide the fool who would come between the jury and their right to party), is ready to wrap things up and seek a verdict as early as the third week of June. First, though, we’ll get a string of his Lordship’s flunkies, including Black’s butler (a guy known only as “Berner”), Black’s secretary, Joan Maida, Black’s flack-in-chief Ken Whyte, and somebody who claims to be an expert in non-compete agreements. Each will do his or her rendition of “I’m shocked and appalled at even the suggestion of impropriety,” followed in turn by a prosecutor claiming to be even more shocked and appalled at their being shocked and appalled, etc., etc. In the midst of all this, Angus Reid conducted a poll that reveals that fewer Canadians are actively following the case today than at its opening (I know how they feel). But the number that really jumps out is that only nine per cent of Canadians are certain they would feel sorry for Black were he to be convicted. And this after a sustained and relentless media campaign to rehabilitate Black’s image in the face of the criminal allegations. Nixon he ain’t.