After decrying the "politics of cronyism" under Jean Chretien, Prime Minister Paul Martin has quietly placed a friend and key Liberal leadership organizer on the federal Transportation Safety Board. The appointment of Jim Walsh -- a former member of Newfoundland's House of Assembly and co-chair of Mr. Martin's leadership campaign in the province -- as a full-time board member was not brought to the full cabinet for approval last week, insiders say. Instead, sources say Mr. Walsh's nomination was "walked around" to a few cabinet ministers to approve the job, which pays in the range of $100,300 to $118,000 annually. The appointment has not yet been posted on the Privy Council website as is the normal practice, even though Mr. Walsh has already started work. However, officials said the order-in-council will be registered on the site today. Opposition MPs criticized Mr. Martin for practising old-style pork-barrel politics and for reneging on a promise to submit senior order-in-council appointments to Commons committees for review -- something he campaigned on during the leadership race. Conservative MP Monte Solberg accused Mr. Martin of "gross hypocrisy," saying the prime minister gave a speech in March where he condemned "to history the practice and politics of cronyism." "Publicly he takes the noble pose about how he is opposed to cronyism. Privately and secretly he is appointing his friends to government boards and committees. It is disgraceful hypocrisy," Mr. Solberg said yesterday. NDP MP Pat Martin said the prime minister is carrying out the same reward system used by Mr. Chretien and Brian Mulroney to pay off friends and loyalists, despite the lofty pledge to end cronyism and bring more democracy to Parliament. "Cronyism is alive and well and living in Ottawa. So much for the high moral ground and the new ethical standards," said the Winnipeg MP. "As a member of the Commons Government Operations committee, I am particularly insulted because we were told that these high-level appointments would have a new scrutiny and vetting process through the standing committees." Even some Liberals question Mr. Walsh's appointment because of unflattering remarks he made about Mr. Chretien that could damage efforts to unite the Liberal party as Mr. Martin prepares to call a June 28 election. Mr. Walsh had described Mr. Chretien as "a very small and selfish man who is putting himself ahead of the party and the country." "So much for outreach (to alienated Chretien supporters)," said one Chretien confidant who asked not be identified, "and they obviously recognize that or they would have made Walsh's appointment public."
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