Kinsella lobbying Liberals for Windsor? (en francais)

Estrin drafted $2.2M plan
Border lawyer hired former Chretien aide to lobby on Windsor's behalf (subscriber only)

A document obtained by The Star in which Estrin outlined his border "work plan and budget" shows how he originally planned to tackle the province and federal governments' "nine-point plan" -- which focused on making E.C. Row Expressway a border truck route -- and fight off proposals by the Ambassador Bridge and DRTP.

He told council his hiring of a transportation planner and govern-ment/media relations expert were vital to help council achieve its objectives.

The transportation expert would come up with a traffic bypass plan, he told them, while the media expert was needed to ensure council's position was well presented locally, provincially and federally, according to the document.

A few weeks later, council approved the plan and retained Estrin for $50,000.

Estrin soon after hired New York traffic expert Sam Schwartz to come up with a bypass plan, followed later by his adding government lobbying and public relations firm Navigator Ltd. -- led by Liberal insider Warren Kinsella.

Kinsella -- best known as a former adviser to Prime Minister Jean Chretien -- was officially listed as lobbyist for the city of Windsor between Dec. 20, 2004, and June 23, 2005 -- the same period when the Schwartz plan was laid out to Windsor residents and industry and government leaders.

Ok, even I can admit that Warren is one of the best in Canada at what he does. Windsor certainly got a lot of bang for it's buck in the drafting and presentation of the Schwartz report. I give Mr. Estrin two out of three on this strategy. But hiring Warren to lobby the current federal Liberal government?

Isn't that something like asking Guy Fawkes to arrange your yearly Parliamentary fireworks display?