Conrad Black : The Fat Lady Sings
After the Conrad Black trial ended there was speculation in the press that he might be put away for as long as 20 years. He ended up receiving a sentence of 61/2. I think this is a fair sentence for a man of his age. With good behavior he could be looking at an earlier release.
What is tragic or tragicomic (depending on your point-of-view) about this whole saga isn't just the issue of corporate misconduct, but the fact that a man with the potential to have done great things in Canada is going to end up mopping the floors in a Florida pen.
Truth is, a lot of Canadians have grown weary of hearing about the Blacks and their interminable dramas. Hardly surprising. He and Barbara Amiel have given the impression for years that they are consumed with nothing so much as their petty vendettas and their need-to-be-seen, preferably in company that served as some kind of endorsement.
There is something childlike about Black, notwithstanding his weighty intellect and ponderous presence. The same goes for Amiel despite her sophisticated armor. They are self-absorbed in a way that is more typical of late adolescents out with something to prove.
A part of their legacy is about mis-directed energy ... a colossal waste of time, money and opportunity. An earlier post touches on this in a bit more detail.
Some of what was said in testimonials read in court about Black's character is true. He does have a decent side to him, and he could have made a difference in Canada if his more egalitarian instincts had triumphed over the need to wage an idiosyncratic brand of cultural warfare.
It's tough that in his 60's he is going to be initiated into a side of life he perhaps should have been exposed to a lot earlier, without the requirement of lock and key.
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