The Globe and Mail's Patricia Best on why former Hollinger executive David Radler still languishes in a south-of-the-49th-Parallel jail instead of a Canadian one.  She found the answer in Britain's The Evening Standard newspaper. The key word? Co-operation.

From her Aug. 6 blog posting:

Yes, he is serving a short 29-month sentence. But despite Mr. Radler's plea bargain and his extensive testimony in court against Lord Black and the others, five months into his sentence he continues to languish at Moshannon Valley Correctional Facility in Philipsburg, Pa.

"There are still no signs that Radler is about to be shipped out from his American prison cell," the Standard reported.

"He has paid millions in restitution and was fined $250,000. As part of his plea bargain, prosecutors agreed not to oppose Radler's request to serve his time in his native Canada, a transfer that could reduce his sentence to as little as six months thanks to Canadian release protocols. But it is now thought that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald was unimpressed by the evidence which Radler gave and is in no hurry to help him transfer to a jail north of the border. Radler can be transferred only with Fitzgerald's consent.

"Despite being the prosecution's star witness, Radler's testimony was often contradictory and appeared to exasperate prosecutors. And it is thought a much tougher sentence could have been landed on Black if Radler had been more reliable in court."