(K): This is getting more interesting by the day.... HARPER is mentioned in Schreiber's affidavit re: the Mulroney scandal and monies he received. Will it come down to mentor vs student if this becomes a very messy affair? _______________________________ Maclean's: Nov 10, 2007 Introducing the Prime Minister's new opinion The Scene. Asked last week in Question Period about new allegations concerning Karlheinz Schreiber and Brian Mulroney, the Prime Minister sat silent, deferring to his affably partisan sidekick, Peter Van Loan, to mock the opposition's demands. "Mr. Speaker, in no democracy in this world," cried Van Loan as the questions persisted for days, "does a prime minister and a party use their power to conduct political vendettas against their political enemies." John Baird, the government's chief heckler, slurred the opposition's questions as "offensive." And when the Prime Minister did bother to speak, such as at an event in Halifax, he kept his comments to the threatening. "This is not a route that I want to go down," he said, "and I don't think that if the Liberal Party thought twice about it, it is a power they would want to give me." So it was yesterday, on half an hour's notice, that he walked into the National Press Theatre here in Ottawa and quietly dined on his talking points. At least a couple people with daily newspaper columns will tell you what a staggering genius this makes him. But this was not the swaggering Stephen Harper who surprised the press gallery with a walk across the street last month. His voice was low. His face a bit red. He fiddled needlessly with the glass of water in front of him. Save for one flurry of Chretien-inspired shrugs, his shoulders appeared tied to the floor. There was the odd attempt at a bemused smile, but this was otherwise as close to chastened as this Prime Minister seems capable of playing. Continued Below "I'm announcing today that I will be appointing an independent and impartial third-party to review what course of actions may be appropriate given Mr. Schreiber's new sworn allegations," he said What, you might've immediately wondered, could have inspired such an obvious and embarrassing reversal? "In the government's review of the affidavit," he said. "I was also surprised to learn that my own name was mentioned." Ah. Well then. "I am taking action today in order to reassure the Prime Minister's Office position. It is important that we have the facts ... I think that it is important to see how we should react." Never mind, then, the Prime Minister's previously stated position. At least for now. At least until the facts are clear. At which point it might be safe to restate the previously stated position. Or state an entirely new one. What about an inquiry, someone asked. Perhaps, we should skip this business of a third-party and proceed directly to hearings of some kind. "The honest answer is, I don't know," the Prime Minister sighed. "I think we do have to get an independent, impartial view on how to proceed... I know that I don't feel qualified to make that judgment myself." At least not this week. An astute French reporter seemed befuddled. "The opposition parties have been asking for an independent inquiry. The fact that you have now been named personally... has that influenced your position?" "We have real allegations now," the Prime Minister clarified. "But the new development..." Here he paused for a few seconds, apparently confused himself. "... I think that we have to respond to this development." The reporter persisted. But the fact that you've been named? Did that influence your position? "No... I think it's interesting that Mr. Schreiber has talked about a meeting where he was not in attendance. I answered that, but I don't think it's really important." But you haven't ruled out an inquiry, asked another reporter. "No," came the response. Pleading for clarification, the CBC's Keith Boag mistakenly made this third-party thing seem like some sort of investigation. "This is not an investigator," the Prime Minister corrected. "It will simply give us a recommendation on how to proceed. Whether to have an investigation or not. And, if so, what kind of investigation ... No, it's not an investigation." And, whatever the case, it's not for Stephen Harper to say. Or at least so says Stephen Harper. At least now, having already said so much. "It's impossible, frankly," he explained, "for the government to make an impartial judgment on how to proceed." Awarded the last precious question, a newspaper reporter wondered whether Canada might eventually get back the $2-million it paid Mulroney so many years ago. "I think it would be very, very premature to jump to conclusions," the Prime Minister admonished her. With that, the moderator released Harper to make for the exits. "Great, thank you very much," the Prime Minister smiled. "Have a good weekend." "Thanks," said someone in the audience, apparently appreciative of his newfound willingness to meet with the press gallery. "Do you like this?" The Prime Minister did not appear to respond. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." - Sir Walter Scott """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"Karen Gordon" <ar231@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message news:fhaup5$fee$1@theodyn.ncf.ca... > (K): This is getting more interesting by the day.... HARPER is mentioned > in Schreiber's affidavit re: the Mulroney scandal and monies he received. > Will it come down to mentor vs student if this becomes a very messy > affair? They learn quick from the Liberals.

>> (K): This is getting more interesting by the day.... HARPER is mentioned >> in Schreiber's affidavit re: the Mulroney scandal and monies he received. >> Will it come down to mentor vs student if this becomes a very messy >> affair? "Canuck57" (dave-no_spam@unixhome.net) writes: > They learn quick from the Liberals. (K): Conservatives never need lessons in scandal. They just change leaders once in a while and the new boy authors another scandal.... at his own expense in the next federal election. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

>> >> Unlike the LIberals who are waiting for Prince Justin to take over.... "Canuck57" (dave-no_spam@unixhome.net) writes: > Justin is a spoiled shit. Never had to work a day in his life like Martin, > Pierre, Chrétien, Mulroney and others. (K): Justin Trudeau had done nothing BUT work since he was old enough to work. You must be confusing him with Ben Mulroney. "Canuck57" (dave-no_spam@unixhome.net) writes: > I want a candidate that had to flip burgers at 16, knows what a buck is > worth kind of person. Risen through the ranks type. Not a professional > politician/teacher, but a real average Joe person with perhaps enough smarts > to know when they are getting swindled. > > Silver/gold spoon fed babies, come not. Just in - just a turn off. (K): Sure, you want "a candidate that had to flip burgers at 16".... that would be the kind of leader found in the NDP, not the Liberals or Conservatives. Somehow I can't envision your type voting for a labourer type leader. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives. """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"Karen Gordon" <ar231@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message news:fhdjt1$rll$1@theodyn.ncf.ca... > "Canuck57" (dave-no_spam@unixhome.net) writes: >> I want a candidate that had to flip burgers at 16, knows what a buck is >> worth kind of person. Risen through the ranks type. Not a professional >> politician/teacher, but a real average Joe person with perhaps enough >> smarts >> to know when they are getting swindled. >> >> Silver/gold spoon fed babies, come not. Just in - just a turn off. > > (K): Sure, you want "a candidate that had to flip burgers at 16".... that > would be the kind of leader found in the NDP, not the Liberals or > Conservatives. Somehow I can't envision your type voting for a labourer > type leader. No, I was thinking of someone like Ralph Klein. Someone who had a working career outside of government at one point in their career and knows what real Canadians put up with. Maybe go in and clean up some of the scam and defunct departments and programs in Ottawa. NPD welfare, union slacking, government employment and poegy types don't count as not can balance a budget and why give the biggest budget in Canada to someone that can't balance a basic cheque book? -------------- Liberalism/Socialism => Entitlement Culture => Corruption => Decay Libertarianism => Self Worth => Prosperity => Wealth