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Committee summons 31 witnesses in Tory ‘in-and-out' scheme

The Canadian Press

Latest comment posted at 2:06 PM EST 05/08/08

Liberal chair says officials have had difficulty reaching many of the Conservatives involved ...Read the full article

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  1. The Globe and Mail editors censor free speech from Canada writes: This issue is currently before the courts, but the HOC kangaroo court want their time in the lime light too. And what exactly are they hoping to add besides trying to keep this in the news?
  2. D G from Canada writes: You'd think that with Harpers's con's being so transparent and accountable that they would be banging down the doors to clear their names.
  3. suss man from Canada writes:

    The Globe and Mail editors censor free speech from Canada -- This is a fine opportunity to show Canadians how open and accountable the CPC is. You should embrace this occasion as a gift.
  4. R. M. from Regina, Canada writes: Paul, Paul, Paul!!!! The committee MUST look in to ALL PARTIES over the entire scope of election financing...If our gov't is asked to apologize for decades of abuses to others then the political parties owe us, the citizens, no less!!! PLEASE don't portray this as some kind of Conservative exclusive issue...it is FAR From that....all parties learn their dirty tricks from each other.
  5. Steve D from St. John's, Canada writes: suss man from Canada writes:

    'The Globe and Mail editors censor free speech from Canada -- This is a fine opportunity to show Canadians how open and accountable the CPC is. You should embrace this occasion as a gift. '

    You Liberal supporters should still be too ashamed to make peep. Of course if you had any sense of shame or capability to be embarassed you wouldn't be Liberals.
  6. jer greene from Montreal, Canada writes: Lift the stone up and watch the worms wiggle away. Certainly no better than any other government. In fact, much, much worse for their cynical disregard for public conduct. The Con party must leave!
  7. The Religious Left from Canada writes:
    Adscam was bad. Maybe I should just get that out of the way before the hordes come in claiming two wrongs make a right. Adscam was bad and I hope everyone who was involved gets what's coming to them. Likewise, this is sleazy and everyone involved should be dragged kicking and screaming to Justice.

    Apparently being against government corruption is seen as a partisan viewpoint on these boards.
  8. Calvin harrington from Canada writes: Dear Steve D from St.John's, yes John we Liberals we made mistakes, we trusted people in both the public and private sector to be honest, and a couple people contected to the party stole money not only from the public purse but also from the Liberal party. Remmber no Liberal memebe ron party member was ever charged or was directly connected to the ADScam. Wht the Liberal party did do was call for an inquiry headed up by a former Tory member and freind of the PC party. It cost us an election but the truth needed to come out. I cannot see you and your Ne0-Con's ever having the guts or honesty to do like wise.
  9. Michael B from Canada writes: Haha, the conservative supporters get so angry and offensive when you point out how dishonest their beloved leaders are..

    Bob London, the whole 'they did it first' is incredibly tired. Since when you can justify a 'champions of transparency and accountability' party being opaque and unaccountable by saying someone else did it first?

    Steve D, what the hell are you even talking about? Dion's green shift and having campaign debts has nothing to do with this. And the LPC doesn't smear-monger, they point out seriously questionable practices. And EC is doing it's job, keeping parties accountable. That you don't like it because it's your party speaks to your integrity (or obvious lack thereof).

    R. M., EC did look at the other parties, and they were fine. There was one problem with the LPC, but the guy took responsibility, apologized, and remedied the situation. If the CPC had done that to begin with, instead of taking EC to court, we'd probably not be talking about this.
  10. The Globe and Mail editors censor free speech from Canada writes: I'm still looking for the article on this website that reports the latest news on the Liberal leadership candidates debt, as well they the LPC coming in third behind the NDP in party fundraising. Funny that all the other news sites are covering this news.

    Turns out that some candidates have been granted over 3 years to repay their debts, and Dion's repayment plan is still not finalized, making it glaringly obvious that it's the Liberals, not the Conservatives as previously believed, that are beholden to big business.
  11. Stephane Harpercrite from Edmonton, Canada writes: I watched every minute of this Commons committee from July 15-16. In fact I watched it twice! The committe has a terms of reference to look at the election expenses of those individuals who made improper expense claims in the '06 election; not other parties in past elections, not sposorship money from the 90's, and certainly not why the press showed up to the CPC headquarter raid (as though it's so hard to figure out when a public building, that houses numerous entities and people see federal officials banging on a federal party's door, duh! But that encompasses the obfuscation by the CPC in this committee.

    They then proceeded to provide a list of CPC-desired witnesses, all of which were appropriately removed for irrelavancy to the topic at-hand. I still anxiously await for Stephen Harper to rise, be accountable and transparent like Paul Martin, and launch a full, independent inquiry......
  12. Michael B from Canada writes: Hey, Dave Griffith, the CPC are continually and unashamedly breaking down some pretty sacred Canadian traditions (human rights, accountability, the environment, protection of citizens' rights, immigration, not to mention on that 'left wing crap' like protection of minorities, the arts, etc), so it's not Tabloid mudslinging schemes - the LPC are just doing (part of) their job by bringing these things up. The fact that they wont' vote in the HoC because they don't want to lose the election is PISSING me off, however, bringing up all this stuff is NOT tabloid mudslinging - the way the CPC run their government is the tabloid behaviour...

    And the Green Shift is going to tax POLLUTION, which is a brave and forward thinking idea that could be hugely successful (think of all the Green Innovation we'd have to come up with and could then sell to the world) if properly enacted.
  13. Mike Z from Saskatoon, Canada writes: The problem with this whole 'scandal' is that the person in charge of the attacks (Mr. Mayrand at Elections Canada I believe) has been caught perjuring himself in front of the HOC committee. He lied about the whole issue of the search warrant, and about his conduct in the affiar. Read the following link and you will never look at this 'scandal' the same way again: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/columnists/story.html?id=b92b618d-d777-4539-b553-c34b3a5b0376

    I'm not saying that the Conservatives didn't do anything -- I don't know whether they did or did not. It does appear that, even if they did do something questionable, the linked article above appears to show proof that not only did the NDP do that as well, but that Elections Canada knew that the NDP did it, and did nothing about it.

    Something smells here, and I'm increasingly thinking it is Elections Canada that stinks.
  14. Percy from NL from Canada writes: Will you listen to the Conservative supporters criticizing the very same parliamentary committee and inquiry systems which helped uncover Liberal scandals. It looks as though the strong Conservative principles are once again breaking from the force of the political winds.
  15. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: I was wondering where the daily Harper-bash story was.
    Here it is.

    Liberals - stealing your money.
    It's just their nature.
    They can't help it.
  16. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: Michael B 'And the Green Shift is going to tax POLLUTION'

    Unfortunately not.
    There's a lot of pollution of the air, water, and land that has nothing at all to do with Carbon, and certainly not CO2.

    The disgusting plume of uncombusted choking cancer-causing soot flying out of city-owned buses is pollution, not the clean 100% burned CO2 and water vapour coming out my tailpipe.
  17. Michael B from Canada writes: Uh, Mike Z, where in the article did he lie about a search warrant? Where in the article did he lie about his conduct in this affair?

    OK, so he personally led the investigation into the leak, but that doesn't mean he was lying in any way.
  18. Mike Z from Saskatoon, Canada writes: Michael B -- It must be nice to simply proclaim that your opponent is the liberal AntiChrist, without bothering with little things like backing up your ridiculous claims.

    As to your foolish claims about the Green Shaft, I love quoting the Liberals against their own plan. Liberal MP Ken Boshcoff admitted that the Green Shaft is a wealth transfer program designed to transfer wealth out of the oil patch. http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=9c603b92-2a60-4635-bbab-bb999363110f

    Elections Canada's Mr. Mayrand has already perjured himself on this 'scandal' -- its time to review whether there actually is any evidence once his taint is removed from the issue.
  19. Michael B from Canada writes: Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: Michael B 'And the Green Shift is going to tax POLLUTION'

    Unfortunately not.
    There's a lot of pollution of the air, water, and land that has nothing at all to do with Carbon, and certainly not CO2.

    The disgusting plume of uncombusted choking cancer-causing soot flying out of city-owned buses is pollution, not the clean 100% burned CO2 and water vapour coming out my tailpipe.
    --------------------------
    Oh is that so? Can we have some facts to back that up? Last time I checked, environmental groups were all over supporting public transit, including buses. And where do you live that buses have soot flying out of their buses? Are your buses powered by coal fires?
  20. June from Western Canada from Canada writes: How pathetic that a Parliamentary Committee wants to sit in the summer...prior to a possible fall election. Doesn't Szabo have a Constituency that would like him to represent? He is the most abrasive personality and example of Liberal dogmatic stalking of non-issue scandals....IT'S BEFORE THE COURTS, DUMMIES. When the ruling comes down..if the Conservatives are wrong in their interpretation, they will accept that verdict and as they ads are paid for, they will not collect the taxpayer refunding of these ads. What I don't get is why Political parties are getting funded NOW from the taxpayers. Chretian lowered amounts allowed from Corporations and put the funding on the taxpayers..even the Bloc got over $1million
  21. Mike Z from Saskatoon, Canada writes: Michael B -- my previous post was unclear as to the nature of Mr. Mayrand's lie, so let me elaborate. The lie was about the alleged leak of the search warrant to the media and to the LPC, (whom I believe were both there before the police got there). Mr. Mayrand said an internal review had cleared him and his staff of any wrongdoing, but further questioning forced him to backtrack to an unofficial, undocumented review, then to a review done by himself on himself.

    This is known as lying. He lied about the review of his own conduct, a double indictment in my books.

    As to the case, the man in charge of the charges has lied about his own involvement, and lied on tape. This can and should lead to serious questions about his impartiality, and the credibility of everything he has handled.
  22. Compos Mentis from in the Rootin', Tootin' West..., Canada writes: Ah, the usual Conservative apologists are here, offering their knee-jerk response to any of their problems: obfuscate, deflect, and, if all else fails, mention AdScam. Oh, and insult anyone who points out any inconvenient issue.

    Sad, really.

    And yet, some of you still believe that Harper has a majority waiting for him just around the corner? Talk about blind faith!

    The Religious Left: great post!
  23. Calvin harrington from Canada writes: D.B from Greater SasK; D.B. you do realize that is exactly what the CONservatives want, they don't want free elections, they want a country run by the Rigth Wing Religious Zealous. ei: Iran, USA
  24. Oscar The Couch from Edmonton, Canada writes: Michael B from Canada writes: Hey, Dave Griffith, the CPC are continually and unashamedly breaking down ... It makes me laugh to hear that some people think that The Liberal Green Shift will actually do something for the environment. I want to know exactly how much of Canada's CO2 emission be reduced by this plan? None. It is a Tax Grab that is all . Talk about dishonest.
  25. Green Konstantin from Canada writes: If any story can make the Brett Favre saga seem endless and pointless, it's this. Maybe the Liberals can get the newly reinstated Krista Erickson to write them some new questions.
  26. mech eng from Canada writes: And just how much money is it costing the taxpayer to have the OBVIOUSLY impartial Szabo fly all these witnesses to Ottawa so that he and his ilk can interrogate them? Why not wait until the ongoing lawsuits are dealt with before wasting money on inquiries?

    I've watched the ethics committee too...and I am embarrassed by Szabo. That guy should be removed as the chair of the committee.
  27. Stephane Harpercrite from Edmonton, Canada writes: Mike Z, you're a joke buddy, and yet again you're showing those harpercrite tactics--you don't like Mr Mayrand investigating and clearing himself and his deputy director, who were the only two to know about the pending warrant.

    So how do you feel Mike Z about the CPC investigating and exonerrating themselves in the Chuck Cadman Scandal?

    So how do you feel Mike Z about the CPC investigating and exonerrating themselves in the Maxime Bernier Scandal?

    You've clearly placed yourself in the 'CPC no-matter-how-harpercritical they are' group.
  28. Derek Holtom from Swan River, Canada writes: this is the same panel that denied all requests from the Conservatives, correct?
    this will be the furthest thing from truth finding. is there any committee in Ottawa that doesn't devolve into partisanship?
  29. Derek Holtom from Swan River, Canada writes: Percy from NL from Canada writes: Will you listen to the Conservative supporters criticizing the very same parliamentary committee and inquiry systems which helped uncover Liberal scandals

    Actually, that was the Globe, wasn't it?
  30. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: Michael B 'And where do you live that buses have soot flying out of their buses?'

    Every city with stinky Diesel buses is the same, big dirty clouds of actual cancer-causing pollution spewing out the stack.
  31. Big Wayne Kerr from Canada writes: Derek Holtom ' inquiry systems which helped uncover Liberal scandals' Who helped hide them? What force keeps convicted liberal scammers from naming names, still to this day? Omerta. Famiglia. Mano negro. Cosa Nostra. Gagliano. Volpe. Libranos.
  32. Lars Satlana from Victoria, Canada writes: Conservatives stealing taxpayer's money.
    Adscam II
  33. True Canadian from Canada writes: Mike Z - Elections Canada goes to extreme measures to ensure that they remain unbiaed in elections. The Chief Electoral Officer is not even allowed to vote. What I have heard is a quote from Harper saying 'eveyone else does it, the Bloc does it so why shouldn't we do it' If Mayrand lied it will come out in the final report. I believe that he was mis-informed when he made his first comment. This does not necessarily mean he lied. Clarification is necessary if we are going to trust Elections Canada and Mr. Mayrand.
  34. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: True Canadian 'Elections Canada goes to extreme measures to ensure that they remain unbiaed'

    They have meddled in our democracy and messed with our free speech rights. This meddling has rewarded established parties Hint, hint guess who, by granting them a monopoly on free speech during elections. And that's just one thing. leaking, selective enforcement of rules, etc, etc....

    'I believe that he was mis-informed '

    Nice one. Misinformed. I'll try that next time I lie.
  35. Counterspinner tells the truth from Canada writes: So, the conservatives are in trouble for spending their OWN money. Meanwhile, many liberals involved with taxpayer money - adscam, hrdcboondoggle, shawinigate are able to hide......
  36. Green Konstantin from Canada writes: Here are simpler questions:
    Where is the money the Liberals stole from taxpayers in Adscam?
    How come it hasn't been repaid?
    Which 12 former Liberal MP's in Quebec received Adscam money in brown paper bags?
  37. Stephane Harpercrite from Edmonton, Canada writes: Derek Holton,

    The CPC MP's on the committee failed to justify how ANY of their witnesses fit within the terms of reference for this conservative party scandal, and thus the chair took the appropriate action, just as any other chair on any other committee would have done.

    Here's two simple questions:

    1) Why aren't the CPC focusing directly on the issue at-hand and clearing themselves, but rather deflecting, asking about who know of search warrants and trying to dig up historic cases of campaign expenses for any other party but themselves?

    2) Why can't the conservative candidates and party officials be found? Are they all on extended vacation and thus not in any form representing their constituents? Or are they consciously evading a committee they know will further uncover this CPC criminal activity.
  38. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: Stephane ' failed to justify how ANY of their witnesses fit within the terms of reference '

    It's not a 'scandal' if others used the same methods. Calling witnesses that prove this makes sense to everyone, except of course, Libtards.
  39. Green Konstantin from Canada writes: 1)Why can't Stephane Dion and the other Liberal leadership candidates pay off their loans?
    2) Why is Elections Canada forgiving the Liberals for running afoul of the Elections Act?
  40. Stephane Harpercrite from Edmonton, Canada writes: Ahh Counterspinner,

    It's not just the CPC spending their money; it's those conservative candidates then turned around and tried to claim those expenses individually, thus attempting to defraud every citizen of Canada. Oh yeah, and it just so happens that 67 of them did it, not one, not two, but 67!
  41. Anthony B from Maritimes, Canada writes: And as expected, the 'Liberals did worse, so we're entitled to break the rules' Con Crowd are weighing in on this one.

    Thanks for not dissappointing.
  42. Green Konstantin from Canada writes: Why won't people donate money to the Liberal Party of Canada? Why is the NDP getting more donations than the Liberal Party of Canada? Seems to me if they won't give you money, they won't work for you or vote for you.
  43. Compos Mentis from in the Rootin', Tootin' West..., Canada writes: Counterspinner tells the truth from Canada writes: 'So, the conservatives are in trouble for spending their OWN money. Meanwhile, many liberals involved with taxpayer money - adscam, hrdcboondoggle, shawinigate are able to hide...... '

    Thanks for proving my point Counter! Read The Religious Left's post (05/08/08 at 2:35 PM).

    Counter, the Conservatives aren't in trouble for spending their own money.

    They are allegedly in trouble for breaking election spending rules, for falsifying invoices and for fraud (in attempting to be reimbursed by the taxpayer for inelegible expenses).

    If you are going to make apologies for your party, at least be honest about it.
  44. June from Western Canada from Canada writes: I do not like that $4 million from taxpayers is keeping the Liberal party afloat....let it sink. The Elections Canada issue is in the courts and the 'over-the-top' invasion of CP headquarters is what makes Canada the laughingstock of the world. A Swat Team to get alleged papers on an election? Where's the report on the nefarious information in those papers? haven't read them yet? Nothing there? Pathetic.....No Parliamentary Committee has ever sat in the summer...get a life, Liberals, or can't your wives handle you being around the house accusing them of misusing the barbecue tongs?
  45. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: You are 'misinformed' It is 'Liberals did worse' so why are they being so hypocritical to apply double standards. That's how it works.

    If the liberals didn't have double standards, they wouldn't have any standards.
  46. Mike Z from Saskatoon, Canada writes: True Canadian -- I wish I could believe that this was an innocent mistake by Mr. Mayrand, but he is on tape lying about his own behaviour. It is awfully hard to believe that he honestly believed that he was justified in doing an internal review of himself, not writing anything down, and then telling the committee that it was an official internal review.

    I don't know whether the Conservatives did anything wrong here, but I cannot make myself trust Mr. Mayrand, which taints most of the allegations to date.
  47. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: Why won't liberals give their own money to the Liberal Party?
    What inside things do they know that we should all know?
  48. Daniel Cunningham from Victoria, writes: Mr. Mayrand - the Conservative boogieman these days. Amazing how he was appointed by Furher Harper - obviously that is a Liberal conspiracy as well - they must have temporarilyy brainwashed Harper. Whatever. And heya Big Wayne Kerr - or Ryan Sparrow in real life - crawl back under your rock.
  49. Toast And coffee from Somewhere, Canada writes: I love how you Liberal supporters try to equate this story to the Adscam. For starters, the CPC is not accused of any theft. The Libs did steal and it was alot of money.

    It seems also that the wrongdoing that the CPC has been accused of was used in campaigns several times and by all parties.

    It has to be tough being a Liberal supporter right now. No leader, nothing of any import to complain about, and no way to change it.

    Well cry me a river. The Liberal party asks only one question....'What's in it for me?
  50. Compos Mentis from in the Rootin', Tootin' West..., Canada writes: Green Konstantin from Canada writes: 'Here are simpler questions:
    Where is the money the Liberals stole from taxpayers in Adscam?
    How come it hasn't been repaid?
    Which 12 former Liberal MP's in Quebec received Adscam money in brown paper bags? '

    Green, here is an even simpler question:

    'What have your questions got to do with this story?'
  51. Fake Name from Canada writes: ' Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: The disgusting plume of uncombusted choking cancer-causing soot flying out of city-owned buses is pollution, not the clean 100% burned CO2 and water vapour coming out my tailpipe.'

    Oh ... individual cars are fine, it's public transit that's the problem.

    That's a new one on me.
  52. Green Konstantin from Canada writes: Compos Mentis from in the Rootin', Tootin' West..., Canada writes:
    Green, here is an even simpler question:

    'What have your questions got to do with this story?'

    _____________
    I think it's helpful to remind people how this involves Conservatives spending a million of their own dollars as opposed to Liberals spending 250 million taxpayers dollars. Perspective.
  53. Fake Name from Canada writes: ' Mike Z from Saskatoon, Canada writes: True Canadian -- I wish I could believe that this was an innocent mistake by Mr. Mayrand, but he is on tape lying about his own behaviour. It is awfully hard to believe that he honestly believed that he was justified in doing an internal review of himself, not writing anything down, and then telling the committee that it was an official internal review.'

    I don't know, the same strategy worked pretty well for Foreign Affairs investigating Bernier's document mishap, and the PMO investigating Brodie for the strategic Nafta leak against Obama.
  54. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: Daniel Cunningham ' Furher Harper '

    Nice one, lefties and their quick reach for NAZI insults.

    National Socialism, the near ultimate expression of the anti-individualst thugs inside every coercive collectivist.

    The ultimate, of course, is full Stalinism.
  55. Compos Mentis from in the Rootin', Tootin' West..., Canada writes: Toast And coffee from Somewhere, Canada writes: 'I love how you Liberal supporters try to equate this story to the Adscam....'

    It appears only the Conservative supporters are trying to equate this story to AdScam?

    '... For starters, the CPC is not accused of any theft....'

    Fraud is pretty close to theft. You're cutting a pretty fine line of distinction with that one!

    '... The Libs did steal and it was alot of money.'

    Yes it was. Approx $1.4 million (IIRC) and it was fully repaid.
  56. Stephane Harpercrite from Edmonton, Canada writes: Big Wayne Kerr,

    The 'others' had nothing to do with the 2006 Federal General Election. Terms of reference exist for a reason, just as John Gomery had terms of reference for his inquiry. A Bloc candidate's expenses from the 2000 election are completely irrelevant!!! This mediocre attempt by the CPC is meaningless, unless you're dumb enough to believe that when/if someone in the CPC questioned the legitimacy of their NATION-WIDE strategy during the 2006 election, that they got the CPC researchers (if there is such a thing) to go back and dig up a case from a Bloc candidate in the 2000 election and said 'Oh see, this is fine!' RATHER THAN pick up one of the thousands of copies of the handbook for the 2006 election which clearly indicates this activity to be prohibited. But, as I've already pointed out on here Wayne, apparently you are in that CPC strong-hold demographic of 'those too stupid to know better'.
  57. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: Fake Name
    'individual cars are fine, it's public transit that's the problem.'

    Some collective transit is incredibly polluting, especially sooty smoky polluting diesel buses. Especially if you are counting actual pollution - catalytic converters do amazing things on gasoline cars.
  58. suss man from Canada writes:

    Steve D from St. John's, Canada writes:
    You Liberal supporters should still be too ashamed to make peep. Of course if you had any sense of shame or capability to be embarassed you wouldn't be Liberals.

    -------------------------------------------------Well Steve I do not support the Liberals. I think they are only marginally better than the CONS.

    But of course in the back and white two dimensinal mind of a Conservative there are no choices you are either with us or you support the Liberals. Or as Harper's great Neo-con hero GWB said 'If you are not with us you are with the terrorists.'

    In your mind Liberals are terrorists!! And if your not a terrorist your a Conservative. So simplistic. You are truly one of Harper's gobemouche.
  59. Fake Name from Canada writes: ' Green Konstantin from Canada writes: I think it's helpful to remind people how this involves Conservatives spending a million of their own dollars as opposed to Liberals spending 250 million taxpayers dollars. Perspective.'

    That's a pretty good trick, stealing the entire budget of federalism advertising in quebec.

    I have yet to see anyone except conservative exaggeration-professionals claim that anywhere near that much of it made its way back to the libbies. I suspect the $1.4 million that was repaid is an under-estimate, but I'd be surprised if the theft total was even close to a tenth of your guess.
  60. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: Stephane ,

    'The 'others' had nothing to do with'

    I say hear them out, in the interest of fairness.

    And lets' have the court action heard, that was started to clear this up, in public, with both sides that is EC and the CPC represented. There's no room here for the rat-pack-lite cynical shenanigans of the criminal thug liberal party.
  61. The Globe and Mail editors censor free speech from Canada writes: Mike Z: thanks for the link. I wonder why is it that the MSM isn't carrying this story? You would think that they'd love to report that indeed the scandal is in the department of Elections Canada.
  62. Compos Mentis from in the Rootin', Tootin' West..., Canada writes: Green Konstantin from Canada writes: '...I think it's helpful to remind people how this involves Conservatives spending a million of their own dollars as opposed to Liberals spending 250 million taxpayers dollars. Perspective.'

    Perspective? How about some reality?

    Let me get this correct: you are accusing the Liberals of spending $250 million dollars of taxpayers money?

    As the ruling government, the Liberals spent billions of dollars of taxpayers money while running the country. I fail to see the relationship to this story about the Conservatives election fraud problems?

    And I see you conveniently neglect the fact that the Conservatives are accused of violating election spending rules. It doesn't matter whose money it was!

    That you even bring that into your argument tells me you do not really have a clue what this is all about, except Liberals = bad, Conservatives = good?
  63. Dropped Acid - Climate change is a socialist conspriacy (I don't think...) from Canada writes: .

    Fellow conservatives - this is a call to arms dudes!!!

    We must blame the liberals for this somehow man!!! Imagine if the Libs were in power right now, we'ld have a field day over this sort of report. We can't let this look as poorly on us as it currently does dude!!!

    If I hadn't dropped so much acid last night I might be able to think of something man!!!!

    Let's just blame the liberals because somehow they are responsible for this dude!!!!

    Conservatives - pass the acid!!!
  64. Fake Name from Canada writes: Harpercrite - wayne doesn't seem to be stupid, strictly speaking. He just doesn't care that most issues are often more complex than an absolute 'CPC good, lefties bad'.

    Two legs bad, four legs good.
  65. Green Konstantin from Canada writes: Fake Name from Canada writes: I have yet to see anyone except conservative exaggeration-professionals claim that anywhere near that much of it made its way back to the libbies. I suspect the $1.4 million that was repaid is an under-estimate, but I'd be surprised if the theft total was even close to a tenth of your guess.

    _____________-
    Oh, then it's fine. We'll never really know how much money was in those brown envelopes.

    Liberals are thieves. From HRDC to Adscam to kickbacks from bringing strippers into the country.
  66. L'actualite Conservative from Canada writes: Kangaroo Court. Yeah. I want the Liberal Party in charge. Hypocrites.
  67. Stephane Harpercrite from Edmonton, Canada writes: Mike Z, do you not see how hypocritical your point is?? Only Mayrand and his duputy knew. An external investigation would be somebody asking the two of them 'Did oyu tell anybody?' Answer: 'No'. Investigation complete! Would that make you feel better?

    So again, your opinoins please on:

    1) the CPC investigating and exonnerating themselves on Cadman

    2) the CPC investigating and exonnerating themselves on Bernier

    3) the PMO investigating and exonnerating themselves on the Brodie-NAFTA leak

  68. Daniel Larusso from Canada writes: I hope those Conservatives that stole the in-and-out money from the Conservatives give their Conservative money back!!

    Now!!
  69. J Kay from Canada writes: Big Wayne Kerr: It's quite simple Big Wayne, the CPC proclaimed themselves pure as the driven snow, proclaimed that they would run an open, transparent, honest and accountable government.

    Should the CPC be judged against the standard of the previous Liberal party who were involved in Adscam? That seems high cynical and inequitable since we threw the Liberals out of power as a result or should the CPC be judged using the standards which they so dearly claimed to represent. The answer is obvious of course for anyone with half a brain and even the slightest bit of ethical fibre left.

    The CPC should be judged not by the bar that the Liberals set when they were in power, but by the bar they set for themselves and when weighted and measured against that standard they are failing miserably.

    Really Wayne if 'well the Liberals did it' is such a valid response and you're not upset about the CPC doing such things, why did you care so much about Adscam or are you just a hypocrit?
  70. Dropped Acid - Climate change is a socialist conspriacy (I don't think...) from Canada writes: Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes

    --------------------------

    Guillaume dude!!!! Don't forget that you're covering for me tomorrow night on my 'blame the liberals by cutting and pasting nonsense left and right' shift!!!

    I'm so happy I dropped some acid and took a job as a paid conservative hack alongside Guillaume man!!! This is groovy, dude!!!

    Guillaume, I still can't believe they pay us for this dude!!!

    Now back to work for me:

    This is like some part of a like a liberal conspiracy man because like it's bad and stuff that our democratic institutions are like investigating and like looking into things and like that's socialist and stuff because it's bad and should only take place with others. I say free the innocent-31 now!!!!

    Socialism is like bad and cons are great and should be allowed to flaunt any law because it's all like a global conspiracy and like it's liberal and stuff...
  71. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: Daniel Larusso ' I hope those Conservatives that stole the in-and-out money from the Conservatives give their Conservative money back!!'

    I like that one.
    So the Conservatives can give the money back to the donors, and they can turn around and redonate it to the party, and get a 75% credit! Good scheme!

    Millions and millions of us give money to keep the criminal liberals away from power ever again.

    Why won't even liberals give money to the Liberal party? What insider knowledge do they have?
  72. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: J Kay 'Should the CPC be judged against the standard of '

    Liberals should apply the same standards to themselves that are willing to apply to others.
  73. B Goode from Canada writes: I may be mistaken but I seem to detect some misgivings on the part of Conservative supporters about this inquiry. But how can that be? Surely they would want to show how lily white they are when it comes to observing all the election rules. Surely they want to follow their election promise to be accountable and transparent. But even if there was one, or two even, (or 37 for that matter) Conservatives who fell by the wayside, who were unable to fight temptation, or who were ignorant of these rules, surely they would want to own up to it and gladly accept the appropriate penalty so that they once again are able to hold their head(s) up high and say 'I am a Conservative. I follow the rules. And when I don't, I darn well own up to it!' Surely that's what they want. That's what Sir John A. would do. That's what Dief would do. And that, certainly, is what Joe would do.
  74. suss man from Canada writes:

    WOW the ConBots are really flailing and frothing on this one. If the CPC did nothing wrong they should be happy to show up and answer the questions to clear their name.

    The scummy Liberals for all their fault at lest at first hint of wrong doing called an enquiry to get to the bottom of it no matter the consequences.

    At lest there was a measure of accountability.

    The Cons are totally devoid of accountability.

    ------------------------------
  75. Joe Gopher from Canada writes: What a banana republic. The opposition members on the committee kiboshed every witness the conservative members wanted called.
    The globe helps the liberals with their corruption by not mentioning that.
  76. Marc S from Canada writes: Cons over spent on the election and got caught...........what is sooooooooooooo hard to understand here........it has nothing to do with the Liberals.......again......yet we are constantly being reminded, not that as one of the leading federal parties in Canada they should be following the same rules as everyone other party, but how the other party's behaviour is/was worse ???And if you only have ' well you must be a Liberal' as a response.............sit down.......think again...perhaps something.........anything else might come to you .
    I think if Harper wasn't such a control freak and had not sued elections Canada, this would have been a passing story. But hey...........
  77. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: B Goode from Canada writes: I may be mistaken but I seem to detect some misgivings on the part of Conservative supporters about this inquiry.

    You are correct that citizens have misgivings about this liberal sham. What kind of inquiry calls zero percent of the relevant witnesses identified by one side? The good-old lefty Show Trials are back!
  78. Stephane Harpercrite from Edmonton, Canada writes: Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: Stephane ,

    'The 'others' had nothing to do with'

    I say hear them out, in the interest of fairness.

    And lets' have the court action heard, that was started to clear this up, in public, with both sides that is EC and the CPC represented. There's no room here for the rat-pack-lite cynical shenanigans of the criminal thug liberal party.
    ======
    Alright Wayne. I'll certainly concede that this can be corrected only in a court! The P.A.C.'s review, call it a kangaroo court like the cons or whatever, attempts to shed light on the issue at hand much quicker than through the courts.
  79. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: B Goode ' And that, certainly, is what Joe would do. '
    Who's that? Crazy David Orchards buddy?
  80. Joe Gopher from Canada writes: suss man from Canada writes:

    WOW the ConBots are really flailing and frothing on this one. If the CPC did nothing wrong they should be happy to show up and answer the questions to clear their name.

    The scummy Liberals for all their fault at lest at first hint of wrong doing called an enquiry to get to the bottom of it no matter the consequences.

    At lest there was a measure of accountability.

    The Cons are totally devoid of accountability
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    And if the scummy liberals and ndpers did nothing wrong there was no reason for the opposition members of the committee to kibosh them.
    What are they trying to hide?
  81. Compos Mentis from in the Rootin', Tootin' West..., Canada writes: Green Konstantin from Canada writes: '...Oh, then it's fine. We'll never really know how much money was in those brown envelopes.

    Liberals are thieves. From HRDC to Adscam to kickbacks from bringing strippers into the country. '

    Green, there you go again!?

    The investigation into AdScam continues. We all want to know what went on. I have never yet seen a Liberal supporter try to deny AdScam, only the ridiculous exaggerations from Conservative supporters.

    As for HRDC, despite all the howls of Conservative Opposition protestations, not one penny went unaccounted (according to the Auditor General). So please explain what you believe the problem was?

    As for your allegation that there were kickbacks related to Judy Sgro and the stripper who volunteered on her campaign, Ms. Sgro resigned and was subsequently cleared of any involvement. If you have evidence that suggests otherwise, then please share it with us.

    Green, you persist in spreading outright lies, and distortions of the truth. You really are the poster boy for your party.
  82. Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: suss man ' Liberals for all their fault at lest at first hint of wrong doing called an enquiry'

    at first hint?

    You are seriously misinformed. It took years of lies, cover-up, denials and obfuscation and then a brutal civil-war before the little gomery commission was trotted out as a last ditch desperate attempt to clean the filthy party. Didn't work, either.
  83. Toast And coffee from Somewhere, Canada writes: Compos Mentis.....$1.4m ? Now, you and I know that number is not the real one. So quit bu* Sh***ng us, please.

    We may never know how many contracts ( often to do nothing) came with the provision to kick back to the Liberal Party, but quite obviously it wasn't $1.4m.

    That's the trouble with you folks. You need power so bad you're willing to forgive and forget the most corrupt Canadian government in our history.

    Well, thankfully the majority of us aren't so willing to be taken to the cleaners again. I can't say I agree with everything the CPC does, but they are a distinct improvement over the previous group of thieves and incompetents.
  84. suss man from Canada writes:

    Joe Gopher from Canada writes:

    And if the scummy liberals and ndpers did nothing wrong there was no reason for the opposition members of the committee to kibosh them.
    What are they trying to hide?

    ---------------------------------------------Sorry Joe I don't get your point. This about CPC wrongdoing nobody else. So what are you trying to say?
  85. J Kay from Canada writes: Big Wayne: No Wayne, I'm sorry back to the short bus for you. This isn't about the Liberals just like when you were Little Wayne Kerr and you did something wrong and you said but MOM, 'jimmy gets to do it', and your mom said, 'Little Wayne I don't care, what jimmy does, we aren't talking about jimmy, we're talking about Little Wayne.' Yeah see Wayne what the Liberals did in the PAST is irrelevant, they were penalised for it, removed from power, given a time out.

    There is NO hypocrisy from the Liberal camp, the NDP camp or any other is holding the CPC up to the standards that they promised. It was the CPC who promised to be open, accountable, honest and transparent in the wake of Adscam, and since they've shown themselves to be no better than the Liberals as you yourself have suggested by excusing their behaviour with the childlike 'We'll the Liberals did it', then they too should be tossed from power.
  86. Against the crowd from Burlington, Canada writes: Another non-scandal created by the sleazy Liberals.
  87. Compos Mentis from in the Rootin', Tootin' West..., Canada writes: Toast And coffee from Somewhere, Canada writes: 'Compos Mentis.....$1.4m ? Now, you and I know that number is not the real one. So quit bu- Sh---ng us, please....'

    I know nothing of the sort!

    All I know is that the Liberals were found to have illegally received $1.4 million dollars (which they repaid) and there is still an ongoing criminal trial.

    But if you know something Gomery and the RCMP do not, please feel free to share with us all.

    '...That's the trouble with you folks. You need power so bad you're willing to forgive and forget the most corrupt Canadian government in our history....'

    Sure. Whatever you say Toast.

    '...Well, thankfully the majority of us aren't so willing to be taken to the cleaners again. I can't say I agree with everything the CPC does, but they are a distinct improvement over the previous group of thieves and incompetents. '

    I am left with the distinct impression, that if the upcoming AdScam investigation completely exonerates any Liberal MP, you will still be ranting on about the 'thieving Liberals and the AdScam coverup'.
  88. B Goode from Canada writes: Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: ' What kind of inquiry calls zero percent of the relevant witnesses identified by one side? The good-old lefty Show Trials are back! '
    ___________________________________________________________

    Unfortunately the witnessess put forward by the Conservatives had nothing to do with the mandate of the Committee which is to investigate the Conservative 'In and Out scheme'. You may recall that Elections Canada alleges that the Conservative central campaign transferred $1.2 million to individual campaigns and local campaigns, then transferred the money back to the central campaign and claimed it as an advertising expense.
    The other parties were not found to have done this, therefore there is no reason to summon the candidates from the other parties.
    But, you will undoubtedly be pleased to know that the Conservatives will be very well represented on the witness list and they will be able to clear this whole thing up toute suite, I'm sure.
  89. JP M from Canada writes: R. M. from Regina, get over the poorly constructed CPC rhetoric... IT HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED AND PROVEN, that the CPC was THO ONLY party engaging in these practices, NOT ONLY over this election, BUT NO OTHER PARTY DID ANYTHING SUSPECT during the last election either. Let's remember that these are issues around CURRENT election laws, and that they involve the SPIRIT of the laws, that the CPC actually RAN ON! Where is the transparency? How is someone unwilling to even appear ACCOUNTABLE? AT LEAST, you must admit that Martin did the right, noble and honest thing (if not politically astute) by investigating the sponsorship scandal. Do you want THE TRUTH, or do you want to win? Admit which is your priority, so you can't speak out of both sides of your mouth like Harper and his half-wit minions....
    You want your cake, but it seems that you'll have to eat some now. Quit your whining, and admit a wrong like Martin had the integrity to do. If not, give up the 'holier than thou' rhetoric, and face the politically weak, but honest oozing with integrity Dion, and take your cheap shots with pride.
  90. Stan L from Canada writes: J Kay from Canada writes: .........There is NO hypocrisy from the Liberal camp, the NDP camp or any other is holding the CPC up to the standards that they promised. It was the CPC who promised to be open, accountable, honest and transparent in the wake of Adscam, and since they've shown themselves to be no better than the Liberals as you yourself have suggested by excusing their behaviour with the childlike 'We'll the Liberals did it', then they too should be tossed from power.

    Absolutely agree, the sad thing about all of this (to make matters worse) is that this really isn't that big of a deal. Many MPs over the years have made a mistake (by mistake or by design) taken their lumps and moved on with hardly any notice of the general public. If Harper had just worked with elections Canada, apologized, negotiated a resolution, this would have been forgotten about long long ago.....but a simple mea culpa is not Harper's style and the trick of making molehills into mountains seems to be one that he is perfecting.
  91. JP M from Canada writes: Big Wayne Kerr from Kumbaya, Canada writes: 'It took years of lies, cover-up, denials and obfuscation and then a brutal civil-war before the little gomery commission was trotted out'

    So tell me Big Wayne, who among the Conservatives is BIG enough to actually incite the rebellion, consistent with ALL the CPC campaigned one, that starts this 'civil-war'?

    Noone with the gnads?
  92. Joe Gopher from Canada writes: suss man from Canada writes:

    Joe Gopher from Canada writes:

    And if the scummy liberals and ndpers did nothing wrong there was no reason for the opposition members of the committee to kibosh them.
    What are they trying to hide?

    ---------------------------------------------Sorry Joe I don't get your point. This about CPC wrongdoing nobody else. So what are you trying to say?
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The CPC wanted to call witnesses from the other parties to show that Elections Canada has two different sets of rules.
    If they had nothing to hide, why didn't the opposition let the witness be called?
    If the CPC was out to lunch on that, it would have shown up in the testimony.
    You did know that after the media circus that Elections Canada orchestrated, they ended up taking only a fraction of the material they seized?
    Turns out most of it was just for show, they weren't allowed to take most of it.
    And that they had most of what they did take already.
    And that much of the extra they seized was pertinent to the lawsuit they were facing?
    Like I said, banana republic.