unimaginative2
Senior Member
The tale of the tape
ALEXANDER PANETTA
Globe and Mail Update
February 28, 2008 at 9:35 PM EST
OTTAWA — The voice on the scratchy tape is unmistakably Stephen Harper's.
It was as unmistakable as his concern that the tape's contents might one day be made public. Mr. Harper interrupted a B.C. reporter in 2005 when asked about allegations his party had offered financial enticements to a dying MP to win his support on a critical vote.
“This is not for publication?†Mr. Harper asked Tom Zytaruk.
He was told that the interview was intended as fodder for a biography of Chuck Cadman, the late MP from Surrey, B.C.
But the ensuing two minutes, 21 seconds of audio raise questions about apparent discrepancies between what the Prime Minister said Thursday and what Mr. Harper himself said on the tinny tape more than two years ago.
The Prime Minister said Thursday he looked into claims Mr. Cadman was offered financial considerations and determined they were untrue.
The tape suggests Mr. Harper was not only aware of a financial offer to Mr. Cadman, but that he gave it the go-ahead, while urging party emissaries not to “press†Mr. Cadman too hard.
Mr. Harper's conversation with B.C. journalist Tom Zytaruk took place outside the Cadman residence just after Mr. Harper paid a courtesy visit to the former MP's widow shortly after his death.
“The offer to Chuck was that it was only to replace financial considerations he might lose due to an election,†Mr. Harper says.
And Mr. Harper says of the people who made the offer: “They were legitimately representing the party.â€
Here's how Mr. Harper summarizes his instructions to those party operatives: “I said, 'Don't press (Mr. Cadman), I mean, you have this theory that it's, you know, financial insecurity, and you know, just, you know, if that's what you're saying make that case,' but I said, 'Don't press it.â€'
The Liberals have already sent a letter to the RCMP asking for an investigation into whether the entire incident could violate the bribery provisions in Section 119 of the Criminal Code. The Mounties said Thursday they're examining the request.
Mr. Harper is clear on the tape that he never expected the overtures to succeed. Mr. Cadman did in fact vote to rescue the Martin government.
“I don't know the details. I can tell you that I had told the individuals, I mean, they wanted to do it. But I told them they were wasting their time. I said Chuck had made up his mnd.â€
ALEXANDER PANETTA
Globe and Mail Update
February 28, 2008 at 9:35 PM EST
OTTAWA — The voice on the scratchy tape is unmistakably Stephen Harper's.
It was as unmistakable as his concern that the tape's contents might one day be made public. Mr. Harper interrupted a B.C. reporter in 2005 when asked about allegations his party had offered financial enticements to a dying MP to win his support on a critical vote.
“This is not for publication?†Mr. Harper asked Tom Zytaruk.
He was told that the interview was intended as fodder for a biography of Chuck Cadman, the late MP from Surrey, B.C.
But the ensuing two minutes, 21 seconds of audio raise questions about apparent discrepancies between what the Prime Minister said Thursday and what Mr. Harper himself said on the tinny tape more than two years ago.
The Prime Minister said Thursday he looked into claims Mr. Cadman was offered financial considerations and determined they were untrue.
The tape suggests Mr. Harper was not only aware of a financial offer to Mr. Cadman, but that he gave it the go-ahead, while urging party emissaries not to “press†Mr. Cadman too hard.
Mr. Harper's conversation with B.C. journalist Tom Zytaruk took place outside the Cadman residence just after Mr. Harper paid a courtesy visit to the former MP's widow shortly after his death.
“The offer to Chuck was that it was only to replace financial considerations he might lose due to an election,†Mr. Harper says.
And Mr. Harper says of the people who made the offer: “They were legitimately representing the party.â€
Here's how Mr. Harper summarizes his instructions to those party operatives: “I said, 'Don't press (Mr. Cadman), I mean, you have this theory that it's, you know, financial insecurity, and you know, just, you know, if that's what you're saying make that case,' but I said, 'Don't press it.â€'
The Liberals have already sent a letter to the RCMP asking for an investigation into whether the entire incident could violate the bribery provisions in Section 119 of the Criminal Code. The Mounties said Thursday they're examining the request.
Mr. Harper is clear on the tape that he never expected the overtures to succeed. Mr. Cadman did in fact vote to rescue the Martin government.
“I don't know the details. I can tell you that I had told the individuals, I mean, they wanted to do it. But I told them they were wasting their time. I said Chuck had made up his mnd.â€
