CanPol: Harper sworn in, new cabinet announced

[Odin]

Geez, Zylka, take a chill pill.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


Sure the issue was a cute little cabinet seat.

I'm surprised to hear you defending Belinda Stronach when you can simply tar both houses.

This one's slightly sleaxier because of how shortly after the election it is. He was running as a Liberal 2 weeks ago. It's hard for him to claim that enough has changed in the previous fortnight that he needed to change parties over an issue of conscience. At least Belinda waited almost a year (?)

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by notyoueither


Emerson is very capable? Harper wants someone with smarts and experience to help solve trade issues with the US?

If he's the best person for the job (international trade) I don't have a problem with it.

It also solves the problem of representation for Vancouver.

Didn't you freak out about Stronach?

[CrONoS]

Woman dont have the right to do, what man usually do!

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


This one's slightly sleaxier because of how shortly after the election it is. He was running as a Liberal 2 weeks ago. It's hard for him to claim that enough has changed in the previous fortnight that he needed to change parties over an issue of conscience. At least Belinda waited almost a year (?)

I don't agree.

If you think that buying votes on a confidence issue is better than recruiting 'the best person for the job' out of the gate, you have a problem with perspective.

Originally posted by KrazyHorse

Didn't you freak out about Stronach?

Actually, I would have been saying that we should pay more attention to our MPs and less to the parties, but yes I was unhappy with the government saving its skin through patronage.

[notyoueither]

I'm not sold that Emerson is the best move, but if he plays a key role in resolving softwood Harper should be regarded as having made a good decision.

[Fake Boris]

Zylka

[Wezil]

Originally posted by notyoueither
I'm not sold that Emerson is the best move, but if he plays a key role in resolving softwood Harper should be regarded as having made a good decision.

I thought we were tired of the cynical political games being played by our "leaders"?

Looks like we got the same **** in a different bag.

This is worse than Stronach.

[Ben Kenobi]

He was running as a Liberal 2 weeks ago. It's hard for him to claim that enough has changed in the previous fortnight that he needed to change parties over an issue of conscience. At least Belinda waited almost a year (?)

Belinda waited until the precise moment when the Liberals were in deep trouble from the confidence motion. She was the deciding vote and propped up the Liberal government for another 6 months, all for a cabinet seat which she no longer holds.

I never heard Belinda say she had a change in ideology throughout her short stint, rather she realised that she could never be a leader within the Conservative party.

Emerson is not as bad, because I don't think he has been accused of being a partisan liberal by anyone. He ran as a Liberal because that was the party most likely to win in Kingsway. I am angry not so much at the choice of Emerson, but that others were passed over.

Heck had I lived just a little farther north I would have seriously considered voting for him to deny the NDP the seat.

[KrazyHorse]

I'm absolutely loving watching Conservative apologists who railed on and on about Belinda trying to explain why this is better.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
I'm absolutely loving watching Conservative apologists who railed on and on about Belinda trying to explain why this is better.

IN neither case do I blame very much the party that accepted the defector. I just think it stinks for the MP. Stronach ran for the leader of the Conservatives and defected at the time that would be MOST hurtful to her party.

Emerson ran as a Liberal two weeks ago-- IF I were in his riding I would be pissed. The timing stinks worse than Stronach in many ways.

AS for the parties, I blame them very little. It is the MP that has the duty to their party and riding. For each party, I'm sure that they think that they govern in the interests of Canada yada yada and I hardly blame them for trying to strengthen their government. heck the Tories would welcome another 30 defectors if they could get them.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
I'm absolutely loving watching Conservative apologists who railed on and on about Belinda trying to explain why this is better.

You think Harper shouldn;t try to put together the best government for the country that he can? What would you like him to do with no MPs from two of the three largest metro areas?

Where did I complain about Stronach crossing the floor?

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Flubber

IN neither case do I blame very much the party that accepted the defector. I just think it stinks for the MP. Stronach ran for the leader of the Conservatives and defected at the time that would be MOST hurtful to her party.

Emerson ran as a Liberal two weeks ago-- IF I were in his riding I would be pissed. The timing stinks worse than Stronach in many ways.

Actually, it's when deals should be made and people recruited to strengthen a government that is weak in areas. That is how governments have been formed for centuries.

I don't blame Emerson at all. He was offered, he did not seek (from what I've heard). The PM designate said 'I need you to help govern'. What's he supposed to say? 'No, I'm incompetent and you could find someone better.'?

OTOH, a lot of Tories are pissed and I can't blame them. Harper made a mistake of giving the impression that parties own their MPs. The fault is his for playing up parties and playing down the responsibility and autonomy of individual MPs (which is sort of funny when you think about other things he 'stands' for).

AS for the parties, I blame them very little. It is the MP that has the duty to their party and riding. For each party, I'm sure that they think that they govern in the interests of Canada yada yada and I hardly blame them for trying to strengthen their government. heck the Tories would welcome another 30 defectors if they could get them.

Not from past practice of Harper, I think. During the **** storm last spring it was reported that Harper told Liberals that they were not welcome ot cross the floor to sit with the Tories.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Where did I complain about Stronach crossing the floor?

I'm waiting.

[notyoueither]

Well now, this is interesting timing.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/02/08/airbus060208.html

New questions raised over Mulroney's ties with German businessman
Last Updated Wed, 08 Feb 2006 21:59:22 EST
CBC News
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney received $300,000 from a secret Swiss bank account after he left office because he was strapped for cash, German businessman Karlheinz Schreiber has told The Fifth Estate.

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney (CP file photo)
A Fifth Estate investigation has revealed new details of the money trail between Mulroney and Schreiber, raising questions about whether the former prime minister misled Canadians about their relationship.

Mulroney received $300,000 from a secret Swiss bank account controlled by Schreiber, the German-Canadian businessman told The Fifth Estate in his first sit-down interview.

The payments, received from Schreiber in 1993 and 1994, came from a bank account in Zurich with the code name "Britan", Schreiber said.

"There were five hundred thousand sitting, and from there he got 300," Schreiber told The Fifth Estate's Linden MacIntyre.

There is no evidence Mulroney knew where the money was coming from.

Schreiber was the focus of the so-called "Airbus affair," in which millions of dollars in secret commissions were paid in respect to the sale of the jets to Air Canada.

In 1995 the RCMP accused Mulroney of accepting kickbacks from Schreiber while Mulroney was in office for the purchase of a large order of German Airbus jets.

Mulroney sued for libel, and under oath, denied any dealings with Schreiber.

Mulroney received a government apology and a $2 million settlement.

The Fifth Estate has learned the Britan account was activated a month after Mulroney stepped down as prime minister. The account, numbered 46341.5 received funds from another coded account owned by Schreiber called "Frankfurt."

That money, in turn, came from a Liechtenstein company, called IAL or International Aircraft Leasing. IAL held the proceeds of secret commission money from Airbus Industries, and received funds from German arms manufacturer Thyssen Industries connected to a planned, though never built, armoured vehicle factory in Cape Breton.

The Britan account was activated on July 26, 1993, when $500,000 was transferred to it from the Frankfurt account. The next day $100,000 was withdrawn from it. A second $100,000 was taken from the account on Nov. 3, 1993.

On July 21, 1994, $50,000 was withdrawn from the Britan account. The last withdrawal from the account was also for $50,000 and came out on Nov. 21, 1994.

Schrieber said he gave Mulroney the money after being approached by former Mulroney chief of staff Fred Doucet. According to Schreiber, Doucet told him Mulroney was not financially well off and needed some help.

Schreiber said he hoped Mulroney would be useful in his continuing efforts to get an armoured vehicle factory built in Cape Breton for Thyssen. However, nothing ever came out of that, said Schreiber.

According to Schreiber, Mulroney only sent him a brochure from Archer Daniels Midland, a company which deals in wheat where the former prime minister was a director. Schreiber owned a pasta business.

In 1999, a spokesman for Mulroney denied any money was exchanged. But in 2003, Mulroney indirectly acknowledged he did receive money from Schreiber but as payment for his help in promoting Schreiber's pasta business.

Schreiber told The Fifth Estate Mulroney did very little for the money.

"What had he done for the money?" Schreiber said. "Well, I learned to my great surprise that he worked with me on spaghetti."

Mulroney declined requests from The Fifth Estate to offer an explanation.

Schreiber is currently fighting extradition to Germany to face charges of fraud.

So, the guy paid $300,000 to an ex PM, much of it after his party had been wiped out and the next government staged a very public repudiation of legal contracts entered into by the prior government... and this bright light expected pay back for the cash?

I smell a very large lawsuit coming.