Prime Minister Harper launched a defamation lawsuit against the opposition Liberal party for alleged comments they made allegedly implicating him in an alleged bribing attempt of deceased Independent MP Chuck Cadman for his vote in the Commons. Late Friday it was announced that the action was dropped by Prime Minister Harper.
Sorry to be using “allegedly” so often in this post but since nothing is proven and the combatants have gone silent as a result of the “settlement” of the lawsuit. We know nothing for sure and I don’t want to be sued on this matter either. Too bad the author Tom Zytaruk who taped the interview with Harper that formed the key evidence in this theatre of the absurd did not get an apology from the PM. He obviously deserves one now that Harper has folded.
We can draw some conclusions and implications from these events. Harper’s dropping the suit hardly makes his claim that the Liberal party comments on the issues and allegations were “the biggest mistake they ever made.” High hubris by Harper then and he has some very cold crow to munch on now.
The damage claim in Harper’s law suit for loss of reputation at $3.5m is now reduced to dick and each part pays their own costs in the action. That means that Harper wins nothing and the Liberals lose nothing and neither party will comment further. The downgrading of a political reputation loss allegation from millions to nothing and in fact costing the Plaintiff money for his own legal fees for pursuing the adventure come off like posturing and puffery at best.
This all may mean the Harper is hankering to govern now that he has to admit and accept that the country is in crisis and to stop bullying the opposition as his primary political goal. Heaven knows the country needs him to make the shift. My money says he has not really made the leap and will now be in leadership limbo and drift into disinterest and do neither.
Showing posts with label Cadman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cadman. Show all posts
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Harper Keeps Media Away From Candidate Cadman...Chuck's Widow
More evidence Mr. Harper is opposed to or afraid of Free Speech. Apparently reporters were not allowed to talk to Chuck Cadman's widow and Conservative candidate at a recent Harper political rally in B.C.. This is leadership in a a free and open society that values democracy? Harper clearly does not want citizen to get informed on the issues in this campaign nor to investigate his political character in this election.
Harper fears what will happen if citizens engage, get informed and show up to vote. They may make a consider decision and not be subjected only to the mediated and manipulated by spin by the Harper War Room.
It is even more alarming to consider the point in this CTV blog post that the RCMP may be engaging in partisan politics beyond "protecting" Harper. It appears they are actively keeping reporters away from speaking to protesters and candidates. If so they are not "Serving and Protecting." They are keeping the truth from Canadians.
UPDATE: I just got Kady O'Malley's take on this RCMP shilling too. It is worth reading and reflecting on as Harper rehearses for a police state.
Harper fears what will happen if citizens engage, get informed and show up to vote. They may make a consider decision and not be subjected only to the mediated and manipulated by spin by the Harper War Room.
It is even more alarming to consider the point in this CTV blog post that the RCMP may be engaging in partisan politics beyond "protecting" Harper. It appears they are actively keeping reporters away from speaking to protesters and candidates. If so they are not "Serving and Protecting." They are keeping the truth from Canadians.
UPDATE: I just got Kady O'Malley's take on this RCMP shilling too. It is worth reading and reflecting on as Harper rehearses for a police state.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Claims of Doctored Harper - Cadman Tapes Undermines Canadian's Confidence in the Harper Cons
How much “confidence” can the Harper Cons handle? How much do they deserve? They have made a mockery of the idea of confidence votes claiming virtually every Commons vote to be a confidence vote. This was a vain attempt at trying to trigger a needless and pointless early election. The con the Harper Cons are perpetrating now is even more ridiculous.
Yesterday they put the Con back in confidence with the allegations of doctored tapes of Harper recorded comments on the Cadman Affair. Their dumb and dumber diatribe over such superficial allegations underscores the propensity of the PMO for message control and media manipulation. This latest episode of the decline and eventual demise of the Harper “government” has taken on a theater of the absurd quality.
The latest Con claims of “doctored audio tapes claiming alleged changes in the “meaning” of the Prime Minister’s comments about a million dollar insurance offer to Mr. Cadman for his vote is as worrisome as it is laughable. Such efforts of diversion of media attention are not new with this “government.”
The thick binder of “evidence” presented at the “news” conference was to confirm the tape contained “edits” seems to be more voluminous than luminous. Author Tom Zytaruk, who did the recording of the PM for the Cadman book he was writing, explained the “edits” in the Globe and Mail today. He says he stopped the tape “…momentarily when he thought Mr. Harper had finished speaking. When Mr Harper turned back Mr. Zytaruk resumed taping. He (Zytaruk) insisted that neither he nor Mr. Harper said anything during the interruption.” Over to you and to your audio experts Mr. Prime Minister. Rebut that please.
The story gets richer. The PM has sued the Liberals for libel but he has not taken action against the book publisher nor the author, who did the taping where the claims originated. The doctored tape claims appear strangely political don’t you think? Strangely political goes even further in this farce.
The con the Harpercrits are perpetrating goes further into the absurd. According to news report they have applied to the Ontario Superior Court to seek an injunction to stop the Liberals from using the tape…but they don’t want the matter dealt with until Sept 18. The sense of urgency to protect the PM’s reputation in these circumstances is underwhelming. Clearly there is no concern over the potential damage that these so-called “doctored tapes” might cause to the PM’s reputation and standing in the community as a result of the alleged libel can wait 3 or 4 months to be dealt with. Could it be the Cons are trying to use the courts for political purposes? Say it ain’t so Steve!
The news reports show the Cons evidence to back up such claims of “doctoring” is scant to say the most. The posturing and posing by the Harper political and Orwellian message machine is beyond suspicion. It is so far past being ludicrous.
This is not about remedying a damaged personal reputation or seeking justice for a wrong. It is the same old – same old Cons pursuing a purely political agenda. This is about them using their tried and true political tools of message control, bluster and bullying.
This will not help the Harper Cons gain the trust and respect of Canadians they need to get a majority – or even win the next election. The confidence of the people in the face of the con being perpetrated by the Conservative “government” is now an open and undecided question for the Canadian voters. This latest Harper Cons misadventure and political ridiculousness will move the needle of public opinion but not the way the Harper manipulation machine intended.
Yesterday they put the Con back in confidence with the allegations of doctored tapes of Harper recorded comments on the Cadman Affair. Their dumb and dumber diatribe over such superficial allegations underscores the propensity of the PMO for message control and media manipulation. This latest episode of the decline and eventual demise of the Harper “government” has taken on a theater of the absurd quality.
The latest Con claims of “doctored audio tapes claiming alleged changes in the “meaning” of the Prime Minister’s comments about a million dollar insurance offer to Mr. Cadman for his vote is as worrisome as it is laughable. Such efforts of diversion of media attention are not new with this “government.”
The thick binder of “evidence” presented at the “news” conference was to confirm the tape contained “edits” seems to be more voluminous than luminous. Author Tom Zytaruk, who did the recording of the PM for the Cadman book he was writing, explained the “edits” in the Globe and Mail today. He says he stopped the tape “…momentarily when he thought Mr. Harper had finished speaking. When Mr Harper turned back Mr. Zytaruk resumed taping. He (Zytaruk) insisted that neither he nor Mr. Harper said anything during the interruption.” Over to you and to your audio experts Mr. Prime Minister. Rebut that please.
The story gets richer. The PM has sued the Liberals for libel but he has not taken action against the book publisher nor the author, who did the taping where the claims originated. The doctored tape claims appear strangely political don’t you think? Strangely political goes even further in this farce.
The con the Harpercrits are perpetrating goes further into the absurd. According to news report they have applied to the Ontario Superior Court to seek an injunction to stop the Liberals from using the tape…but they don’t want the matter dealt with until Sept 18. The sense of urgency to protect the PM’s reputation in these circumstances is underwhelming. Clearly there is no concern over the potential damage that these so-called “doctored tapes” might cause to the PM’s reputation and standing in the community as a result of the alleged libel can wait 3 or 4 months to be dealt with. Could it be the Cons are trying to use the courts for political purposes? Say it ain’t so Steve!
The news reports show the Cons evidence to back up such claims of “doctoring” is scant to say the most. The posturing and posing by the Harper political and Orwellian message machine is beyond suspicion. It is so far past being ludicrous.
This is not about remedying a damaged personal reputation or seeking justice for a wrong. It is the same old – same old Cons pursuing a purely political agenda. This is about them using their tried and true political tools of message control, bluster and bullying.
This will not help the Harper Cons gain the trust and respect of Canadians they need to get a majority – or even win the next election. The confidence of the people in the face of the con being perpetrated by the Conservative “government” is now an open and undecided question for the Canadian voters. This latest Harper Cons misadventure and political ridiculousness will move the needle of public opinion but not the way the Harper manipulation machine intended.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Harper Cons Claim Libs "Doctored" Cadman Tapes
How B-grade Hollywood can you get. The Cons have continued to embarrass themselves over this sad and sordid matter.and not they are actually caricaturing themselves with such silly pronouncements.
I wonder who will the equivalent to the former Bush White House Press Secretary, Mr. Scott McClellan? Who in the Conservative brain trust will do the ultimate tell-all-tales and expose the back-room-truths about this group of non-governing Harper Con goofuses in what ought to a best selling Canadian book - meaning it might sell 5000 copies!
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