After weeks of “All Grewal, All Day”, the vindications are starting to trickle in. Last week he was absolved by both the RCMP and Transport Canada in the Air Canada faux scandal – today the ethics commissioner has cleared him of wrongdoing in asking his consituants to post bonds of up to $100,000 in exchange for his help in obtaining temporary visas.
OTTAWA (CP) – Parliament’s ethics commissioner recommends that no sanctions be imposed on a Tory MP involved in an immigration controversy.
He says Gurmant Grewal committed an error in judgment – but an honest one – when he demanded paid bonds from families of foreigners seeking to visit Canada. The B.C. MP admits he asked for signed guarantees of up to $100,000 if visitors did not leave the country when their visas expired.
But Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro says Grewal never accepted any payment, and never intended to pocket the money. Shapiro says the practice placed the Tory MP in an apparent conflict of interest, but that his mistake happened in good faith.
Now, perhaps CTV will turn their attention to the conduct – and the identities – of senior Liberals who leaked details of the Grewal “investigation” to the media during the height of the Liberal government’s confidence crisis in May.
On second thought – maybe the Libranos will just make good on their threats to deport him.
Kevin Libin at the Shotgun weighs in and follows up with a response from Grewal.
CTV won’t do a thing, and will walk away after enabling a smear job on Grewal.They can’t ever admit their complicity, and stupidity, in being pimped for so very little.
Good post Kate.
This will get no airplay due to the extension shennanigans occuring right now. And also the obvious MSM bias which is becoming a thoroughly thrashed dead horse.
It is amazing how fast that report made it back to the real world. Is there a Title to it?
Kate,
I sent an email to Mike Duffy at CTV asking for an apology for Mr. Grewal. I doubt if CTV will do anything that decent, but if enough of us email CTV and express our disgust with their coverage, something might get done.
I thought I’d send something to the CBC but—- why waste keystrokes?
Whats Duffy’s email?
And if we had the address of the blackberry he holds up on his show all the time that would be better
Stephen,
I’ve been emailing him at:
Duffy@CTV.ca
I’ve never had a returned email, so it must work.
Mind you, Duff never replies, either!
Grewal is an honest man and Harper should immediately promote him to the shadow cabinet. Harper should be more visible in his support of Grewal.
THE MSM and political parties did not apologize for the Sgro smear. I wouldn’t hold my breath that the MSM will apologize to Grewal.
I agree with yaright. Media won’t apologize. Can you imagine, how big the apology will have to be when the MSM reports that adscam was not a $250 million theft by the Liberals. Will the Cons and media apologize to the Liberals? I don’t think so.
Why should the MSM apologise for a $250 MIL ADSCAM when the forensic auditors said it was more like a $355MIL ADSCAM?
I am sure sonner or later, Good Mr. Iron Man will have more to say on the issue. If you have ever actualy LISTENED to the tapes… the conviction in his voice regarding joe “SlimeMaster” volpe seem very very genuine. Much more so than the 107th “huh huh”. So SlimeMaster, gets to smear a Good Man with no repercussions whatsoever? Great immigration minister we have. Better than sgro? That’s a hard one…
Yaright….
Sgro smeared….dont think so. She was handing out immigration and work visa’s as rewards for being Liberal.
I think the media does need to apologize…for consistently missing each Liberal abuse of power until long after the gate has been left open.
Grewal…honest man….kind of dense in my opinion, but certainly no ill intent, at least in the defrauding Liberal party kind of ill intent.
Grewal has been cleared of the immigration accusations and last week he was cleared of any wrong doing at the Vancouver airport. It should be obvious to everyone in the MSM that the liberals tried to bribe him on the tapes. Joe Volpe should be fired. All those liberals against SSM should vote against the budget and bring down this crooked government now. While you are emailing people add Pat o brien and tom wappel and paul szabo to your list and ask them to vote against the budget.
It seems VERY plausable to me, that Good Mr. Iron Man was willing to take this as high as nessisary to get volpe to publicly apoligize. This included the Office of the Prime Minister.
We are supposed to look badly upon a person who, tries desperatly to stay in this Country. He then makes a mistake TRYING to help his constituants, with family members in the same situation he was in. After that, he tapes a corrupt conversation DIRECTLY INVOLVING pmpm, and releases it to the world(edited or not, the conversation took place). Finally, he tries to get a tape sent to someone flying to Ottawa sooner…
These are the “evil” goings on of Good Mr. Iron Man. (according to the cbc, “MSM”)
POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS
Law Society to probe Dosanjh – Grewal affair
OTTAWA – The Law Society of British Columbia says it has appointed a lawyer to investigate the role Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh played in a scandal involving Conservative MP Gurmant Grewal. (CP)
Librano$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
http://www.primetimecrime.com
“appointed a lawyer…” What is the lawyer’s name. His firm? What are the terms of reference of this investigation?
When will the results be known? Will the results be given to CP? Who/what is CP?
This is addressed to CP. When will CP respond to this?
Is CP an employer of Canadian citizens?
Questions, questions,….
I’m still waiting for them to point out that the original tapes were deemed ‘clean’ by an independent engineer. I know Duff mentioned it rather dismissively, but there hasn’t been any in-depth discussion about it, no interviews with the guy who did the analysis. They trotted out their own mouthpieces, but didn’t even bother to talk to the CPCP guy, the only one who has heard the entire tapes sans edits. Oh well. We can keep bitching about MSM, but unless it hits them in the pocketbook – we all cancel our subscriptions or just switch them off – they aren’t going to pay us much heed. I sincerely hope that if the Tories do form the next government, they keep their constituents informed, and tell the media to screw themselves.
Oh goody! Now Paul Martin will welcome him into the Liberal cabinet.
Grewal an “honest man”? Grewal a “good man”? C’mon folks ……. he’s an idiot and a disgrace to the CPC. Running around with a bloody tape recorder like something out of “I Spy”. Before you start dumping on me I want you to know I am dyed-in-the-wool CPC.
Westerner maybe you didnt hear but when Inky Mark said the Liberals had offered him a position for his vote, the Liberals vehemently denied it and Reg Alcock said show me the proof.
When they did the same to Gurmant Grewal, he showed them the proof. When you deal with Liberals you play by Liberal rules. Underhanded.
“westerner”
Is Good Mr. Iron Man better or worse than Inky Mark for using a tape recorder against the liebrals. It’s a simple question…
I think it is wrong! wrong! wrong! for any MP or staffer to be taping anything in an underhand way. I don’t care whether they are CPC, Librano or the hated NDP …… it’s wrong and sinking to the same level as the Liberals for ANY reason doesn’t make it right. Grewal is toast and if he runs for dogcatcher in the next election he’ll lose.
Westerner: Would we know about the backroom antics of the PMO without the tape? You say it’s wrong to tape — do you think Dosanjh and Murphy would have been exposed WITHOUT the tape? Inky Mark said that the Liberals made him offers, and look what happened to him.
You say look what happened to Inky Mark because he didn’t tape Alcock? Nothing, my friend. He is apparently not in need of “stress leave”, retains the respect of his caucus, has not disgraced the CPC and will, in all liklihood, be re-elected. Grewal, on the other hand, has become a joke and a disgrace to my party and he can kiss good-bye to any thoughts of re-election. I listened to a CKNW (Vancouver) call-in show today and the Indo-Canadians who called in stated they deeply shamed by his actions and you can bet they will get their pound of Surrey flesh at the ballot box.
Let me rephrase then: what happened to Inky Mark’s allegations?
Had it been Tim Murphy taping Grewal, the media would have been applauding his presence of mind.
Good grief. It’s perfectly legal to tape a conversation, and if there is likely to be a dispute arising out of the discussion, it’s probably even advisable that you do so.
Consider that Grewal was already being attacked in public – due to Liberal leak to CTV – for alleged wrongdoing in the visa affair.
You bet your ass he should have taped any conversation he had with anyone on that side of the bench.
You too, Kate? You think its ethical to sneak around taping conversations and discussions among MPs regardless of the subject being discussed? The reason why Murphy and the idiotic Dosanjh got caught is simply because they didn’t think a CPC MP would stoop that low even though they likely wouldn’t give it a second thought themselves. The fact remains that the Libranos, as dishonest and crooked as they are, haven’t quite stooped to that low a level. Again, this unethical behaviour is NOT a CPC standard procedure – rather, it is a Grewal procedure and it has caused great harm to our cause. I guess what you’re saying is that its OK for us to be unethical because the other side lacks ethics and scruples. Christ! Have we reached that point?!!
The Libranos haven’t stooped to that low a level? Did you just awake from a two-year slumber?
Grewal would never have been believed, and he knew it.
Do you disapprove of cops taping crimes,too? Say, conversations where someone is soliciting a hitman?
westerner – “Christ! Have we reached that point?!!”
Simple one word answer … “YUP”
The public has been brainwashed, and more concrete evidence is necessary to bring it out. Why are you even arguing the point. Reject it, fine, but when Inky was rejected as being an idiot by the Librano$, I wouldn’t have jsut tapped them, there would have been other measures as well.
You fail to accept that this was all a result of the Inky Mark rejection, and are only looking at the one issue. What would you have done, just said please don’t do that again when you know there hitting everyone at the CPC to move over?
It’s certainly ethical – and to quote someone else – public officials should conduct themselves at all times as though their conversations will become public.
If more of them adhered to _that_ ethical standard, there’d be no need for tape recordings, RCMP investigations, ethics commissioners or the Gomery inquiry.
Let us not forget – that when the Grewal allegations were first made – in advance of the mention of the existance of a tape – Paul Martin denied that any such negotiations had ever occured – the same Paul Martin who later adjusted his position what? 3 – 4 times, as more information about his involvement was released?
This story is a textbook case of media double standards. They didn’t even need to hear the tapes. The scrutiny should have been placed on a prime minister caught in a blatant falsehood.
EBD: Aren’t your questions just a little inane and otherwise foolish? Suppose I agree with you and Kate and we just decide to tape or record every activity into which we enter. Should we insist on lie detectors to firmly establish what was discussed? Should we simply throw out any pretense at civility, honour and decency? Should we ape the Libranos because “that’s the way THEY act”? Surely you understand there is a time and a place for everything and that includes the need to tape or record our activities. Of course I want the cops to tape the bad guys planning a hit. And of course I don’t want my MP taping his conversations with other MPs/staffers. It’s unethical and just plain wrong.
Totally disagree with you westerner. when they questioned the ethics of Inky, it triggered the tapping as being just cause.
In fact, until ethics can be restored in elected officials, all conversations should be taped, and you can thank the Libranos for the destruction of the trust and ethics in the political arena. You seem to be ignoring the cause of the problem… why?
Well, at least I know now that you answer inane questions, and that you even elaborate on them. Here’s another one: You said you do want cops to tape someone planning a hit; well, considering that a whole nation is affected by vote buying, not just one or two people, and considering that Canada’s reputation as a place to do business could be damaged, don’t you think that potential vote fraud in parliament is every bit as serious a crime as some woman putting a hit on her husband?
rob and EBD: Sorry but I guess just think dfferently than you two (I guess that’s obvious).
So what do you suggest I do next election? Vote Librano? Nope – can’t do that … they’re crooked and a pack of thieves. Vote NDP? Nope – I’d rather cut off both hands before doing that. Green? Nope …. for obvious reasons. CPC? Hmmmm. They seem to condone unethical and unscrupulous behaviour because the Libranos do it. What comes after this behaviour? They become crooks and thieves. Hey …. I seem to be back to square one. I guess I’ll have to move to Surrey North so I can vote for Chuck Cadman.
Now, may I ask you a question? Do you think that acting with a lack of ethics is OK because the Libranos do it?
No.
I advocate a CPC MP to become part of the first “reality based” CPAC programming. This would involve a Conservative MP with his or her entire day recorded on film (minus taking a dump)for all to see. If this burden is not to much to ask of the Osbourne family… why is it to much to ask of our politicians?
westerner, your question brings up another question. What’s unethical about protecting your ass when ya know there going to discredit you publicly?
Like I said, Inky was a failure due to no evidence, and know that there is evidence you seem to reject it and pass it off as being unethical….. If he didn’t tape then what would you be saying?… That he’s full of it?
Tooooooooooooooooo much liebral spin…
I am optimistic as to the repercusions of this affair. The tide is turning, at any rate. Who cares about Good Mr. Iron Man… when the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a hero from Montreal. A man who single handedly took on the state run healthcare system… and won.
Knight of Good Mr. Iron Man, progressives can’t handle logic, that’s why you have to keep the focus on the subject in question and counter with absolute logic. They can’t spin it and it becomes a frustration when they can’t answer the question with a logical answer.
I just have to wade in here…
To be clear, Grewal’s bond bit, in which he required 232 bonds from people without having the authority to do so was not deemed acceptable by the ethics commissioner. The commissioner absolved Grewal only on the notion that Grewal didn’t know any better!
If Grewal was to do the same thing again, he’d be in a lot of trouble. So Grewal has shown poor judgement here.
Grewal overstepped both Immigration Minister Volpe and Parliament.
He’s off the hook this time because he appeared to be ignorant.
Myself, I agree with the finding given the guidelines in place which the commisioner must follow.
This does not make Grewal a shining example of an MP, or one worthy of an apology. He did wrong, but he was too stupid to know better.
I placed the relevant info on my blog, or just read the report: http://www.parl.gc.ca/oec-bce/site/pages/ReportG_EN1_web.pdf
Some people actually thought that Grewal himself would get the money if they defaulted. The question to beg is if anyone did or would have considered the bond as a cost of an illegal immigration, or as a bribe.
wrt to the airport incident, to be clear:
A man goes into an airport, a package under his arm. He has no ticket. He talks to a ticket agent and asks that said agent somehow arrange for a passenger – any passenger – to take the package to Ottawa for him. He has not yet gone through security.
That scenario is one of a man striving to violate the law. Passenger prior to entering security are not to take other people’s luggage with them.
Any person who has travelled even a bit (such as me) must know that you can only carry your own luggage past security. Grewal certainly has travelled.
His actions right there were bizarre.
He then purchased a ticket for a flight he had no intention to take, went though security, and then tried to get a passenger to take a package. Legal, yes, but odd.
Myself, I am pleased that this matter was noticed by the airport personnel.
He is a public figure – an MP no less – in the middle of a scandal behaving strangely in an airport.
If you or I tried that trick, we’d find ourselves hauled into an interview view at the airport so quick…
Common to both matters is that Grewal doesn’t seem to know the rules that the rest of us do.
I think little good of the Liberals, but that can’t cause me to ignore a man so clearly ill-suited for parliament.
I do wish that the media would pay closer attention to the latest tape release myself:
http://section15.blogspot.com/2005/06/smelly-dead-animals-wants-grewal.html
Westerner,
Missed the fireworks last night but I’ll weigh in this am.
I share westerner’s discomfort at the taping. I am also uncomfotable that it was deemed to be necessary to tape, the Inky episode is the best example of that.
Taping is legal, its just one of those things you just really dont want to do and you think less of those who do. It breaks a trust no question. BUT lets not blame the victim, “she was wearing a short dress and she looked so good”. UD and Murph engaged in the negotiation and to make it worse have tried to deny what is as plain as day on the tapes.
Grewal probably should find another occupation because he is backbench meat as far as i can tell unless he can win his seat again.
It doesnt look good on anyone, and yes I wish the CPC found a “better” way to get the info out but I dont know what that better way was. The liberals got caught playing fast and loose with their position and if SGRO and Adscam and grewal and budgets arent enough to demonstrate a bred in the bone standard opertating procedure that involves abuse of power I dont know what will.
You are right to feel sqeamish about this, it wouldnt have been my choice either. But once the offers were being made you needed to find proof. Now if only the CPC had jsut released the tape in an original form on Day 1 along with selected edits, pre chewed quoatables for the lazy media, then this story might have been different. But that is another thread. Time to move forward and on to the next thing…Judy Sgro and her back alley visa operation….
westerner:
If it wasn’t already, it became ethical to tape the conversation as soon as Reg Alcock asked for any evidence of liberal vote-buying to be brought forward.
Do you follow? He asked for the evidence.
What other evidence could Mr. Grewal have brought forward that would convince anyone beyond a shadow of a doubt what was going on, given how thoroughly Inky Mark was dismissed?
It is unfortunate and unpleasant that he did have to tape the encounters, because it is rather sordid; but it’s more an indication of the sad state of affairs in Canada than of Grewal’s personal code of ethics. If the Liberals behaved more ethically (note how many lies they told between the release of the first tapes and the complete release), and our media actually held them to the standard worthy of a western democracy instead of a middle east tin-pot dictatorship, then perhaps such “sting operations” would not be necessary.
mark (The Spot)
The tapes are what they are. Who cares about the Vancouver Airport? Only you apparently. Who cares about the edits? You do. Who cares about what joe volpe said about Good Mr. Iron Man before all this started…no one.
westener and Mark; It is plain to see you two would rather get dupped than to prove any truths. I would not want to have to count on either one of you in any serious battle. Maybe you have never been ‘burned’ but you must grow up sometime so I will just blurt it out in words. YOU CANNOT TRUST ANY LIBERAL AT ANY TIME, ANYWHERE, OR CONCERNING ANYTHING. They have shown contempt for the truth and for people who tell the truth. MSM backs the Liberano’s up every time and calls them ‘clever’ as if that is a compliment. It is NOT to be tolerated. Mr. Grewal is a hero for showing those lying, stealing, corrupt, Liberanos to the public. The average Canadian is so poorly educated that they still can’t understand why we should throw out the stinking, rotton, maggot infested corpse of the Liberal Party of Canada.