Stephen Taylor and I have been working to check out something a reader emailed me about a couple of days ago. Because of my technical limitations and a busy workday yesterday, I asked Stephen to dig into the video of the ads up on the Liberal.ca website to see if there was something to the suspicions cast and he’s pulled together a devastating case.
I’ll be using Stephen’s text extensively in this post as well as the timeline he pulled together. Let’s review;
December 5th: The Liberals release three ads on their website. (1, 2, 3)
December 7th – Paul Martin at Montreal climate change conference: “To the reticent nations, including the United States, I say this: There is such a thing as a global conscience, and now is the time to listen to it, now is the time to join with others in the global community”
December 8th – Canadian ambassador to the US, Frank McKenna (a Liberal) reportedly receives a “dressing down” from the Bush administration over Martin’s comments on December 7th.
December 13th (morning) – US Ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins: “It may be smart election-year politics to thump your chest and constantly criticize your friend and your No. 1 trading partner”
December 13th (afternoon) – Paul Martin: Let me simply say to anyone who wants to question what I have been saying, beginning with (Conservative Leader) Stephen Harper, that I am the prime minister of this country, that our position on climate change will be determined by the government of Canada, that the fact is that we do expect our partners to honour their agreements — and I will defend Canada. Period.
December 16th – Liberals release new ads on their website (4, 5)
Check out the transcript of the 4th Liberal ad, which seems to underscore Martin’s bold response to Wilkins:
Keith White: “I think Paul Martin’s doing a fantastic job representing our interests… in America”
Neil Dhalla: “Paul Martin definitely has the ability to stand up to Mr. Bush”
Art Cowie: “Paul Martin’s taking a very strong stand on the lumber situation”
Bardish Chagger: “He has protected Canadians’ interests, he has fought for our softwood lumber.”
Nathan Van Beselacre: “It’s important to have good relations with our neighbours, but when there’s a problem you have to deal with it diplomatically. I feel he’s done so.”
However, this fourth ad (released Dec 16th) was filmed on the same day as second ad released on Dec 5th – long before the reported “summoning” of Mckenna to Washington.
(I’ve screencaptured Stephen’s shots – be sure to go over to his site for the live links.)
Note the positioning of the parked cars and the same clothes.
Note the pattern of the puddles over Dhalla’s shoulder. Note the time on the clock in the background (ad 4 was filmed 7 minutes after ad 2)
Same clothes, same rainy day.
The clips the ads obviously were filmed on the same day and sometime before December 5th.
Did the Martin campaign deliberately set out to sour relations with the Bush administration for political advantage? Did Wilkins fall into a trap that had been already laid? It might explain why he seemed a bit mystified over the reaction to his speech. On Dec.13, Norm Spector noticed something that David Frum had mentioned in the National Post.
The National Post’s David Frum is onto Paul Martin.
The story of White House reaction to that speech turns out to have been wildly overhyped. The White House official who met with ambassador McKenna on Friday was not the Vice- President, not the National Security Adviser, not even the National Security Council’s Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs: It was the head of the Council on Environmental Quality. Nor had McKenna been “summoned”: He had requested the meeting himself. As for the administration’s alleged fury, the true mood seems to have been closer to one of irritated resignation.
The ads are a little too prescient. Together with Frum’s revelation, what the LIberals have tried to pull off may represent an all-time low in the history of Canadian politics. I agree with Stephen ;
The Liberal braintrust obviously thought that clips of “ordinary Canadians” (er, Liberals) would be required defending what would be future rhetoric of Paul Martin taking on George W. Bush and the USA.
If the recent diplomatic row with Washington was merely part of a partisan ploy to gain anti-American votes (as many observers have suggested), does the timing of the filming of these ads further confirm that the Liberals were preparing to sour Canadian-US relations for electoral gain?
This is so silly. I really can’t believe anyone would go to the trouble of “analyzing” these video shoots. Of course they’re shot on the same day, a four-year-old could tell you that.
I bet the Libs filmed a whole pile of ads on various issues they felt they were strong on, which of course includes standing up to the US, something many Canadians feel Harper would not do.
When the time is right, they release the ones that are most relevant. When Wilkins opened his yap, they released the ones about Canada-US relations.
I can’t believe this is being characterized as some kind of “expose”. Yes, the Libs probably are playing up Canada-US relations for votes, and if that includes damaging them, they’ll do it. They’ll do anything to hang onto power. That’s been all over the “MSM” for days now.
Where is the news here??? What is original about this post??? Is there any kind of plan exposed here that didn’t make headlines days ago when Wilkins and Martin had their “spat”?
This makes as much sense as a Liberal posting up something along the lines of:
BREAKING NEWS: HARPER WOULD ALLOW FREE VOTE ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Tell us something we don’t know.
This country was built on hate! The only reason Canada exists is because upper and lower Canada hated the Americans more than they hated each other! Nothing has changed.
There has bever been a long term vision other than the maintanence of power. Maintained by any means possible. At any cost.
Martin deliberately picked a fight with the US as part of a pre-planned communications strategy, complete with supporting ad spots.
It’s as if in 2004, after his ‘spat’ with Klein, these ‘stand up against Ralph’ ads suddenly appeared, but turned out to be filmed weeks earlier. Only difference is Klein isn’t Uncle Sam and major segments of our economy aren’t dependent on his goodwill.
Did any of you see that note in the star about how the Conservative party published their review of the leaders� debate, applauding Stephen Harper for his Conservative policies? The only problem was that they published these �pats on the back� four hours before the first debate.
http://www.thestar.com/static/PDF/051216_debate_verdict.pdf
Looks like both parties can publish things a little early. But then again who didn�t know that the Liberal party was fighting the Americans? And who didn�t know that conservatives were going to praise Harper no matter what he said?
Excellent post, K.
You continue to motivate me.
Just wait till after Christmas. I’ll have much more time on my hands in January for doing my own part. I just love exposing the Liberals’ dirty tricks and cheating. Glad you’re doing it in the meantime.
To all. I am confused! Libs are leading all polls and seem well-positioned for repeat minority government. Yet, their campaign smacks of desperation. This is easily the worst run Liberal campaign I have ever seen (though it’s not over yet). Their message is becoming muddled and the MSM (gulp!) is warming up to Mr Harper, though there’s lots of time for slagging. If the Liberals go for the negative (which they likely will witness John Duffy’s Post “they started it” argument today), many will see them as opportunist with nothing positive to offer. They are really blowing it IMHO.
who knows what’s going on with the polls, but there’s a few factors that probably make Martin’s spine go cold:
– electorate is not polarizing Lib/Con in English Canada … Jack’s holding his own, making for many more three-way races in BC & Ontario
– Harper’s leadership numbers and perception are not that negative right now and are moving in the right direction
– Martin’s have not
Really, the campaign won’t kick into high-gear until January, at which point the Libs are only 5-6 points ahead, need to drive Harper’s negatives through the roof in a few short weeks, and need to scare NDP support into their cumfy rug. That’s a tall order given that Martin doesn’t have the benefit of the doubt he had last time around.
Oh, and they need to GOTV … something tells me Liberal voters aren’t all that motivated right now.
Hey guys,
If you want MSM to start picking up on this story, Drudge Report is the place to start. It might be an American site, but I still believe that its a scoop that Drudge couldn’t pass up since it does involve the US. He loves big scoops like this. Towards the bottom of drudgereport.com there is a place where you can submit tips and links to the site for investigation by his people, so take the time and submit the website and tell him that you want coverage of this.
Phil has it exactly right.
The conservatives have run a solid campaign. They’ve focused on issues and brought out substantial policy. Even the liberal-friendly globe has commended harper on the tone of the campaign. The liberals, in contrast, have been more gaffe-prone and offered little policy substance.
The reason that the polls haven’t moved is that no one is paying attention.
As a result, because of people’s pre-fixed opinions, this campaign will be utterly irrelevant to the final result, which will look a lot like the last result.
Democratic politics is becoming obsolete in canada because no one believes anyone anymore.
We’ve officially made elections irrelevant. cheers!
Until Harper is seen as a man for all seasons and the right reasons the results will be more or less the same as the last election.
Translation…He relates very little to Atlantic Canada, not at all in Quebec, appeals somewhat to Ontario and only has good support in the west. This is a big diverse country, to win you have to relate to all or at least most factions.
Blogs like this that rant and harp on negative themes don’t help either.
I suggest everybody take a break to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus by spending quality time with family and friends.
As compared to PMPM, who does well in the maritimes, badly in Quebec, mediocre in Ontario, and badly in the west?
I’m not saying your point doesn’t have value, but let’s be fair: there are NO “national” parties or leaders in this election.
In fact, I’m pretty sure that ALL of the party leaders (with the possible exception of Mr. Duceppe!) are viewed by the public in a generally negative light.
My whole point: Canadian politicians have, over the past 15 years or so, erroded the public’s faith in the political/democratic process to the extent that the majority of canadians now view the entire democratic process as meaningless white noise.
It will take a dramatically different kind of leader (of which i see none currently) to restore faith in government and give people a positive reason to vote again.
The old stalwarts – fear and smear – aren’t working for the Liberals in the face of a calm,collected and articulate Harper. Just look how desperate John Duffy was in this a.m.’s NP. He had to critize a Tory ad that’s running that is rather benign given the wealth of ammunition the Conservatives actually have. Good speech by Harper in Toronto today as well. You’ll never get an honest take on the polls, as witnessed by the major screw up during last election.
GM…I couldn’t have said it any better. Your white noise analogy is bang on. This is why I talk about qualifications ad nauseum.
If the right person or group came along it wouldn’t mattter what poiltical stripe they represented.
Got that paint job yet Iron Lady?
This is just like Angry ITGWN, when you investigate deeply into puddle patterns.
Was It A Setup? Doubtful…but honesty in advertising or election advertising is not what I’d expect. Like in those first CPC commercials where the lady is interviewing an inexpressive robot instead of the real Stephen Harper. The giveaway was the hair helmet.
Some interesting comments posted here and would like to echo some of the comments made by “Ade”. As a Liberal who participated in these ads I will confirm that these ads were all done on the same day in each participating city (four different cities I think) with the last set done no later than the end of November. And yes, the Party probably does have a “whole pile of ads” as a result. And yes, a whole range of issues were covered. Everything from healthcare, economy, the various leaders, relations with the US, Quebec, etc. I can’t tell you which issue will be covered in the next set of ads as I don’t know. I don’t even know if any of my interview will be used. However, I think it is a bit farfetched to say the “spat” was orchestrated by LPC. The Party has enough material on such a variety of different topics that they can release ads that are tailored to each issue as they arise during the campaign.
And before I get slammed here for being a Liberal, I would like to say that our Party does have a lot of members who are also not impressed with what goes on in the Party and even share similar views with others of a different political stripe on how issues are handled and/or responded to. Contrary to popular opinion, we are not all blind followers of the Liberal banner and what goes on in our Party is not all that different from what goes on in other political parties. If any of you are ever involved with politics at a riding level you know that each Party struggles with the same controversies and unfairnesses. It’s just that the Party that currently holds power oftentimes gets more negative coverage. As Don Henley said, “people love dirty laundry.”
As a non-Christian I still wish everyone a Merry Christmas! And remember – regardless of what party you support, make your voice heard on January 23, VOTE.
This story fits. It is hardly a conspiracy theory. If Adscam had broken on SDA it would have looked a lot like this story. It is exactly in line with the Liberal’s history. First, it reveals the Liberal view of the intellect of canadians – we can never figure something like this out and are easily manipulated. Secondly, as it has been mentioned several times here, their internal polls show numbers that are very scary to them. The Liberals are campaigning like a party who is trailing or falling fast in the polls. This campaign has been a total disaster. Is it really that much of a stretch that they would orchestrate something like this? Captain? Ms. Malkin? Mr. Drudge? Care to fill in some details from the American side?
Are we all so certain that the Tories don’t have canned ads talking about how HARPER will stand up to the Americans on softwood lumber? Because I KNOW I’ve heard and read of Harper saying that he will stand up to the Americans on that policy, which is no different from what the Liberal ads say the Liberals will do. And if the Tory ads get released the next time some American opens his mouth to criticize us, does that mean the Tories are part of the Liberal “conspiracy”???
Every party in parliament, including the Tories, insists that they will stand up to the Americans on softwood lumber. The Liberal party made some ads saying that they will do what their party and every other party promises to do.
The fact that they released the ads in a timely fashion to correspond with Ambassador Wilkins’ speech was good media strategy, but I just don’t see how it’s a “conspiracy” to create ads that say you promise to do what every party in Canada promises to do! Softwood lumber is an issue in the campaign. It was an issue before the ambassador made his comments. The Liberals made ads dealing with softwood lumber, and standing up to the Americans. When the American ambassador made comments that the Liberals knew would bring American bullying to Canadians minds, they released their ads. So what? Are you seriously suggesting the Liberals knew that an ambassador would criticize them for standing up to them during the election, on issues they were standing up to them on well before the election, and with which every party in parliament agrees we should stand up to them on??? Seriously? They saw that coming??? This is tin-foil hat conspiracy theory at its worst. If you’ve got evidence that Wilkins was in on it, THAT’S a conspiracy. And I’d release that info if you do, because if Canadians think that the American ambassador WANTS the Liberals to win, that’ll hurt.
The Liberals also probably have ads promising to save public healthcare, and they’ll relase them when something happens in the news that makes Canadians think public healthcare is at risk. I’m sorry, but this is no great conspiracy unmasked.
You know what Harper said after Martin’s Montreal speech? (From CNN):
“Harper equated Martin’s dealings with the United States on softwood to a kid who calls names but is afraid to fight. “He hasn’t thrown a punch. He couldn’t throw a punch to save his life,” he said.”
So from the TORY point of view, is picking a “war of words” with the Americans during an election campaign bad because it’s “anti-American rhetoric” or because it is “EMPTY anti-American rhetoric???”. Because the conspiracy theory here seems to be that those evil Liberals endangered our relations with the U.S. by continuing to make public during the election campaign the disagreements with the Bush Administration’s policies they’ve had since before the election, but Stephen Harper suggests their mistake was not standing up to the Americans by engaging in a war of words, but rather not “throwing a punch”. One of these views does not represent Conservative policy, and I’m guessing it’s not Stephen Harper who has it wrong.
Harper wants ACTION, not words, and I don’t disagree. But you can’t criticize a party for anti-American rhetoric, while agreeing with the rhetoric, and bemoaning the lack of action to back it up. Well, clearly you can actually (as Harper did) but it’s silly.
If Martin and the Liberals are “dangerous” because of their rhetoric, what will happen when Prime Minister Harper starts throwing punches? And if saying in an ad that you’ll stand up to the American’s on softwood lumber is dangerous anti-American rhetoric, how will backing that rhetoric up with action, as Harper suggests, make things better?
This is the single most lame “conspiracy” I’ve ever heard of. Accusing your opponents of creating ads that call for a policy you agree with, and “conspiring” to create conditions ideal for the release of the ads whose policies you agree with, while attacking them for not doing enough to turn the rhetoric into action.
My head is just spinning.
Ads are just that, advertisements. Do you really think those people in soap ads really use that soap.
Is it just me, or is the LPC and their more vitriolic supporters beginning to sound awfully Orwellian?
Something to think about:
In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality was tacitly denied by their philosophy.
…
And when memory failed and written records were falsified�when that happened, the claim of the Party to have improved the conditions of human life had got to be accepted, because there did not exist, and never again could exist, any standard against which it could be tested.
…….
The above words are becoming increasingly appropriate regarding the LPC.
Warren knows a soapy advert when he smells a rat; the rats; the rats have left SSMartin; SSMartin is sinking into the mire of AdScam & the rest of the Liberal pile of corruption. Warren links, too. >>>
December 2005
COMMENT
ASTONISHING NEWS!
December 20, 2005 – Lots of Liberals privately felt the shadow-boxing with the USA looked contrived, and quite convenient, too. This may explain why. >>>
warrenkinsella
Ron
Are the ethical standards you hold for the government of this country equal to that of a soap commercial? Wow.
Poor Ron. He’s got hemorrhoids too. No, Ron. DOn’t need a paint job when Scotty Reid has kindly offered to blow me.
Re: the Liberals’ “Wag the Dog” tactics:
It is not surprising that the Liberals would fabricate an US vs. Canada situation. It simply proves that they will sink to any level to remain in power. Just prior to posting this, I was watching “Politics with Don Newman.” Liberal insider John Duffy was asked what he thought of Stephen Harper’s statement that Paul Martin and the Liberals seem to prefer the Parti Quebecois in power in Quebec, so that they can go into Captain Canada mode & assume the mantle of Defenders of Confederation against the Evil Separatists. John Duffy’s response? He claimed to be shocked & appalled! He claimed to be unaware of Harper’s statement, that it was like a bomb, that Harper was playing politics with the future of the country, blah, blah, blah …. Paul Martin has my nomination for an Emmy for the “Passion for Quebec” performance during the English debate, but John Duffy may be a close contender for the award.
Perhaps this is old news to some, but I’m a rookie at blogs, so please forgive the repetition. Anyway, after the “1997 Harper Speech” story appeared on the Globe & Mail and the CBC Canada Votes websites, I came upon some interesting information at the CTV Campaign Connection site:
http://www.electionblog.ctv.ca/default.asp?item=120148
The story, contributed by Bill Doskoch, begins thus:
“The Canadian Press put out something of a mea culpa story on Sunday. The source of its story on a 1997 speech by Stephen Harper to a U.S. conservative group came from same-sex marriage activist Alex Munter, who got it from …
Guest who? (pun intended).
The story suggests the friend who likely found the speech is a fellow named Brian Guest, described in Sunday’s story as one of Prime Minister Paul Martin’s closest advisers.
The original CP story, sent out Tuesday, said it came from an “anonymous tipster.” Munter denied any partisan affiliation.”
The rest of Bill Doskoch’s post just confirms the Liberals’ dirty tactics.
Do people need any more proof of Liberal manipulation? But what is even more frustrating than these tactics is the fact that THIS kind of information gets little, if any, MSM exposure.
What is really scary is that the MSM could care less and has not even investigated the possibility. Conservatives certainly have an uphill battle.
LIBERAL says “Just bend over and take it”
RON blabs on about … well, who really gives a rat’s ass what RON say’s anymore.
Lordy is laying down extra long blather cover fire .
Mmm!! this seems promising!
Boy the fucking Liberals are out in droves today, non? Guess Scott Reid or some other Bareback Mountain Cowboy has ordered them to attack SDA. Must mean they’re scared!
Fuck you, Weasels!
Andrew Coyne’s blog is online again, and he has a good piece on some other Liberal dirty tricks.
http://www.andrewcoyne.com/
Ron claims Harper relates little to Atlantic Canada. Ron is wrong.
I, a New Brunswicker since 1978, say to Ron: come live in the Maritimes before you try to speak for the region, or else shut your freakin’ pie hole. Stephen Harper understands the real challenges facing the Maritimes economically. And he understands the problems are the Liberals’ fault. Dependence precludes self-sufficiency, therefore the Liberals do everything to keep the region dependent, telling its inhabitants they can’t do any better and must depend on Liberal Ottawa for their existence, thus guaranteeing votes for Liberal candidates. I, however, see what’s going on and so does Harper, who has deep roots in the region going way back.
I have no lessons to take from some wealthy-by-taxpayers’-dollars (likely) Central Canadian “Liberal” on who relates to the Maritimes. Paul Martin sure as hell doesn’t!
Accept it: this post and Mr. Taylor’s also-excellent one are further proof of Liberal dirty tricks and cheating. If they run a campaign this way, they’ll run the country this way as well, and we’ve already seen this happen.
Anyone, IMHO, who still insists on being a Liberal must have ethical, moral or intellectual problems or some combination thereof.
LKO and Ron can blow each other!
Canadian Sentinnel…Thanks for speaking on behalf of all of Atlantic Canada. I’m sure everyone in the region is impressed with your sentry ways. I’m also sure that they’re offended by your lack of respect for them. You paint a picture that they’re incapable of making good decisions and rising above petty politics. I personally know many fine hard-working thinking people from the region and believe they don’t appreciate your flapping pie-hole.
Did the Liberals Stage a Political Crisis for Partisan Gain?
The following article was written by Michael Napier, a Conservative blogger and author of The Blue Maple Leaf If people are curious to know why more and more Canadians are tuning out the liberal mainstream media and listening to…
Ummm… I was wondering if anyone has seen liberal commercial # 23, 24, or even # 2, take 3? If #23 had someone voicing concern about global warming and appeared after Martin visited Churchill and was videoed examining starved polar bear carcasses, a lot of ifs I know, should the libs be investigated for cruelty to large formerly living animals?
Here is an example of “Paul Martin’s Canada”. This is a good example of why we need to purge the Liberal party from power (author is from http://www.canadafreepress.com):
Cover Story
Paul Martin’s two classes of Canadian citizens
By Garth Pritchard
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Prime Minister Paul Martin said Sunday that Abdullah Khadr, arrested by the RCMP in Toronto on a provisional warrant issued by the United States, will have all the rights of any Canadian citizen during a police investigation. He then went on to say, “The family came to Canada many, many years ago, and they obtained Canadian citizenship many years ago. They have Canadian citizenship, and we don�t have two classes of citizens.”
The first Canadian Citizenship Act began in the aftermath of World War II in 1947, as Paul Martin, Sr., the current prime minister�s father, toured the somber graveyards of Dieppe, and was moved to resolve that Canada needed citizens of its own, to replace the then-status of British subjects.
The legislation was a product of its time and contained wording that would shock modern Canada in the era of the Charter of Rights. Women, for example, were essentially deemed the property of their husbands, and were classified with minors, lunatics and idiots, under a disability, and ineligible to claim nationalization in their own right except in very special circumstances.
It wasn�t until 1977 that Canada got around to removing such blatant anachronisms. But the act was not made retroactive. Sadly, thousands found themselves bound by the draconian provisions of the original act. And that�s where it sits today.
The result is over 85,000 human beings–all born in Canada–but because one of their parents left Canada and took out citizenship in another country, do not qualify for Canadian citizenship.
They call themselves the “Lost Canadians.” Don Chapman, himself one, has championed the cause for years. His three children are also lost Canadians. He�s a senior pilot for United Airways. He and others fought not only in the courts of Canada–where they won–but also in the hallowed halls of Ottawa, where they also won–unanimously–in the Senate under Bill S-2. Of course they were Canadians, said the courts and the Senate.
But the Liberal government�s bureaucracy has said �No.�
One if the “Lost Canadians” lives in exile in Europe with her husband. Oh, she won the court case alright. But then, the government approached her with a gag order. They wanted her to never speak out on how she had got her citizenship. She refused, and she still lives in exile.
There are many others.
As Canadians approach retirement age of the baby boomer generation, some boomers, some are now finding out that they, too are Lost Canadians. Born here, they worked here all their lives. But with retirement in their beloved country, Canada, the Liberal bureaucrats are proud to tell them that they do not qualify: one of their parents had taken out citizenship in another country and they are stateless.
So much for Paul Martin�s proud statement on Sunday. In fact, in spite of what the prime minister says, there are two classes of Canadian citizens–just ask the 85,000 Lost Canadians.
As a documentary film-maker, I have been working on a one-hour documentary on the Lost Canadians, featuring Don Chapman. To get some idea of how ugly this government is, when we approached the National Film Board and the CBC with the proposal, they were back to us in one day. Both refused to tell the story.
Oh, the current events programming on CBC? They refused it, too.
The Kahdr family has had their story in front of Canada routinely–championed by none other than the CBC National news. It all started when one of the Khadrs showed up back in Canada with an incredible story of being held by the Americans in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. From the time of his release, he disappeared somewhere in Europe and only showed up in Canada months later, whining that he had been illegally detained by Americans, and that he was a Canadian citizen. CBC was all over it.
As the story progressed, the truth somehow got left behind. There was a documentary done in which the mother of the Khadr family, sitting with her two daughters, makes the statement that she wished her girls would martyr themselves like their father did in a fire fight on the Afghanistan / Pakistan border.
My thoughts at that time, watching this unfold, were “My God, ask this woman where she wants her daughters to kill themselves–Toronto? Montreal?” The question never was asked.
While in Afghanistan, I had met the father. He was honoured to tell his story about his friend, Osama bin Laden, how he and his young family had lived at Tarnack Farms. You may remember this place–it was where four Canadians were killed when an American fighter pilot dropped a bomb on them–while in Afghanistan fighting terrorism.
Months later, I was to learn that Mr. Khadr was dead. American Special Forces sought me out in Bagram to tell me about this great Canadian that CBC was championing. Their story was that American Special Forces were involved in the fire fight, and they maintained the second youngest Khadr–Omar Khadr, 19–who is being detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba � threw a hand grenade that killed an American Special Forces sergeant, U.S. medic Sgt. Christopher Speer, and took the eye of Sgt. 1st class Layne Morris.
Their anger at that time was that because of his Canadian citizenship, Karim Khadr, who was wounded in the same firefight that killed his father, would be brought back to Canada to get the best medical attention the country could provide. How right they were!
I also heard that one of the Special Forces sergeants �stepped out of line� in the States and charged the young Omar Khadr with murder.
We now have the arrest of Abdullah � the charges against him are from the United States, and they read: possession of a destructive device, conspiracy to murder US nationals outside the country; conspiracy to use a destructive device against US nationals and US property outside the country.
There is one very sad fact in Canada. Traditionally people who receive their citizenship in Canada vote for the government that was in place when they became Canadians. Paul Martin was drawing on this well of votes by using the Khadrs. It�s my impression that he was telling all new Canadians that the government would stand behind them no matter what. How wrong he is. There are 85,000 Lost Canadians born in Canada, but denied citizenship by his government.
My question to the Prime Minister: Is this what your father had in mind, after his walk through the graves in Dieppe, when he drafted the first Citizenship Act in 1947? Is this how he envisioned the citizenship of Canada?
Canada Free Press columnist Garth Prtitchard, is an award-winning documentary filmmaker living in Alberta.
Did Martin orchestrate spat with Washington?
Click for full article from Stephen Taylor’s Blog
Kate and I have been investigating a tip that she received that suggests that Paul Martin did in fact orchestrate the recent fight between himself and the Bush administration. The proof may lie in the L
Did Martin orchestrate spat with Washington?
Click for full article from Stephen Taylor’s Blog
Kate and I have been investigating a tip that she received that suggests that Paul Martin did in fact orchestrate the recent fight between himself and the Bush administration. The proof may lie in the L
Canada has become a safe haven for many claiming refugee status, which Iam sure are. Trouble is that this has become so abused to the point we now protect extremist. They know that and infiltration to their enemies backyard is fairly easy. There will be another 9/11 someday & this time we will be at fault to which the reppercussion’s most likely will spell disaster to crossborder companies. This government has done nothing to prevent such a scenario from happening, they will not increase border security or even perform immigration checks. We have to wake-up & stop living in the bubble that we are Canadian and we love everyone.