Prime Minister Stephen Harper is moving to sue Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, deputy leader Michael Ignatieff, House leader Ralph Goodale, and the entire Liberal party in relation to last week’s controversy involving the late Independent MP Chuck Cadman.
A notice of the suit, served on the parties at 7 a.m. today, claims the prime minister was libelled in “two devastatingly defamatory articles published at www.liberal.ca entitled ‘Harper Knew of Conservative Bribery’ (Feb. 29, 2008) and ‘Harper Must Come Clean About Allegations of Conservative Bribery, Liberals Say’ (Feb. 28, 2008),” according to the document, signed by Ottawa lawyer Richard Dearden.
And to think we knew him “back when”…
Stephen Taylor has more.
Why did the liberal Party print the HOC accusations on their website??
Obviously it is not covered under immunity.
Who ever is running the Liberal gong show are bigger idiots than I thought was possible.
Harper owns these fools
These Libs have a death wish or are just too stupid. Its almost noon, and the defamatory articles are still posted on their party website. I just love it when Harper puts the boots to Dion!
This is a brilliant move on PMSH’s part — either put up evidence grade material i.e. no innuendo, hearsay, second-hand whatever, or stifle it. Since their only potential evidence-grade witness is dead i.e. Mr. Cadman, the Libs have nothing. It seems that liberals try to smear conservatives by fabrication, innuendo, wild-eyed conspiracy theories, and bald-faced lies. Conservatives smear liberals by telling the truth.
The Pillsbury PM just needs a wee nap and his Reagan blankie. He’ll feel better. No judge will touch this suit.
Because they were appointed? By?
I’m betting that Dona Cadman will be Steffi’s pick for candidate in the riding of Surrey North!
I must say I’m a little confused as to Harper’s strategy here. The MSM will take every opportunity they can get to present the allegations as truth, so why keep the story alive at all?
Then again, I guess he’s pre-empting the media storm when the book actually comes out.
Dion’s rhetoric in the HoC was highly inflammatory based on what was really known. I remarked to my better two thirds that he would get sued if he said these things outside the HoC.
Whatever Harper’s weaknesses may be, going off half cocked on partial information and analysis are not amonsgt them.
Check out CTV’s Bobbie Fife at his dissembling best where, under the video post
“Libel Allegations” li’l Bobbie can’t wait to divert the discussion to
Abama’s NAFTA explanation. Matter of fact, he stutters and stammers through
this obvious attempt to change the topic for quite some time.
Are these libs sweating bullets or what>
“However, excerpts from a soon-to-be-published book by Tom Zytaruk say that, on his deathbed, Cadman told his wife, Dona, daughter, Jodi, and other close friends that he had been offered a lucrative life insurance policy in exchange for his vote.”
What’s this? First it was just Dona Cadman, then Jodi Cadman and her husband; now they’re reporting he told “other close friends”. Soon it will be reported that half the population of Surrey knew about Chuck being bribed.
Do you tink it’s izzy to make apoLOgies?
-Borat Dion
Welcome to Hades ladies and gentlemen the temperature should be rising shortly!!
Would you like slow bake or extra crispy?
The “Gun Ban Party” from the gang that couldn’t shoot straight; manages to blow several big holes in their feet.
And now for our next trick, fire walking across Hades!
Muckraking taken to a new low by calling into question the dead who can’t defend themselves.
Let’s see the LIEberals get out the old halo polishers now.
“No,no those aren’t horns erupting from my forehead, that was from the bar fight with the HELL’s Angels!!”
As I recall it was the Toronto Chapter of the Hells Angels that referred to the LIEberals as a “bunch of %$*#$#&%($& hypocrites” and dubbed Paul Martin as the “Pirate of Canada”.
The black farce comedy that calls itself the LIEberal party continues….
Cheers
Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht BGS, PDP, CFP
Commander in Chief
Frankenstein Battalion
2nd Squadron: Ulanen-(Lancers) Regiment Großherzog Friedrich von Baden(Rheinisches) Nr.7(Saarbrucken)
Knecht Rupprecht Division
Hans Corps
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
The Liberals will collapse on this. The Notice advises to preserve all records and conversations leading up to the publication of the libel on the Liberal website.
Stand firm and their internal planning documents are exposed in Discovery. Collapse and reinforce the perception Dion & Liberals are sleezy pond scum making cheap, vile politics over the grave of Chuck Cadman just so they can change the channel away from their own pathetic, spineless failure as an Opposition Party.
Wonderful politics.
I’m actually having a wee, tiny pang of sympathy for long time Liberals who must be devastated at the utter and total stupidity of the current gang of dumb-dumbs running the party.
The current bunch couldn’t organize a piss-up in a brewery or an orgy in a whorehouse.
If you read Kinsella`s take on this it dos`nt look good for Dion and the Liberals. Harper`s lawyer Rick Dearden of Gowlings has`nt lost a libel case in 20 years.
Good on him, he’s taken this abuse long enough. This type of slanderous scuttlebutt and hearsay should be beyond anyone aspiring to be an MP let alone a PM as Dion has aspired to be.
I like the list who got caught scuttlebutting outside the immunity of HOC.
Iggy, Ralphy Goodale, Dion,and the rest of the LPC. These are their really bright lights?
Talk about a Mickey Mouse pack of fools. They even have the nerve to poke fun at Harper in the Lefty Haven of NS, hauling out the old photo of Harper in the Leather cowboy get up for effect.
Lets take them to the cleaners once and for all, they’re not fit to even sit in the HOC carrying on like that. They need to have their arses hauled out on the election stumps if they’re going to waste their time playing gotcha politics.
Kate*s Strikes again link item ends with . .
** The Conservative party will pay the legal bills for the suit, said party spokesman Ryan Sparrow.**
Wow, is that un-Liberal or what? = TG
Lol whos going to pay the lieberials lawyers fees, there not in power anymore so it wont be the taxpayer.
“Iggy, Ralphy Goodale, Dion,and the rest of the LPC. These are their really bright lights?”
Yes. Cumulative output would be about 3 watts.
A $1,000,000 insurance policy on a dieing man? I know of no such insurance company that would take that risk on. This is a joke and I do hope that Harper takes these Lieberals to the cleaners. Let’s get a majority conservative gov’t and then go after the Shawinigate scandal of secret deals and napkin bills of sale.
These Lieberal morons want to run the country, God help us if the electorate fall into that trap again.
National Newswatch is reporting that the book “Like a Rock: the Chuck Cadman Story” has been leaked online. They are trying to get the link.
So much for book sales if this is true. Imagine the cost to the publisher. I’d love it if Zytaruk had to return any advance!
The book would not have been leaked on line by the Liberals…naw…no way!
fred – interesting; you’re probably right.
If the Liberals ‘stand firm’, their internal planning documents are exposed in Disovery. That is, it becomes public that the ‘Cadman Affair’ was a manipulated smear tactic by the Liberals without any truth in its allegations.
Back down, and they’re shown as..?
I imagine that the Liberal lawyers are meeting on this now. They’ll probably try to apologize in part (would Harper accept that?) and try to move the domain of the smear outside the Liberal Party, to either the book’s author, or Cadman’s wife or….I don’t think the MSM will take it up; they don’t have the data base to make a case and have simply been using the press data from the Liberals.
Incredible, how the Liberals are spending all their time trying to smear the CPC and Harper, rather than governing.
Again – loud and clear. The gov’ts legal fees are being paid by the Conservative Party. The MSM and Liberals will try to say that it will be the taxpayer.
Trying to offer a terminally ill man $1,000,000 for life insurance is like trying to offer a person with a burning house fire insurance. To think this is credible stupid and asinine. The Liberally are going to get burned. Indeed, its already begun.
I have multiple myloma, a blood cancer. When I was first diagnost and hospitalized I was given morphine to curb the pain. Morphine is used to control pain in many cancers and one side effect is memory problems. Mr, Cadman, on his deathbed, may have been recieving so much morphine that he did not know what he was saying or may have been very confused. This should be looked into.
The liberals still have the CBC, Globe and red star working for them.
So waht idiot forgot that Parliamentary Privelege does not extend beyond the Chamber? Probably some Cherniak-wannabe webmaster.
Our sitting prime minister is suing the opposition and the leading story on both ctv and cbc is that Conrad Black starts his jail term today,go figure.
The book’s already available for free. HaHa those who were hoping to make cash out of it.
I stil don’t know who’s plan this is or whether it’s working or what whoever it was was hoping to achieve. As Paul MArtin wrote the introduction, there must be a liebral connction.
‘Said from the beginning Harper should sue but who would be dumb enough to yak outside of the HOC safe zone? Never dreamed it would happen, never dreamed they’d be so dumb.
Well, they are.
Just now on cbc…Dona cadman BELIEVES PMSH knew nothing about so-called offer,and she continues to support PMSH,and WILL run for Cons.
Long Live the noble and righteous “Mole”!!!
Are we talking about the same Stephen Harper who recently introduced the largest slate of Chinese-Canadian candidates in Canadian federal history?
“At the Canadian Conservative Association’s 25th Anniversary Celebration, Harper praised the achievements of Chinese-Canadians.
“I am told by some people that this may constitute the largest ever slate of Canadian-Chinese candidates to ever run for a party in a federal election,” he boasted.
“Friends, these candidates are highly accomplished Canadians in the areas of education, business and medicine, and now they are putting themselves forward, to serve Canada, and I think they all deserve our thanks, our gratitude, and our support in the next federal election campaign.”
Whenever that may be.”
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_20155.aspx
I’d hate to be Stephane Dion:
“Liberals’ 88th promise will add to their $62.5 billion in new debt
February 21, 2008
Dion Liberal spending commitments continue to pour in
Despite having already made 87 spending commitments that would plunge Canada at least $62.5 billion deeper in debt, Stéphane Dion continues to refuse to come clean and release a full costing of his spending promises.
Instead, the Dion Liberal spending commitments continue to pour in. Yesterday Mr. Dion committed to spend $50 million on the creation of a “South Asian Foundation of Canada”.
Mr. Dion’s latest promise brings the total number of identified Liberal spending commitments to 88.
Even though he has at least $62.5 billion worth of new debt to explain, Stéphane Dion has not learned. No matter where Mr. Dion goes or who he meets with, you can be sure that major spending commitments are soon to follow. What Stéphane Dion does not realize is that non-budgeted spending commitments are not even worth the paper they are printed on.
Stéphane Dion. Not a leader. Not Worth the Risk.”
ET, Grits have two choices, all in or withdraw peacefully. Classic political hardball by Harper. Why didn’t he let this go? Maybe he read the book, or something like that. Given truth best defence in libel, Harper must have the full, truthful story – wouldn’t make sense. Nice play – turn this from maybe Tories crossing the line to maybe Grits crossing the line.
There seems to be a money aspect to this – put them in Discovery (no, you can’t really decline, so you have to hire lawyers)- costly, possibly embarassing. The suit does seem to have merit, though, so what if they lose.
The squirming from Liberaldom and the squealing of intimidation from MSM shall soon follow. How are we going to make it to Oct 09?
As long as there was no election, Cadman would be a member of parliament with all it’s coverages, salary and privileges. If his death was imminent, why would he prefer to be on the campaign trail with no hope of continuing his MP career.
I think it’s more likely that he was confused and perhaps it was the Liberals who were making him offers. Perhaps not, but the Libs had more to lose in an election than the CPC. That turned out to be the case.
Harper has built a reputation of integrity, I cannot believe he would so something this risky.
Shall see.
Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in the Commons anymore.
The Book . . .
PDF . pages 1 to 297
http://www.667890ttt.com/Chuck%20Cadman%20-%20Like%20A%20Rock.pdf
Don*t know the good parts yet, but I heard it may be the last few pages. = TG
Dion was warned once, over the Dimitri Soudas affair only a month ago.
The guy just doesn’t learn, does he.
Cheers,
lance
I’d love to hear Peter Lorre say “The Mole.”
Just now on cbc…Dona cadman BELIEVES PMSH knew nothing about so-called offer,and she continues to support PMSH,and WILL run for Cons. Posted by: Sammy at March 3, 2008 12:55 PM
Listening to that must be giving Dion a bit of sick sinking feeling.
I’m glad Harper is taking this step, though I’m furious it had to come to this. Mr Cadman, his wife, and his family are, by all accounts, honourable people, and have been dragged through the muck in order to score political points. Mr Harper has indeed been libeled, and given the number of lawyers in Parliament, you’d think the Liberals would know better.
I hope Goodale is able to serve up a response free of the usual spin and smoke. I won’t hold my breath.
Isn’t a bribe to coerce someone into doing something that they would not normally do, that would be at odds with their established conduct?
Cadman likely felt handcuffed by the convergence of his rapidly deteriorating condition, an unfavourable term in his parliamentary insurance policy, and the tremedous weight his vote carried.
Does reasonable person think that if Cadman was in the pink of health he would have voted with the Liberals?
Conservatives offered him a way to vote his concience that would be in keeping with his actions through his entire politcal career.
Perhaps he felt a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush at this point, so he declined.
But to term it a bribe is not accurate.
Cadmans choosing to vote in a manner that was entirely inconsistent with his prior career to guarantee himself a greater financial reward would be more accurately described as a bribe. So Cadman in essence, bribed himself.
Conservatives are only guilty of trying to give him an option to not have to have done that.
Both Fife,and Julie van Dusen have now read very strong statement from Dona Cadman,supporting PMSH.I’m wondering if this was all very strategically played by PMSH,and he knew all along,that Dona would come out to voice her support,and they played the Libs.Chess and checkers folks!Also,on cbc,lib.mp Mark Eyeking likens PMSH to ‘Castro’Loving this!!!
Dona Cadman has just issued a stmt, read on CBC, clearing the PM of any wrongdoing.
That caught Julie off guard and she laughed at how this story changes by the minute.
A liberal from Atlantic area said this libel threat is just a threat, he also laughed.
The poor liberals have spent the last week saying Dona wouldn’t lie so they can’t not believe what she said in her stmt.
Another smear coming back to the liberals.
Remember, this whole Cadman affair is all based upon hearsay, which has no value in court of law.
Dona’s statement in full is posted in comments section at AGWN
RW – that’s the whole point. The whole Cadman affair is based on hearsay which has no value in a court of law, but tremendous value as a manipulative propaganda tactic by the Liberal party to smear Harper – all – without a shred of evidence.
The following message from Dion and the Liberal Party is in the public domain. This accusation is still up at the Liberal Party website.
Thus, Citoyen Dion still speaks outside the House of Commons where the privilege of the Commons does not extend.
…-
““Chuck Cadman was a man of great integrity. But now we learn that the Conservative Party tried to bribe him and that the Prime Minister was aware of it,” said Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion during Question Period in the House of Commons. “Mr. Harper knew that envoys sent by him attempted to buy a man who was on the verge of death.
“He knew that was immoral. He knew it was unethical. He knew it was illegal. It was a violation of section 119 of the Criminal Code.
“Why did the Prime Minister authorize this type of tactic that was as immoral as it was illegal?””
http://www.liberal.ca/story_13635_e.aspx
Dona Cadman’s statement is affirming two things – one, that Harper didn’t know about or offer a million dollar policy; and two, that she believes her husband that SOMEONE DID make such an offer, either of those two CPC people who visited her husband.
Now, this puts her in the comfortable situation where she believes both people: Harper and her husband.
BUT – that still leaves open the question – did someone in the CPC actually offer her husband a one million dollar life insurance policy? Both of the two individuals say ‘no’.
There is no insurance company that would offer such a policy either in one policy that required a medical exam, or a set of smaller policies that required only an application – where you must state that you are not suffering some terminal disease (no medical exam; just your word).
The money could not come from the CPC coffers; no auditor would allow such a claim.
The offer, according to the two men, was to cover expenses during a re-election campaign and that the CPC would not put in a candidate to Cadman’s running as an Independent.., if Cadman voted to bring down Martin’s govt and had to undergo a six week election campaign. That was it.
Now – what will the Liberals do? eat crow yet again? How are they going to wiggle out of this and still manage to look like the Victorious Liberals?
i have not been over at any of the left leaning papers to read about this or the comments, But i have the feeling the comments would be along the lines of Harper Bully, Bush usa rep tactics,.
The liberals have been getting away with crap like this for too long, The Pm was right in his Notice of libel.
When Dion gets up in the HOC he is going to look like he just got hit in the Family Jewels & i can just well imagine the Silent Backroom Boys are going to be having a little Word with comrade Dion & Co. Between this little escapade to Murphy’s Hang Him High to Redman’s sexual abuse calls on Moore i think the Canadian Public is just about had enough of the Liberal Crap in Ottawa.
Like i have been saying Way Too Much Jerry Springer on this issue.
Iam going to revise The Liberal Party are too much like the Jerry Springer Show, he said she said let the dukes fly.
DEVELOPING:
Senior Liberal strategists are brushing off Harper’s lawsuit, saying they are confident that they can utilize the principle tool in which to defend against a libel claim: the defence of truth.
Asked how they plan to prove the truth of allegations which stem from the word of a dead man, a senior adviser to Dion quipped back:
“you obviously haven’t been keeping up with the times, ever hear of the movie ‘Poltergeist’?”
Liberal insiders are confident that they can employ a spiritual medium to contact Cadman in the afterlife (citing the eerie sounding short women from the popular ’80’s horror movie as evidence that such contact is possible), though they admit there may be some difficulty actually serving him with a subpoena.
The Toronto Star has contacted several experts who say that, while serving the dead with a subpoena may be difficult, it is legally possible.
Said one legal expert hired by the Star:
“One thing is certain, this latest Liberal salvo must be making Harper very nervous. No one wants to be in the unenviable position of having to impeach the credibility of a dead man on the witness stand.”