Wot A BallsUp!
Can Karlheinz Schreiber's memory, selective and trickily forgetful of previous assertions be trusted? More to the point can his frustrated attempts to elude justice in Germany be separated from his promises to reveal skulduggery that no one really wants to know, fearing his revelations will bring our political system to the verge of collapse? As though the public doesn't hold its lawmakers in sufficiently low esteem as it is.
Well, there have been some revelations that clearly require elucidation. Not the least of which would be that incriminating latter-day political leaders in a scheme, financed by foreign intervenors to unseat an incumbent prime minister to the advantage of one waiting in the wings. One who, presumably, might be more amenable to being importuned by foreign business interests than his predecessor known for personal integrity?
The recently revealed, contradictory, sometimes threatening, occasionally whining letters sent from Karlheinz Schreiber to his one-time co-conspirator, former prime minister Brian Mulroney, in a kind of underhanded lobbying, confuse far more than they enlighten. Mr. Schreiber is a shady character indeed, but one who had managed to ingratiate himself with political leaders at the highest level in both his native Germany and in Canada, his second country.
In his testimony before the current parliamentary committee looking into this affair, Mr. Schreiber is unleashing more questions than he is responding to. The allegations he makes, the number of politicians he is unveiling as having somehow succumbed to his money-making and payoff schemes and kickbacks are mounting, and instead of clearing up the situation, serve only to confuse attempts at understanding, even more greatly.
Despite which, there remain some fundamental questions about the suborning of public office at the highest level. At the very least bringing shame to the status of the premier political office in the land, among others. Furtive cash transfers with no written contract, and no explanation leave grave doubts despite the protestations of innocence from a man, Brian Mulroney, whom most Canadians automatically assume could be guilty of any kind of malfeasance.
Quite apart from the fact that no sitting Member of Parliament is permitted, both through guidelines laid down in the Prime Minister's office and through the Parliament of Canada Act, to accept gratuities, funds, payments, bribes, one wonders why a prime minister, someone with obvious connections and political prominence, would promise to himself lobby for the creation of a regional industry base in exchange for cash, when he has already officially ruled out the potential of that establishment.
Mr. Mulroney, in plain words, led Mr. Schreiber to believe that he would work on his behalf to establish a plant for the production of German-made armaments to gain himself profit, when he had already instituted an official refusal, cancelling government investment in the proposed enterprise he was now eager to accept money for helping to establish. False pretensions, a business betrayal, but one that garnered cold hard cash for an unprincipled money-grubber.
Canadians are waiting with bated breath to be disabused of this unkind suspicion.
Well, there have been some revelations that clearly require elucidation. Not the least of which would be that incriminating latter-day political leaders in a scheme, financed by foreign intervenors to unseat an incumbent prime minister to the advantage of one waiting in the wings. One who, presumably, might be more amenable to being importuned by foreign business interests than his predecessor known for personal integrity?
The recently revealed, contradictory, sometimes threatening, occasionally whining letters sent from Karlheinz Schreiber to his one-time co-conspirator, former prime minister Brian Mulroney, in a kind of underhanded lobbying, confuse far more than they enlighten. Mr. Schreiber is a shady character indeed, but one who had managed to ingratiate himself with political leaders at the highest level in both his native Germany and in Canada, his second country.
In his testimony before the current parliamentary committee looking into this affair, Mr. Schreiber is unleashing more questions than he is responding to. The allegations he makes, the number of politicians he is unveiling as having somehow succumbed to his money-making and payoff schemes and kickbacks are mounting, and instead of clearing up the situation, serve only to confuse attempts at understanding, even more greatly.
Despite which, there remain some fundamental questions about the suborning of public office at the highest level. At the very least bringing shame to the status of the premier political office in the land, among others. Furtive cash transfers with no written contract, and no explanation leave grave doubts despite the protestations of innocence from a man, Brian Mulroney, whom most Canadians automatically assume could be guilty of any kind of malfeasance.
Quite apart from the fact that no sitting Member of Parliament is permitted, both through guidelines laid down in the Prime Minister's office and through the Parliament of Canada Act, to accept gratuities, funds, payments, bribes, one wonders why a prime minister, someone with obvious connections and political prominence, would promise to himself lobby for the creation of a regional industry base in exchange for cash, when he has already officially ruled out the potential of that establishment.
Mr. Mulroney, in plain words, led Mr. Schreiber to believe that he would work on his behalf to establish a plant for the production of German-made armaments to gain himself profit, when he had already instituted an official refusal, cancelling government investment in the proposed enterprise he was now eager to accept money for helping to establish. False pretensions, a business betrayal, but one that garnered cold hard cash for an unprincipled money-grubber.
Canadians are waiting with bated breath to be disabused of this unkind suspicion.
Labels: Crisis Politics, Government of Canada
posted by Pieface | 5:47 PM
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