Politic?

This is a blog dedicated to a personal interpretation of political news of the day. I attempt to be as knowledgeable as possible before commenting and committing my thoughts to a day's communication.

Monday, January 28, 2013

What Did He Know - And When?

That old warhorse is still at it. Utilizing his political credentials as the 'Right Honourable', although from time to time that designation does seem like an oxymoron. While in office as Prime Minister of Canada he cultivated many personally useful associations with foreign counterparts, and through the expedient of a number of official trade missions accompanied by a wide range of Canada's business leaders and entrepreneurs, made himself known as someone with whom business could be done.

The Right Honourable Jean Chretien's contacts in China, as a result of his many trade forays there during his reign as prime minister, have been invaluable to him in paving the way to pursuing business ties with that country, leading delegations now not on behalf of Canada, but on behalf of well-remunerating business clients for the law firm for which he labours, Heenan Blaikie as counsel, one who has contacts at an elite level no one else can boast.

The Little Guy From Shawinigan fancies himself a mover-and-shaker, he lusted to become a wheeler-dealer of note, and those who find this interesting, have taken note.  Mr. Chretien and Canada's most prestigious law firm were engaged by an investment banker who died of personal misadventure a year and a half ago. This was a man with a mixed reputation, much like Mr. Chretien himself.

Of Brad Griffiths it was said by a former colleague "He had demons, but he was the smartest guy on Bay Street. Everyone wanted him for his brain." Griffiths Energy International Inc. (GEI) had worked assiduously to sign a contract with Chad for the purpose of acquiring oil and gas properties. And an Alberta Court of Queen's Bench justice has now heard the sordid story about how GEI finally signed the contract it had worked for years to bring to reality.

Mr. Chretien accompanied Mr. Griffiths on his trip to Chad in the interests of acquiring the oil and gas rights that would benefit the company. But while GEI now stands accused of directing $2-million as a bribe, contravening Canada's Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act, Mr. Chretien and Heenan Blaikie had the self-preserving sense to absent themselves from final negotiations between GEI and Chad.

"My firm was retained by Griffiths Energy, yes. We worked on a number of files for Mr. Griffiths, including Chad... I think [the Washington meeting] was around the [September 2009] General Assembly and that's when we meet many heads of state...  I mean, we do meet with our clients and with officials from other countries, and we try to promote relations between Canadian companies and African countries and other developing countries", explained Jacques Bouchard, Heenan Blaikie's former director of international development.

Which also more than adequately explains why and how it is that the former prime minister is so integral to this area of the noted law firm's business. Mr. Chretien along with another senior law firm partner accompanied Mr. Griffiths to Washington to meet with the Chadian ambassador, Mahamoud Adam Bechir, along with the president of Chad, Idriss Deby, and the country's oil minister. For the purpose of finalizing negotiations.

GEI had signed a consulting agreement with Mr. Bechir who just happened to be Chad's ambassador to the United States. GEI had agreed to pay $2-million to a company owned by the ambassador, in exchange for which GEI would receive title to the Chadian oil and gas properties it sought. Which was about when 'outside legal counsel' advised Naeem Tyab, a GEI director "the ambassador was a government official and that GEI could not make an offer or give an advantage or do anything directly or indirectly with him."

The agreement was abandoned. But then another consulting contract with similar terms was signed, this one with GEI and a company registered in Nevada a scant five days before. Owned by the ambassador's wife, Nouracham Niam. Ms. Niam had been responsible for scheduling the September 24 meeting in Washington which was attended by Messrs. Chretien, Bouchard and Griffiths, along with the Chadian officials, including the president.

Afterward, Mr. Chretien and Mr. Bouchard travelled to New York, where the former prime minister enjoyed a private meeting with Zimbabwe's ageless unsavoury tyrant, Robert Mugabe. This was called a "courtesy call" by the press in Zimbabwe. There has been no explanation brought forward on this file by the Right Honourable Jean Chretien.

When the production sharing contract between GEI and Chad was finally formalized, the country hired new outside legal counsel. The law firm Macleod Dixon which arranged an updated consulting agreement with the wife of the Chadian ambassador. That $2-million earlier agreed upon as a consulting fee was forwarded to a Washington bank account in Ms. Niam's name.

An investigation was launched when an audit after the untimely death of Mr. Griffiths revealed this malodorous arrangement, by Canada's Public Prosecution Service. The RCMP also became involved. GEI announced publicly it was charged under Canada's Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act for paying a bribe to conclude business in Chad. A negotiated settlement with the Crown saw the company pay a $10.35-million penalty.

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