Politics in Canada - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Yakk · 06-08-2005, 01:06 PM

Quote:

And just when you thought it was safe to go back near Canada's House of Commons...
When last we checked, a rookie Conservative MP (a former contender for her party's leadership and, some gossipped, the attentions of a certain ex-President) crossed the floor on the eve of a vote on the survival of the Liberal government...

Belinda Stronach's defection shocked her party -- and most Canadians -- and was the differance for Prime Minister Paul Martin and his Liberals. Shortly before, Conservative MP Gurmant Grewal -- who once boasted to a political reporter he was a key supporter of a bloody African despot -- said he had audio tapes of a top Liberal cabinet minister and the Prime Minister's chief of staff offering him and Mr. Grewal's wife (also a west coast member of parliament) inducements for sitting out the crucial vote. Just after word broke about the identity of Deep Throat, Mr. Grewal would not say if his tapes were made as part of a sting or a fishing trip. The Tory leader, the humourless Stephen Harper, refused to say if Mr. Grewal's shenanigans were sanctioned. When Mr. Grewal finally released the tapes, at least one forensic audio expert said there were indications they had been tampered with.

Meanwhile, in mainly french-speaking Quebec, a provincial premier who had long insisted that a 50%-plus-one vote would be enough to break up the country decided a 76.2% vote in favour of his leadership was insufficient and promptly resigned. Gilles Duceppe, leader of the Bloc Quebecois and most famous for his unfortunate choice of headgear, says he's thinking of running for the leadership.

While the Liberals survived the non-confidence vote -- with the help of the left-wing NDP -- there is no guarantee the government will survive the summer. The showdown will likely come over the government's bill to legalise same-sex marriage. Last week, a group of Liberal MPs met to discuss how to scuttle their government's own bill, and one, Pat O'Brien, later voted with his feet and left the party. The leader of this renegade crew is one Tom Wappel, a so-called "family values" MP, who once opposed divorce, until it allowed him to divorce his wife and marry his secretary.

Although the Liberal-NDP coalition's majority is still razor thin, it was bolstered by the absence of Gurmant Grewal. He's now on "stress leave" after the Mounties caught him soliciting passengers in the departure lounge of the Vancouer airport...

From Metafilter.

I saw this, and thought it was a very well written overview of the current Canadian political landscape of scandals. Sort of ridiculous really.

On the one hand, we have a minority government plagued by scandals from it's decade+ in power and, recently, for what it has done to hold onto it's minority government power.

On the other, we have the ravenous and envious western canadian political machine, desperate to claim it's turn at power in Ottawa.

And in the corner, we have the Bloc and the NDP, both gaining points from all the scandals flying back and forth.

While I do elect government to govern, I suppose many people are enjoying the political soap opera.

Anyone have any popcorn?

Charlatan · 06-08-2005, 05:46 PM

Just what the hell was that all about with Gurmant Grewal... was it just me or did Stephen Harper's balls just crawl up into his belly after that bit of wierdness?

Yakk · 06-09-2005, 11:31 AM

Oh gosh...

Quote:

But something else is emerging, some allegations that first came up during last year's election campaign about Grewal's citizenship in Canada.

Some of Grewal's former business partners have alleged that back in 1993 he engaged in a phoney business investment to qualify for Canadian citizenship. During the campaign, Grewal denied those charges, but now those former business partners are insisting that he pretended to invest $50,000 in a carpet company when really he did not.

Gurwinder Dhillon
Gurwinder Dhillon is a successful builder who sold his share of the carpet company to Grewal, at least on paper. This document shows the sale of the shares in April 1993 at a price of $50,000. But Dhillon says that was fiction. The shares were worthless, and he immediately gave the money back, although Grewal kept the shares. Was this transaction really a phoney transaction?

“Yeah, you could say that. It was basically, you know, he gave me the money to purchase a business and the next day he took the money back just to get the papers,” Dhillon says.

Dhillon says he agreed to this because he wanted to get out of a failing company, so he says he met Grewal in a parking lot and made a deal. Grewal would take over the shares that Dhillon didn't want and Dhillon would return the favour. There was a paper transaction. But no money changed hands really because Dhillon paid Grewal back the next day.

“If you say whether he invested into the company or into Canada for, you know, buying business in a paper fashion, yes, but on the very next day, he took the money back, yeah, and then he...”

“So the investment wasn't real?” the reporter asks.

“No, no,” Dhillon replies.

Dhillon's story is supported by another former partner in the carpet company, Nash Karim, who says Grewal got his citizenship but never really invested the $50,000.

Nash Karim
Karim says, “I did have a personal beef against him. He did reimburse me, but I know what type of character he is … He's a shady character.

“He had purchased one-third of the share through some sort of a phoney transaction where the money was never paid. Money was paid, but returned the very next day after transaction took place, and became a shareholder into Surrey Carpet Centre,” Karim says.

Still, for long-time supporters of Grewal like Sudesh Kalia, all of this history makes little difference. For Kalia, the issue is whether Grewal has a political future, and he thinks not.

“My understanding is he's finished because I talked to people in Surrey, and they're phoning me, even his close friends like me, they're upset now because of tapes. So, no, we don't like him anymore,” Kalia says. Grewal did not return calls seeking comment.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/el..._milewski.html

Is this real? It is just so eery.

Note to self: background checks are good, m'kay?

Charlatan · 06-09-2005, 11:44 AM

...and Grewal gives the tenuous majority back to the Liberals and the NDP...

That is, until the Liberal members against same sex bring their own government down on the next budget vote...

JJRousseau · 06-10-2005, 05:28 PM

Quote:

a so-called "family values"; MP, who once opposed divorce, until it allowed him to divorce his wife and marry his secretary.

That pretty much sums it up for me. A bunch of hypocritical opportunists.

vox_rox · 06-11-2005, 10:40 PM

Oh puh-leese. I fyou think east vs. west has anything to do with it, forget it. It's all about power, period. The Reform/Alliance/New Conservatives were co-opted by big business years ago, so geo-political boundaries are not the rule here.

So, what are we really talking about? Belinda is usno different from any other opposition backbencher who just wants a shot at some political pork-barelling. That's all. Being a woman doesn't matter. Being blond doesn't matter. All that matters is that she's on the side that will likely win the next election, Gomeery nothwithstanding, simply because Harper is an ass. So, given scary ultra right-winger vs. corruptighon, Canadi. ans will vote fo what they have always known and what they are comfortable with - corruption.

And Belinda will continue to be a cabinet minister.

Vive la bonne fille Libre!

Peace,

Pierre

06-08-2005, 05:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	Just what the hell was that all about with Gurmant Grewal... was it just me or did Stephen Harper's balls just crawl up into his belly after that bit of wierdness? __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

06-09-2005, 11:44 AM	#4 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	...and Grewal gives the tenuous majority back to the Liberals and the NDP... That is, until the Liberal members against same sex bring their own government down on the next budget vote... __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

06-11-2005, 10:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
vox_rox Psycho Location: Comfy Little Bungalow	Oh puh-leese. I fyou think east vs. west has anything to do with it, forget it. It's all about power, period. The Reform/Alliance/New Conservatives were co-opted by big business years ago, so geo-political boundaries are not the rule here. So, what are we really talking about? Belinda is usno different from any other opposition backbencher who just wants a shot at some political pork-barelling. That's all. Being a woman doesn't matter. Being blond doesn't matter. All that matters is that she's on the side that will likely win the next election, Gomeery nothwithstanding, simply because Harper is an ass. So, given scary ultra right-winger vs. corruptighon, Canadi. ans will vote fo what they have always known and what they are comfortable with - corruption. And Belinda will continue to be a cabinet minister. Vive la bonne fille Libre! Peace, Pierre __________________ --- There is no such thing as strong coffee - only weak people. ---