The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney (or "BM," as I've come to know him) presented himself to the Commons Ethics committee for an exhausting 3 1/2 hours on Thursday. As with the Schreiber testimony (Nov 29, Dec 4, Dec 6, and Dec 11) the following is NOT a transcript, so quote at your own risk ;) Time-stamps are approximate. This is the twelfth and final Part of this series. You can return to the beginning of this 'series,' by clicking here: Part I.
"Clean as a hound's tooth"
Szabo (chair, LPC): I'm going to give Mr. Van Kesteren 3 min. That's all the time we have and he hasn't had a turn yet, today...
12:51 PM
Van Kesteren (CPC): Mr. S has alleged that he, Moores and Ouellet were the principals involved in your leadership campaign. Is that true?
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: who? (incredulous) Schreiber?! Of course not! He said, in a book, he had nothing to do w/1983. He didn't participate in any way.
Van Kesteren (CPC): were you aware that Mr. Moores had an interest in GCI when you appointed him to the board of Air Canada?
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: I don't think GCI existed at the time. I think he, and the fine young man from Winnipeg named Jamie Burns, had an embryonic organization called "Alta Vista" and I think they worked together. (Note: I think Schreiber referred to this as "Alta Nova," but I don't know which one is correct). When he was appointed, his appt lasted hardly at all, b/c he had received a mandate from Wardair, and he was in conflict.
Van Kesteren (CPC): Mr. Schreiber made subtle suggestion that decisions about major purchases go far beyond government, and involve major players. Would you want to comment? Truth?
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: not familiar w/international conspiracies, very well...the Liberals, the Germans, the Conservatives, Irwin Cotler, me, Stephen Harper, all of you...I'm not too familiar with all of that. I don't have a clue what he's talking about.
Van Kesteren (CPC): well that's settling...
***laughter***
Van Kesteren (CPC): we've brought forward some legislation, the Accountability Act. During your tenure as PM, did decisions like Airbus pass significant scrutiny to avoid suspicion, to avoid the kind of things we're talking about? We've now enacted measures to prevent this sort of thing (ha!! Bullshit!) but, at that time, were there enough measures to make sure that this was a good deal, that it passed the litmus test?
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: well, life moves on. This was 20 yrs ago. Ottawa was different then, life was different then. (*eyeroll*) Now, the rigour that you all bring to public policy (*puke*) is greater than our time. You're all to be congratulated for that. I think the Accountability Act that you all brought in is excellent. Tremendous. The more transparency, the better it is, and the better it will be. But the Airbus matter was investigated by the RCMP, then re-examined by the RCMP, and then the examination went on for another 6 yrs, when I received a letter in 2003 from commissioner saying there's nothing here. They've investigated it here, and around the world, and there's nothing here. There will be no charges. So, while we didn't have the transparency that you have here, which is much to your credit, in this case that you raise, it was clean as a hound's tooth.
Szabo (chair, LPC): I've been told you want to make a brief closing statement to the cmte.
12:55 PM
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: It'll be extremely brief. (Don't believe him!) I want to thank all members of the cmte, from all parties, for taking the time to examine this matter. You'll draw whatever conclusions you think are appropriate. This has been another very demanding and brutal time for my family and me. Only through courts or parliament, can the rights of individuals be protected. It's up to you to judge the credibility of the people who come before you, and swear to tell you the truth, which I have done. I swore to tell the truth and I've told you the absolute truth. I won't go into any of the stuff, the false stmts, the affidavits, the letter of extortion, the blackmail--this has got to tell you something of the man. What regard for your reputation--if you were part of his Get out of Jail possibility, you'd go down in flames. He'll take anybody down with him--he threw Elmer MacKay under the bus! Elmer MacKay was one of the most outstanding public servants--along w/his son--that I know. He doesn't care about anything except himself and staying away from Germany.
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: I'll conclude, Mr. Chairman, by simply saying this: on Dec 2, 1995, Mr. Schreiber was interviewed by the Toronto Sun:
Szabo (chair, LPC): clearly there are discrepancies between the witnesses. Likely asking you to come back sometime in Feb, or that you'll be able to come back and clarify any outstanding matters. To all, a very Merry Christmas.
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: and I particularly thank you, Mr. Chair, for your courtesy.
*Adjournment*
Return to Part XI ("I had a wife and 4 children, and a mother to support"), or return to the beginning of the series, Part I ("It was like a near-death experience," except it wasn't")
Photo Credit: Icanhascheezburger
"Clean as a hound's tooth"
Szabo (chair, LPC): I'm going to give Mr. Van Kesteren 3 min. That's all the time we have and he hasn't had a turn yet, today...
12:51 PM
Van Kesteren (CPC): Mr. S has alleged that he, Moores and Ouellet were the principals involved in your leadership campaign. Is that true?
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: who? (incredulous) Schreiber?! Of course not! He said, in a book, he had nothing to do w/1983. He didn't participate in any way.
Van Kesteren (CPC): were you aware that Mr. Moores had an interest in GCI when you appointed him to the board of Air Canada?
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: I don't think GCI existed at the time. I think he, and the fine young man from Winnipeg named Jamie Burns, had an embryonic organization called "Alta Vista" and I think they worked together. (Note: I think Schreiber referred to this as "Alta Nova," but I don't know which one is correct). When he was appointed, his appt lasted hardly at all, b/c he had received a mandate from Wardair, and he was in conflict.
Van Kesteren (CPC): Mr. Schreiber made subtle suggestion that decisions about major purchases go far beyond government, and involve major players. Would you want to comment? Truth?
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: not familiar w/international conspiracies, very well...the Liberals, the Germans, the Conservatives, Irwin Cotler, me, Stephen Harper, all of you...I'm not too familiar with all of that. I don't have a clue what he's talking about.
Van Kesteren (CPC): well that's settling...
***laughter***
Van Kesteren (CPC): we've brought forward some legislation, the Accountability Act. During your tenure as PM, did decisions like Airbus pass significant scrutiny to avoid suspicion, to avoid the kind of things we're talking about? We've now enacted measures to prevent this sort of thing (ha!! Bullshit!) but, at that time, were there enough measures to make sure that this was a good deal, that it passed the litmus test?
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: well, life moves on. This was 20 yrs ago. Ottawa was different then, life was different then. (*eyeroll*) Now, the rigour that you all bring to public policy (*puke*) is greater than our time. You're all to be congratulated for that. I think the Accountability Act that you all brought in is excellent. Tremendous. The more transparency, the better it is, and the better it will be. But the Airbus matter was investigated by the RCMP, then re-examined by the RCMP, and then the examination went on for another 6 yrs, when I received a letter in 2003 from commissioner saying there's nothing here. They've investigated it here, and around the world, and there's nothing here. There will be no charges. So, while we didn't have the transparency that you have here, which is much to your credit, in this case that you raise, it was clean as a hound's tooth.
Szabo (chair, LPC): I've been told you want to make a brief closing statement to the cmte.
12:55 PM
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: It'll be extremely brief. (Don't believe him!) I want to thank all members of the cmte, from all parties, for taking the time to examine this matter. You'll draw whatever conclusions you think are appropriate. This has been another very demanding and brutal time for my family and me. Only through courts or parliament, can the rights of individuals be protected. It's up to you to judge the credibility of the people who come before you, and swear to tell you the truth, which I have done. I swore to tell the truth and I've told you the absolute truth. I won't go into any of the stuff, the false stmts, the affidavits, the letter of extortion, the blackmail--this has got to tell you something of the man. What regard for your reputation--if you were part of his Get out of Jail possibility, you'd go down in flames. He'll take anybody down with him--he threw Elmer MacKay under the bus! Elmer MacKay was one of the most outstanding public servants--along w/his son--that I know. He doesn't care about anything except himself and staying away from Germany.
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: I'll conclude, Mr. Chairman, by simply saying this: on Dec 2, 1995, Mr. Schreiber was interviewed by the Toronto Sun:
Accusations of bribery against Brian Mulroney are as much of a hoax as the Hitler diaries, German deal maker Karlheinz Schreiber says, in an exclusive interview with the Saturday Sun, Schreiber yesterday said that the former Tory PM was "totally innocent" of RCMP allegations he accepted $5 million in kickbacks as the result of Airbus commissions, nor was a Swiss bank account ever opened for him." [...](BM interjects: "Listen to this!") "as much as I'm involved, as much as I know, as much as I've seen, Mr. Mulroney is totally innocent. He is involved in this as much as the Pope-not at all."Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: Then, Nov 15, 2007, Toronto Star, they refer to an article in The Star 2000 (interview w/KHS):
In an interview with two Toronto Star reporters, two months after he'd been arrested and released on bail, Schreiber was adamant that Mulroney had never done anything wrong. "Mulroney is as innocent as the Pope," he said.Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: So let me conclude, for all of us, and certainly for me as well, it's probably part of human nature, from Sir John A. MacDonald on...all made mistakes...as I said in my Memoirs, I sure have. Part of the greatness of Sir John was that he was flawed. All of us are, in some way. But the most difficult thing in life is to admit one's mistakes, but it's also the most important. But it's even harder to do so, in public. I hope others will do the same, about their mistakes, if not for me, but for my family. Because it's the right thing to do. I'd like to thank you all, and I wish you all a very happy Holiday Season w/your family.
Szabo (chair, LPC): clearly there are discrepancies between the witnesses. Likely asking you to come back sometime in Feb, or that you'll be able to come back and clarify any outstanding matters. To all, a very Merry Christmas.
Rt. Hon. B. Mulroney: and I particularly thank you, Mr. Chair, for your courtesy.
*Adjournment*
Return to Part XI ("I had a wife and 4 children, and a mother to support"), or return to the beginning of the series, Part I ("It was like a near-death experience," except it wasn't")
Photo Credit: Icanhascheezburger
2 comments:
I have to admit that I am a bit ignorant when it comes to Canadian politics but I was totally into this series because of the hilarious icanhascheezburger pictures that matched with what was going on perfectly.
Welcome!
Doing this series made me realize that it's possible to find a "cheezburger" pic to go with just about anything ;)
Thanks so much for reading :)
BTW, the parliamentary hearings will resume in February. I hope I can find time to "cover" them again.
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