How Harper Got Caught in the Spin Cycle

Though Stephen Harper and the Conservatives always claim that the media is out to get them, they use it to it's full advantage.

No matter what scandal is uncovered, or how horrible a decision they've made is, they will always find a way to spin it.

Lately, they rarely put even put in an effort. When they were accused of threatening national unity, they simply said that the country has never been more united. Based on what?

Their whole blaming everything on the Liberals, is still a standard, but it's been getting old and weak. Ever wonder how they do it?

How Harper controls the spin

OTTAWA–In the 6th-floor office of a nondescript building sit the gatekeepers, the bureaucrats who decide what Canadians learn about the workings of their government. Questions on the hot issues of the day all get funnelled through this office, the "communications and consultations" unit of the Privy Council Office, housed in the Blackburn building that fronts the Sparks St. pedestrian mall.

Throughout the government, it's known simply as "downtown," the place where decisions are made on who speaks on issues and what they say. In the Conservative government's clampdown on communications, this is Ground Zero. Public appearances by cabinet ministers – whether it's a speech or an interview – are carefully staged, starting with a "message event proposal" vetted by the Privy Council Office, the bureaucratic wing of the Prime Minister's Office.

Mum's the word till message vetted

OTTAWA–No federal cabinet minister speaks to a journalist, gives a speech or makes a policy announcement until a "message event proposal" has been vetted by a wing of the Prime Minister's Office.

That proposal, prepared by a minister's Communications staff, spells out the venue, topic, expected questions and the politician's speaking lines.

It's only after the proposal receives high-level approval by the Privy Council Office – the bureaucratic branch of the PMO – that the event can proceed, insiders say.

That's one example of how the Tories have centralized control over government communications since taking power in February 2006, officials tell the Star. The Privy Council Office has a "central role in the co-ordination and management of government communications, as determined by the Prime Minister and cabinet," said spokesperson Shawn Salewski ....

Under the federal communications strategy, issued by the Treasury Board, bureaucrats are required to:

• Communicate openly with the public about policies, programs, services and initiatives. ... "Openness in government promotes accessibility and accountability."
• Cultivate "proactive" relations with the media. "Journalists ... play an important role in the democratic process – providing the public with news and information about government, and reporting on the public's views and opinions of government."
• Operate and respond effectively in a 24-hour media environment and be able, on short notice, to inform media on important issues.
• Facilitate information or interview requests from the media, and manage plans and strategies for communicating with the media.
• Promptly address media inquiries, whether by phone, email, letter or in person, to accommodate publication deadlines.

But when has Harper and his team ever cared about the law?

Peter MacKay Accuses Harper of Dirty Politics

The Conservatives have always been notorious for abusing their mail privileges (franking), a little gift from the Reform/Alliance. Those not so Christian, mostly boys, who have refined the art of stealing from taxpayers to fund their campaigns.

When on the other side of the floor, Peter MacKay learned just how dishonest Stephen Harper and his gang really were.

Alliance misused free mail, Tories say
Globe and Mail

By CAMPBELL CLARK
Friday, May 17, 2002 –

OTTAWA -- The federal Tories are charging that interim Canadian Alliance leader John Reynolds abused his free-mail privileges to send out a political letter to woo Progressive Conservative members.

The letter, signed by new Alliance Leader Stephen Harper, was mailed out to Tories across the country by Mr. Reynolds, who has led the party in Parliament since Stockwell Day stepped down in December to launch a leadership race. But Mr. Reynolds used his so-called "franking" privileges, the free-mail system for MPs, to send the letter.

Tory House Leader Peter MacKay charged that the letter was an abuse of the privilege that allows MPs to send mail related to their parliamentary functions for free.

He said he and others on the Tory membership list in his Pictou-Antigonish-Guysborough riding received "franked" letters. "This is purely political," Mr. MacKay said. "Not only is it inappropriate, it's against the franking privilege rules. Harper is a former member of Parliament. He should know that's not allowed."

Mr. MacKay said the letter was signed by Mr. Harper and sent out without even a cover letter from Mr. Reynolds before the new Alliance Leader was returned to Parliament in a by-election this week.

But Mr. Reynolds insisted the letter, which suggested that Tory Leader Joe Clark had misled his members about Mr. Harper's offer of a parliamentary coalition, fell within the rules, and the Tories' accusation is wrong.

"That's absolute baloney. Peter MacKay should know better," he said. "The only things you cannot frank are to raise money or sell memberships. To send a letter from our leader to Tories is well within the franking rules."

He also charged the Tories were engaging in "petty politics."

A memo from Parliament's board of internal economy sent last November says the postal privileges "are to be used for the carrying out of members' parliamentary functions or for matters that are essential or incidental thereto."

It adds: "Members are reminded, therefore, that the intent behind the franking privileges and the use of House of Commons goods and services is to facilitate communication between constituents and their members, and not to facilitate communications between other groups and constituents via the member."

Some things never change.

More Postings on Peter Mackay:

1. Peter MacKay Paves the Way For Chosen Few

2. Peter Mackay Caught in Another Lie About Detainee Torture

3. Gutless Harper Feeds Peter Mackay to the Wolves

4. Peter MacKay's Career is in the Toilet. FLUSH!

5. General Changes His Story. Peter MacKay is Toast!

Peter MacKay's Father and Airbus Scandal

As the inquiry continues into the business dealings between Brian Mulroney and Karlheinz Schreiber, another familiar name enters the fray. That of Elmer MacKay, Peter MacKay's father. He is the man in the centre of the photograph, and was a cabinet minister for Mulroney at the time of the questionable transactions.

While he denies knowing anything about the money, he was definitely a key player in the negotiations, and a confidant (Elmer merely says 'friend') of the German businessman. So what was his involvement?

Elmer MacKay testifies he knew nothing about cash payments

Entries in Schreiber’s diary indicate that he made phone calls to former Mulroney cabinet minister Elmer MacKay on the same days as the first two meetings were held. MacKay has confirmed he had lunch with Mulroney and Schreiber the day of the third meeting.

In addition, Schreiber’s diary shows he made phone calls to MacKay on two days in July 1993 when he made banking transactions in Switzerland to obtain money to pay Mulroney.

MacKay acknowledged Monday he had been an ardent supporter of the Bear Head project while he served in cabinet because the deal — at least in its original form — would have brought much-needed jobs to his home province of Nova Scotia.

Even when he project was later changed to move the site of the proposed Thyssen plant to Mulroney’s home province of Quebec, MacKay said he continued to support it because there was "still a benefit to Canada."

MacKay insisted, however, that he knew nothing of the cash payments collected by Mulroney after he left office. And he was at a loss to explain the Schreiber diary entries bearing his name.

He can no longer recall details of any of the conversations he had with Schreiber on the days in question, MacKay testified.

But he was adamant that "I do know there was nothing in there about business or money or anything like that."

According to Schreiber, the deal was reached just before Mulroney stepped down as prime minister in June 1993, although the money didn’t change hands until later.

So is Elmer MacKay telling the truth? When he was in Mulroney's cabinet he was constantly on the carpet for patronage appointments and dirty practices, so it's not a stretch to imagine that he was complicit in the dealings and the cover up.

Remember Harper only called the inquiry after pressure from the opposition and after learning that his own name was presented in the court documents. Was he also trying to protect Peter MacKay?

The Perplexing Case of Elmer MacKay

In the whole sorry saga of Karl Schreiber's shennanigans in Canada, the weirdest part has got to be Schreiber's relationship with Elmer MacKay.


Elmer is mostly remembered as the guy who gave up his seat in Central Nova so newly elected PC leader Brian Mulroney could run there. In thanks, Mulroney made Elmer Solicitor General. Later Elmer became even more famous as the father of our lovelorn Minister of Defence, Peter MacKay.

Back in 1999, Schreiber was in Switzerland when German officials issued an arrest warrant for him. Elmer flew to Switzerland and flew back to Canada with Schreiber. Once in Canada, Schreiber was arrested on the German warrant to face extradition. Elmer paid $100,000 in bail. (Trudeau-era Justice Minister Marc Lalonde paid another $100,000 bail. However, Lalonde is generally described as a lobbyist working for Schreiber, while Elmer consistently describes his relationship with Schreiber as friendship.) Karl lived in Elmer's house for a while.

What is this strange relationship between Elmer and Karl? Many parents wouldn't cross an ocean to fetch back an errant child, much less a business acquaintance or friend.

As late as 2006, Elmer used Peter MacKay's constituency office resources to try to force the RCMP to back down in its investigation of Schreiber.

I wonder if Karl has been shaking down the Conservatives for a long time, threatening to reveal secrets if they don't keep him out of trouble. Or Karl might be receiving help staying out of Germany because the German case against him includes bribes he paid to Canadians for the Airbus deal - some people in Canada may worry that if the Germans ever get him home for trial, the lid will be blown off the whole Airbus controversy.

It is mighty suspicious that decades of RCMP investigations have revealed so little about the Airbus scandal: most of what we know about the scandal (such as Frank Moores' involvement) was uncovered by the media.

Or maybe Elmer MacKay is just the best friend a shady arms dealer could have.

Schreiber says Elmer MacKay urged him to mend fences with Mulroney

Karlheinz Schreiber says former Conservative cabinet minister Elmer MacKay urged him to write a letter to Brian Mulroney to patch up their relationship so he could raise his extradition case with the prime minister, CBC News has learned.
Schreiber, who is set to testify before the federal ethics committee on Thursday about his affairs with Mulroney, claims MacKay told him that Mulroney was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the summer of 2006.

CBC News approached Elmer MacKay at his Lorne, N.S., home for comment.

Schreiber said MacKay told him that if he wanted Mulroney to raise the issue of his extradition with Harper, he needed to make amends with Mulroney. Both Mulroney and Schreiber are long-time friends of MacKay, who is the father of current Defence Minister Peter MacKay.

CBC News has obtained a copy of an e-mail which appears to have been sent from Elmer MacKay's wife's address to Schreiber's wife in June of last year under the subject heading "proposed letter." (A real family affair)

The e-mail contains verbatim portions of the actual letter Schreiber did send to Mulroney about three weeks later.

The letter apologizes for what it claimed was a misleading characterization of Schreiber's business dealings with Mulroney as depicted in a report by CBC's The Fifth Estate. The letter claims Schreiber was misled by the producers.

Schreiber said he sent the letter because MacKay suggested Mulroney might raise the issue of Schreiber's pending extradition with Harper.
But Harper has said Mulroney never raised the issue of Schreiber's extradition with him at that meeting.
When approached at his Lorne, N.S., home, MacKay would not comment to CBC News about the e-mail.

Schreiber is currently suing Mulroney to recoup $300,000 in cash payments he handed out to the former Tory prime minister to enlist his help in establishing a pasta business and a light-armoured vehicle factory. Schreiber contends that Mulroney did not provide the services.

Schreiber alleges in an affidavit that the deal was struck two days before Mulroney left office as prime minister in 1993.

Schreiber also alleges in the affidavit that a Mulroney adviser asked Schreiber to transfer money in connection with Air Canada's 1988 purchase of Airbus planes to a Mulroney lawyer based in Switzerland.