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| Subject: Article on the Canadian leak: for Richard |
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This is getting more mysterious...
From yesterday´s Globe and Mail:
PM´s top aide set off storm with Obama NAFTA leak
Source of initial tip revealed after Harper vows to investigate ´unacceptable´ act
CAMPBELL CLARK
From Thursday´s Globe and Mail
March 5, 2008 at 10:38 PM EST
OTTAWA ? The leak of a confidential diplomatic discussion that rocked the U.S. presidential campaign began with an offhand remark to journalists from the Prime Minister´s chief of staff, Ian Brodie.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper vowed yesterday to use whatever investigative means necessary to find the source of leaks that, he said, were "unfair" to U.S. Democratic candidate Barack Obama and may have been illegal ? although opposition leaders insisted the Conservatives cannot be trusted to investigate political players on their own team.
But the story that reverberated through the U.S. presidential campaign began as a terse, almost throwaway remark that Mr. Brodie made to journalists from CTV, according to people familiar with the events.
Mr. Brodie, during the media lockup for the Feb. 26 budget, stopped to chat with several journalists, and was surrounded by a group from CTV.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper´s chief of staff Ian Brodie watches from the back of the room during a photo op before the government caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Wednesday.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper´s chief of staff Ian Brodie watches from the back of the room during a photo op before the government caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Wednesday. (Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)
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The Globe and Mail
The conversation turned to the pledges to renegotiate the North American free-trade agreement made by the two Democratic contenders, Mr. Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton.
Mr. Brodie, apparently seeking to play down the potential impact on Canada, told the reporters the threat was not serious, and that someone from Ms. Clinton´s campaign had even contacted Canadian diplomats to tell them not to worry because the NAFTA threats were mostly political posturing.
The Canadian Press cited an unnamed source last night as saying that several people overheard the remark.
The news agency quoted that source as saying that Mr. Brodie said that someone from Ms. Clinton´s campaign called and was "telling the embassy to take it with a grain of salt."
The story was followed by CTV´s Washington bureau chief, Tom Clark, who reported that the Obama campaign, not the Clinton´s, had reassured Canadian diplomats.
Mr. Clark cited unnamed Canadian sources in his initial report.
There was no explanation last night for why Mr. Brodie was said to have referred to the Clinton campaign but the news report was about the Obama campaign. Robert Hurst, president of CTV News, declined to comment.
The Prime Minister´s communications director, Sandra Buckler, has said that Mr. Brodie "does not recall" discussing the issue.
On Tuesday, Mr. Harper denied that Mr. Brodie was a source of the leak ? but he appeared to be referring to a diplomatic memo that described the key conversation between an adviser to Mr. Obama and Canada´s consul-general in Chicago, Georges Rioux.
Although Mr. Harper has for days brushed aside allegations that his government interfered in the U.S. presidential campaign, yesterday he promised to "get to the bottom" of the matter and said laws may have been broken.
"It is not in the interest of the Government of Canada, and the way the leak was executed, Mr. Speaker, was blatantly unfair to Senator Obama and his campaign," the Prime Minister said in the Commons.
"We will make sure that every legal and every investigative technique necessary is undertaken to find out who exactly is behind this."
But opposition politicians accused Mr. Harper of hiding behind artful denials ? ignoring the verbal leak, while denying that the diplomatic memo came from his top aide.
However, Mr. Harper did not appear to be distinguishing between the two leaks yesterday.
Yesterday, he said he had asked the top civil servant, Clerk of the Privy Council Kevin Lynch, to call in an internal security team, with the help of Foreign Affairs.
Members of the opposition asserted that an internal inquiry is unlikely to look seriously at Mr. Harper´s own high-level political aides and appointees, such as Mr. Brodie, or Michael Wilson, Canada´s ambassador to Washington.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said it is time to call in the RCMP.
The first leak sparked stories that Mr. Obama had privately delivered a message through an aide to Canadian diplomats that the stand against NAFTA was more political posturing than a real policy plan.
The Clinton campaign seized on the stories to argue that Mr. Obama was making promises that he did not mean. The Obama campaign sputtered after this and other attacks on his experience and integrity.
Days later, the leak of the internal Canadian diplomatic note revealed that Mr. Obama´s adviser, Austan Goolsbee, spoke to Mr. Rioux on Feb. 8.
In a summary of the meeting written by Canadian diplomat Joseph de Mora, Mr. Goolsbee was described as indicating that Mr. Obama´s NAFTA stand "should be viewed as more about political positioning than a clear articulation of policy plans." Mr. Goolsbee denied using those terms.
Mr. Clark of CTV says he called Mr. Wilson for reaction.
The next day, the embassy and Mr. Obama´s campaign denied the story. Since Mr. de Mora´s memo was leaked to The Associated Press, the Canadian embassy in Washington won´t respond to questions about "NAFTA-gate," as the issue has been dubbed.
[06-03-2008,08:35]
[**.24.116.196]
wannabecanadian |
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(in reply to: Article on the Canadian leak: for Richard)
The Media always gets something wrong.
Red Necks from AB doing something dirty that can be traced back to them? Dah Yeah!
Obama stating no meeting took place when it did, clearly shows he is not suitable for the White House yet.
Regardless neither will have enough delegates without the Super Delegates!
Hillary & Bill should of already had all the Super Delegats in their camp.
This is getting interesting Go Hillary!
Roy
www.cvimmigration.com
[06-03-2008,08:56]
[**.52.216.174]
Roy |
(in reply to: Article on the Canadian leak: for Richard)
Thanks wannabe. Interesting article from Globe and Mail. That´s a great newspaper by the way. I hadn´t seen this information before.
Curious that Harper´s chief of staff is now saying it was the Clinton campaign that contacted the Canadian embassy, telling them not to take the the NAFTA statements seriously. Then later, he couldn´t recall saying that.
What a mess. Harper´s government has handled this badly, and the way the memo was leaked is still suspicious. The repercusions for the Democrats is damaging. Maybe Bob Schrum (Democraticic Party strategist) is right and this was all intentional.
The Liberals and NDP don´t seem to trust anything the Conservatives have to say about this. I agree with NDP Leader Layton - call in the RCMP to investigate.
In the meantime, I think in the end Obama will get the nomination. He´s ahead in delegate count, and it´s all but impossisible for Hillary to catch up. The disaffection of milions of new young voters and the African American community would sink the party if not. There´s a new hope and with this guy, and the party seniors know they can´t lose that for the sake of the party´s future.
I think we should sign Roy up with the Clinton campaign, so he can start making phone calls to households in Mississippi and Pennsylvania. (ha)
[06-03-2008,14:11]
[**.53.224.249]
Richard |
(in reply to: Article on the Canadian leak: for Richard)
I think we should tie Roy up and stick him in the corner.
the whole NAFTA thing is a tempest in a teapot and Obama seems to have come out with the most damage. Yes, I think it cost him votes but this is far from over.
I am more interested now with Florida. (how in the heck did they get themselves into this mess?)
[06-03-2008,14:14]
[**.155.160.37]
Sharon |
(in reply to: Article on the Canadian leak: for Richard)
Hey you guys wait until Hillary gets the 210 delegates from Florida. Then don´t forget the 150 delegates Hilary won in Michigan.
Face the numbers guys Hillary is the winner!!!!!
Roy
www.cvimmigration.com
[06-03-2008,15:04]
[**.158.53.207]
Roy |
(in reply to: Article on the Canadian leak: for Richard)
I just saw the latest Canadian soldier who had been killed in Afghanistan having a police escort down a section of the 401 renamed (Highway of Heroes).
All I care is that the Democrats win and end this situation in Afghanistan.
Why could G. W. not find Osama Bin Laden?
Such a waste of life for an ego. Thank You G. W. for supporting McCain.
Roy
www.cvimmigration.com
[06-03-2008,19:14]
[**.15.49.211]
Roy |
(in reply to: Article on the Canadian leak: for Richard)
Actually neither the Democrats, Canada, or NATO want to leave Afghanistan. That´s where most of the world community agrees is where the problem is. Iraq is the place the Democrats want to withdraw from, since it had nothing to do with any of this originally.
But personally, I´d be in favor of withdrawing from there too.
I think Gil DuCeppe is also of this opinion.
[06-03-2008,21:02]
[**.53.224.249]
Richard |
(in reply to: Article on the Canadian leak: for Richard)
Roy wrote-
"Hey you guys wait until Hillary gets the 210 delegates from Florida. Then don?t forget the 150 delegates Hilary won in Michigan.
Face the numbers guys Hillary is the winner!!!!! "
Roy, you must be kidding right? If not, time to wake up and smell the coffee!
[07-03-2008,17:52]
[***.150.41.182]
lazy tea mate |
(in reply to: Article on the Canadian leak: for Richard)
Coffee smells great just wait for Florida and Michigan to have another primary in late June.
Life is not fair and neither are super delegates but......that is the American way.
Which democratic candidate should have more connections? One that has been in State and Federal politics for seven years or one that has been in Politics for 35 years?
Getting on board due to age, colour, gender is not a valid reason to give them your super delegate vote. What you can do for me counts more.
Do you really think one person can change the way Washington and all its back room deals have happened since its creation. Come on.
Change takes time and thought. Change is a slow process.
Roy
www.cvimmigration.com
[08-03-2008,09:09]
[**.52.217.99]
Roy |
(in reply to: Article on the Canadian leak: for Richard)
C´mon Roy. She´s been in politics for 35 years? Doing what - hosting teas for foreign leader´s wives, smiling at photo ops with her husband, planning White House social events, etc. Obama worked with real people dealing with their political and legal problems in the streets and neighborhoods of Chicago.
I´ll send a pound of fine Ecuadorean brew to help ya smell the coffee!
[08-03-2008,12:02]
[**.53.224.249]
Richard |
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