RCMP Security Checks on Bernier raised no alarms

Once again the Opposition has drawn a blank in its smear campaign against the Conservative government. Former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier had cleared both RCMP and CSIS security checks just weeks before his resignation.

Former foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier cleared a full background check by the RCMP and CSIS just weeks before the explosive allegations of missing documents led to his resignation from cabinet, the Prime Minister's national security adviser, Margaret Bloodworth, told a House of Commons committee yesterday.

But the Opposition are such sore losers. It looks like they will not be letting go of this issue anytime soon. They are now suggesting that the government should have ignored the security clearance given by the RCMP and CSIS and investigate based on allegations of Mr Bernier's connection with 'organized crime' Note, there has not been a shred of evidence produced to support these allegations. All we have had so far coming from the opposition benches is unsubstantiated gossip and useless chatter.

But opposition MPs said they were left incredulous at Ms. Bloodworth's suggestion there was no need to look into the matter further when the allegations surfaced in May, because of the positive background check in April.

"I would expect that if there was a significant concern about ministers' connection with organized crime, that would come out of a criminal or security [background] check," she explained.

The Opposition were calling for an RCMP investigation of Bernier when the issue first arose. Now they are saying that the RCMP and CSIS security clearance of Bernier was not enough. It seems that they always seem to find some way of moving the goalpost and changing the issues when things do not go their way.

Most likely nothing more than what we already know will be coming out of this HOC committee. It will just demonstrate the lack or priorities shown by Opposition MPs, who should be getting on with more prevalent issues, such as gas prices and other matters affecting our countries. But then again, why should we be surprised at this development? During the Liberal leadership debate, Opposition leader, Stephane Dion made the following statement:

Do you think it is easy to make priorities?

Stay tuned,

Tony

Victoria Day Barbecue Recipes

This Victoria Day weekend's weather was pretty brutal, especially yesterday when it rained buckets, canceling my plans for a volleyball game with some friends at the Beaches. It looks like today will be different and we will be getting a reprieve. The sun has come out, making it the perfect day for a barbecue. I do have company coming over and I want to do things a bit different and try some new recipes.

Here is where I need some help. Can any of you barbecuing enthusiasts post your favorite barbecuing recipes? I am planning on doing chicken, pork, steak, salmon, potatoes and corn on the cob.

Your suggestions and barbecuing tips will be most welcome.

Regards,

Tony

Deputy leader Michael Ignatieff rubs some Liberals the wrong way

I came across an interesting article by John Ivison in the National Post concerning Liberal deputy leader, Michael Ignatieff. Ever since he lost the leadership contest to Stephane Dion in the 2006 Liberal leadership convention, his stock as a leader in waiting has steadily declined, even among those who supported his leadership bid 2 years ago.

Ignatieff rubs some Liberals wrong way (National Post)

In the event that party leader Stephane Dion loses an election, there seems to be growing skepticism that Mr. Ignatieff should be the man to replace him -- even among MPs who supported him at the leadership convention in Montreal two years ago.

The apparent disenchantment with Mr. Ignatieff on the part of a number of MPs I spoke with, coincides with the arrival in the Liberal caucus of Bob Rae -- and it is perhaps no coincidence that the stock of the deputy leader is falling as that of the former Ontario premier is rising.

"It comes down to basic political judgment and understanding," said one MP. "With Rae you're dealing with someone who does know politics. There is a depth to him that allows him to interact more naturally with caucus [than Mr. Ignatieff]," he said.

The Branda Martin Saga Continues

Unfortunately it looks like this Brenda Martin saga will continue. I had thought that the news story would have come to a merciful conclusion once she was released on parole, but I was wrong. It seems as if there is a vested interest by certain members of the MSM to keep her story alive and milk every ounce out of it, even though it lost its legs ages ago.

In one of the interviews, CTV Newsnet journalist, Paula Todd asked Brenda a very loaded question, almost as if she was egging her on to sue the federal government.

Paula Todd: "So have you ruled out any sort of legal action against the Federal Government?"

Brenda Martin: "...I never would say that I’ve ruled out anything in the future. Everything changes day to day.."

h/t Blue Like You - Brenda isn’t done with us yet (link)

It is laughable that she will even think of suing the Federal government, especially since they were responsible for paying her fine, expediting her transfer from Mexico to Canada and flying her home aboard a government jet at considerable expense to Canadian taxpayers. She has been in Canada for more than a week and she has yet to even say a simple thank you to the Canadian government.

Just to recap, the predicament that Brenda Martin found herself in, while in Mexico was of her own doing. Nobody forced her to leave the safety of Canada to live illegally in Mexico. Nobody forced her to become involved with a con man and a fraud artist. Nobody forced her to accept large deposits of money that was not hers in her bank account and to transfer it into other bank accounts on behalf of her ex-employer.

If any other person had accepted ill-gotten gains into their own bank account and transferred it to other accounts on behalf of a con man involved in a scheme, it would have been called money laundering. But since, according to her supporters and the MSM, Ms Martin is purer than snow and she did not know what she was doing, there is no way in the world that she could ever be guilty of such a thing.

She was not a baby or a teenager when she went to Mexico, she was a grown woman and she knew what she was doing.

It is amazing how the MSM absolves her of any responsibility in the decisions that she made and somehow try to pin this on Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The partisan manner in which they have covered this story in order to embarrass the Tories makes me want to barf.

Liberal Double Standards on National Security

The one thing that never ceases to amaze me about people from the other side of the political spectrum is the consistent hypocrisy and double-standards that always seem to emanate from their politicians and their allies in the MSM. This past week, after failing to find an effective issue to use against the Tories in the House of commons, they have sunk to a new low by smearing Foreign Affairs Minister, Maxime Bernier over his relationship with ex-girlfriend, Julie Couillard.

It seems that the famous quote by the late Liberal Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau, "The state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation" no longer applies. The Liberals and the Bloc in their zeal to attack the Tories are hiding under the guise of "National Security." This is despite the fact that Julie Couillard has no criminal record, has never been charged with a crime and is not a person of interest to the police. Prime Minister Harper was perfectly justified calling Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe "gossipy old busybodies" for their attack on Bernier’s personal life.

If national security is such a big concern among members of the opposition parties, then why did Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe and Liberal MP Denis Coderre participate in a rally and march in Montreal, where the flag of Hezbollah, a known terrorist group and a group on Canada's terrorist watch list was openly being waved to the cheers of supporters?

If national security is such a big concern among members of the opposition parties, then why did they vote against extending the anti-terrorism provision? What was remarkable about this vote was that it was initially approved by former Liberal Leader, Bill Graham, but rejected less than 3 months later by new Liberal Leader, Stephane Dion, who whipped reluctant members of his caucus into voting against it despite an emotional plea by Canadian families of victims killed in the 9/11 terror attacks.

If national security is such a big concern among members of the opposition parties, then why are they advocating for the Canadian government to intervene on behalf of Omar Khadr, a person who was captured in Afghanistan while fighting alongside the Taliban and al-Qaeda and currently on trial for the murder of an American medic, to be returned to Canada?

It is really despicable that they are advocating for a person who was fighting alongside a terrorist group responsible for the deaths of 82 Canadian troops and 1 diplomat in Afghanistan.

To the opposition, national security is only an issue when it suits their purposes.

Commenter, jad on the Blue Like You blog post "Brenda granted parole" summed up the hypocrisy of the Liberals position perfectly:

Quite the double standard here. Brenda, in spite of being arrested, charged and convicted by (OK) the Mexican government, and admitting herself that she worked for a con man, and received money from him, is apparently as innocent as the day she was born.

Julie Couillard, who was involved with biker gangs and Hell’s Angels ten years ago and has no record, has never been charged, and is not a “person of interest” to the Montreal police, is nevertheless somehow and unfit person to associate with.

Just a thought..

Will there be another evacuation request from Canadians living in Lebanon?

It has been almost 2 years since the war between Israeli troops and Hezbollah guerillas in Southern Lebanon. At the height of the conflict, many people were criticizing the Federal Conservative government for its slow response in evacuating Canadian citizens, many of whom had lived in that country for more than 10 years.

Despite the criticism, constant danger and the logistical difficulties, the Canadian government came through and evacuated, 15000 citizens from Lebanon, at its own expense. This did not stop a large percentage of these evacuees returning to Lebanon within 6 months, after the conflict ended. Many of them did not even bother to express gratitude to the Canadian government, and instead gave them the brunt of their criticism. To them, Canada seemed to be merely a country of convenience. They held Canadian passports, but their hearts were elsewhere. The only time they seemed to remember Canada was when war engulfed their country. In the good times, Canada was most likely just a passing thought.

Now just 2 years later, there is another conflict brewing on the streets of Beirut. There are open gun battles raging in some neighbourhoods. This time, it is between Hezbollah guerillas and Lebanese troops.

In his televised speech, Nasrallah offered harsh words for the government, blaming it for declaring war by banning Hezbollah's telecommunications system.

"We believe the war has started, and we believe that we have the right to defend ourselves," the Hezbollah leader said. "We will cut the hand that will reach out to the weapons of the resistance, no matter if it comes from the inside or the outside."

I am wondering how long it will be before we once again hear the predictable cries of those people who will once again demand that the Canadian government evacuate these people.

Stay tuned,

Tony

Brenda Martin back in Canada

The plane carrying Brenda Martin landed at the Region of Waterloo International Airport in Breslau, Ontario around 6 p.m. yesterday. She is now in the custody of officials from the Correctional Service of Canada, as she was immediately taken to the Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener.

Martin's Mexican lawyer Guillermo Cruz Rico said Martin could be eligible for full parole since she spent two years in prison before being found guilty last week of knowingly accepting illicit funds and being sentenced to five years. But, he added, that decision rests with Canada's National Parole Board.

"The Correctional Service of Canada is going to produce a recommendation to the parole board and it is the parole board who is in charge of deciding if Brenda has to serve time here in Canada or not," Cruz Rico said yesterday.

I am glad that her ordeal is over and I am hoping that she and her supporters will display some gratitude to the Canadian government and the Canadian consulate in Mexico for the assistance they gave her in expediting her return to Canada.

What I could not understand is this quote from defense lawyer, Eddie Greenspan, as the decision to give parole to prisoners is the function of Corrections Canada and not the federal government.

"If the government intends to somehow allow this case to get caught up in bureaucratic red tape, then I will become involved,"

According to Mélisa Leclerc, Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Public Safety

"Accelerated parole review permits offenders to apply for release after serving one-sixth of their sentence. Non-violent offenders who have not previously served a federal sentence (two years or more) are eligible"

So since she has already served 2 years in a Mexican prison, I don't see anything that would cause a lengthly delay in parole being granted to Ms Martin.

Stay tuned,

Tony