For once I am in agreement with CTV newsperson, Craig Oliver. Karlheinz Schreiber is a liar, manipulator and a blackmailer and should be sent back to Germany.
I was leaning towards allowing him to stay and testify until he threatened the federal government that he would not talk if extradited. Craig Oliver summed it up beautifully on yesterdays MDL and made a very convincing argument why he should be extradited back to Germany.
Schreiber latest threat tells me that he is not interested in Canadian justice and is only interested in saving his own skin. What we are dealing with a highly manipulative person who has had years to come forward with this information when he was not under any extradition threat and waits until he is literally 2 weeks away from being extradited to Germany before he gives this information in a sworn affidavit in court.
The other issue is that Mr. Schreiber has changed his story at least 3 times. His first story was that he did not pay former Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney. His second story was that he arranged to pay Brian Mulroney, but this happened after the former Prime Minister had left office and was a private citizen. Mr. Schreiber’s latest story is that he made a deal with Mr. Mulroney while he was still Prime Minister.
Mr. Schreiber clearly has some creditability problems. His dealings has not only tainted Canada, and left a nasty stench in our political system, but also have impacted German politics as well. He is largely responsible for the downfall of former German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl and former German opposition leader Wolfgang Schaeuble.
What is interesting is that Liberal human rights critic Irwin Cotler, who is now arguing for Schreiber to be allowed to stay in Canada, ordered Schreiber deported just 3 years ago in 2004 when Colter was the Liberal Minister of Justice. The Liberals and NDP, who have always accused the Conservatives of trying to manipulate the judiciary, are now demanding that the Conservative government do just that. By giving in to Liberal and NDP demands, we risk erroding the independence of our judiciary.
From the looks of this, an inquiry would just be a he/said he/said affair. It would boil down to choosing between a liar and an arrogant former Prime Minister. The Liberals consistently say, “They want the truth” The only problem is that the person who they are relying on for it is a liar, who has changed his story at least 3 times. How can they be sure that they are getting the truth from a person that only 3 years ago they saw as a cancer and sought to deport themselves?
My guess is that the Liberals are using this issue as a means of getting some political mileage, to the detriment of the Conservatives. My warning to them is to “Be careful what you wish for” as several Liberals have also been close confidants of Mr. Schreiber and they may end up getting egg on their faces.
In my view, nothing good can come out of this. If Schreiber were allowed to stay, the government would essentially be doing two critical things that I oppose as a Canadian citizen. Interfering in our judicial system, which is supposed to be free from government interference, and giving in to blackmail. This would send a nasty precedence in our political system. No government should allow itself to be blackmailed this way.
I say send Schreiber back to Germany. If Schreiber really wants to testify he will. If not, then it would just confirm that he was really not interested in Canadian justice, but only in saving his skin.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Why Karlheinz Schreiber should be extradited back to Germany
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9 comments:
That was one of the best MDL sessions I've ever seen with Craig Oliver & Jane Taber at the end. They were both non-partisan and actually making sense!
I agree Joanne, they both provided an excellent analysis of the Karlheinz Schreiber affair. Even if Schreiber testifies, how can we be sure that he is telling the truth? He has given conflicting information under oath, so how can we be sure that he will not do it again?
If the Canadian government allows Schreiber to stay in Canada because he threatens to shut up if extradited to Germany, they would have given in to blackmail.
I wonder what Schreiber would say if the justice department said "Give up your liberal handlers, come clean on the smear campaign, and we'll cancel the deportation order".
I bet he'd be there with bells on pointing the finger at every liberal he's every had contact with.
Of course, such an offer should come with a severe time limit, i.e. 24 hours, and he should be held incommunicado (preferably on the airplane ready to go) until he comes clean and points someone to hard evidence.
I think Oliver and Jane are just smarter than the Lib MPs and can see that the Libs will bleed more from any inquiry than the Cons will, inevitably Chretien's Liberal party will be under the scope and being the most corrupt gov in Canada's history there is an awful lot left to find, like why would an influence peddler contribute 10,000 dollars unless he was promised something, why would an ex Lib Mp put up his 100,000 dollar bail?
I don't think Oliver and Jane were being non-partisan, rather they were looking out for Da Boss and the Party
If Schreiber had told “the truth and nothing but the complete and honest truth” during the first inquiry, there would not be any need for another one.
The whole need for this inquiry is now based on information that Schreiber either omitted or misrepresented.
As far as I am concerned, Schreiber had his chance to come clean and he didn’t. Now on the eve of his extradition he is saying that he wants to come clean in the interest of Canadians? Bull**it! Send him back to Germany pronto!
Now that the Canadian courts have made their decision, I would say the Schreiber should be sent to Germany as soon as possible.
If he doesn't want to testify from Germany then so be it and the inquiry dies. Full Stop!
I think that if he is allowed to remain in Canada he will just continue to make a mockery of Canada's judicial system. After the inquiry is over,in a few years,he will most likely pull another prominent politicians name out of his hat.
It's now or never!
I don't think Oliver and Jane were being non-partisan, rather they were looking out for Da Boss and the Party
Very interesting, Durward. That is exactly what someone else mentioned at Trusty Tory...
Now I'm starting to second-guess my desire to see Schreiber extradited.
I wonder what Schreiber would say if the justice department said "Give up your liberal handlers, come clean on the smear campaign, and we'll cancel the deportation order".
Indeed.
Why does Canada bother to have courts anyway?
For people who walk on two legs rather than walk on water as Mr.Mulroney and his hacktourage (including Craig Oliver and similar head nodders) one would be charged based on evidence.
Saying under oath you don't know an arms dealer who has been a pal for decades might be starters...but certainly saying under oath you never took a dime from anyone at anytime, and then declared the money five years later with the clomping of RCMP boots behind you...well that might qualify as perjury charge doncha think?
Then at a pre-trial hearing, you would walk or be told you are going to face trial.
Instead, you idiot Canadians are getting an inquiry with some hairy assed professor determining whether there is a case or not.
Hmmm.
Then at the end of what will be a very long and expensive day, even if Mulroney does somehow then face trial...how could he ever get a fair one?
If you think inquries are the way to go...anybody remember the Kent Commission? That was a joke.
And the Mulroney inquiry promises a three ring circus in comparison.
As a point of reference, I suggest you take a look at Illinois Governor, George Ryan, who is today eating balogna sandwiches at a state prison---for taking bribes.
It's only right.
No inquiry outside a courtroom was needed.
You people really need to get a justice system and something better than a woof woof lap dog media that jumps on command.
Richard Fallis
Madison, Wisconsin
Well, knowing the fact, that Mr. Schreiber is an unpleasant person, the least to say :-), and for sure involved in bribery and tax stuff, well, what are the facts regarding his status in Canada ?
He is a Canadian citizen, right ?
Well, if he would resign his German citizenship, where are the legal grounds for his extradition ?
Knowing that neither Germany nor Canada would extradite it's citizen.
Another thing is, all 'evil' things Mr. Schreiber has done for good :),
were done with the cooperation, if not initiated, by his ex-partners, say Chancellor Kohl, etc.
It took all their will, if not command, to let Schreiber do all the ugly things.
So, I see 2 complete different issues here, one his extradition, which is against Canada's law (IMHO), and Mr. Schreibers law breaking actions.
Right, I am a German citizen, living in Canada, and I do not like Mr. Schreiber a lot.
But I must start to laugh about all this stuff, seeing how such a broken instrument like Schreiber can scare
them all :)
Have fun ..
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