NAFTA leak report clears PM's chief of staff

[jdobbin]

They couldn't find out who handed the report to AP.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080523/...fta_leak_report

An investigation into the so-called NAFTA-gate scandal has exonerated the prime minister's chief of staff and the Canadian ambassador in Washington.

But the 21-page document lays blame at the Foreign Affairs Department for incorrectly classifying a diplomatic document and distributing it to too many people.

Two private investigators hired by Ottawa interviewed 36 bureaucrats, diplomats and others, but could not finger the person who handed the key diplomatic report over to the Associated Press.

In a brief written statement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper highlighted the findings and said he has "accepted all the recommendations of the report."

The recommendations include tighter document security at Foreign Affairs.

The leak, originating from the Canadian Consulate in Chicago, set off a chain reaction which some believe resulted in Democratic Senator Barack Obama's loss in March's Ohio primary.

"The investigation has been unable to determine who leaked the report, to whom it was leaked or whether there was only one leak," the investigators wrote.

"The original diplomatic report was incorrectly classified and had an inappropriately broad distribution list."

Foreign Affairs is being blamed. I guess we will see even tighter control over the department and approvals only from the PMO to do or say anything.

[Shakeyhands]

interesting, I thought they already had an overabundance over exactly that.

Edited May 23, 2008 by Shakeyhands

[fellowtraveller]

I can understand the OPs disappointment at the investigators failure to find a way to blame Harper.

[Michael Bluth]

I can understand the OPs disappointment at the investigators failure to find a way to blame Harper.

Does that explain the unsubstantiated accusation of tighter controls as well?

[jdobbin]

I can understand the OPs disappointment at the investigators failure to find a way to blame Harper.

Brodie still revealed information that turned out to be embarrassing. It is one of the reasons why Brodie is leaving to spend time... you guessed it...with his family.

[Michael Bluth]

Brodie still revealed information that turned out to be embarrassing. It is one of the reasons why Brodie is leaving to spend time... you guessed it...with his family.

I guess those who are capable of having families will always be the target of snide comments...

Being Chief of Staff is a tough, tough life.

In the 20 years since the CoS position was created the average time spent in the job has been a little less than two years. Brodie's at the 2 1/2 year mark.

It appears that Harper has told the senior people on his team that now is the time to commit through the next election.

[Topaz]

I guess those who are capable of having families will always be the target of snide comments...

Being Chief of Staff is a tough, tough life.

In the 20 years since the CoS position was created the average time spent in the job has been a little less than two years. Brodie's at the 2 1/2 year mark.

It appears that Harper has told the senior people on his team that now is the time to commit through the next election.

Yeah, with the help of the former Harris chief of staff, maybe? That's Canada needs a Harris type of government! So were will the OPP first attack, the First Nation or the Fed unions?

[Michael Bluth]

Yeah, with the help of the former Harris chief of staff, maybe?

Yes, the new chief of staff was formerly chief of staff to Mike Harris.

That's Canada needs a Harris type of government!

The voters of Ontario felt that strongly enough to give Harris two majorities.

So were will the OPP first attack, the First Nation or the Fed unions?

When exactly did Harris order the OPP to attack First Nations and 'Fed unions'?

"Soldiers on our streets attacking First Nations and 'Fed unions' - we're not making this up. We really believe this conspiracy theory."

[Topaz]

Yes, the new chief of staff was formerly chief of staff to Mike Harris.

The voters of Ontario felt that strongly enough to give Harris two majorities.

When exactly did Harris order the OPP to attack First Nations and 'Fed unions'?

"Soldiers on our streets attacking First Nations and 'Fed unions' - we're not making this up. We really believe this conspiracy theory."

Ipperwash and when CUPE went on strike Harris sent out the OPP and people got hurt there too.

[Remiel]

If the Harris era ministers were unscupulous enough to cook the books prior to the election of Dalton McGuinty, I can just imagine all of the cooking that was done during those two terms. It would not be a stretch to suggest that the numbers they used to obtain that second " majority " were fraudulent as well. And now we have those same folks in the Federal cabinet. Oh, joy.

[Wild Bill]

Ipperwash and when CUPE went on strike Harris sent out the OPP and people got hurt there too.

If I recall, CUPE started violence and the OPP responded. As for Ipperwash, do you have proof that Harris ordered the OPP to attack the protestors?

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to share it with us.

[Michael Bluth]

If I recall, CUPE started violence and the OPP responded. As for Ipperwash, do you have proof that Harris ordered the OPP to attack the protestors?

Perhaps you'd be kind enough to share it with us.

Well said. It appears that some think protesters don't need to be law-abiding....

[Keepitsimple]

Well said. It appears that some think protesters don't need to be law-abiding....

It's always a shame to see the Star and other Liberal mouthpieces define Harris' legacy in terms of Ipperwash and Walkerton. The Ipperwash inquiry clearly brought out the fact that the Harris government was forcefully pushing for a court injunction so they could legally remove the splinter group of First Nations protesters from the park. The OPP moved on there own in reaction to perceived but in hindsight, unfounded threats. It was never proven - and it makes absolutely no sense - for Harris to have issued any "orders" prior to receiving the injunction. With regards to Walkerton, any sane person knows that if you allow city council to appoint people with little or no qualifications to look after their water supply - then you're asking for trouble. The two drunks who were in charge lied and fabricated testing samples. Sure, Harris was rough around the edges but he was not responsible for either of these tragedies.

[Keepitsimple]

Back to NAFTA Gate. The foundation of this story has always bothered me. When Obama and Clinton started yapping about the Free Trade Agreement, knowledgeable people knew it was campaign rhetoric. There really was no story. It would have been very proper for any newspaper to speculate that it was campaign rhetoric and that if they did open up the agreement, there would be consequences. Harper even alluded to that fact. That should have been where the story ended. But....CTV decided to dig further and were able to come up with a diplomatic memo that actually formally supported Obama's "campaign rhetoric". I think this is where CTV stepped over the line because it was they who injected themselves into the US election. I think that this is a violation of journalistic diplomacy. They took a story that was just plain common sense - as I'm sure Harper's Chief of Staff and Michael Wilson meant - and made it into something that made news in the US and embarrassed Canada.

[jdobbin]

I think this is where CTV stepped over the line because it was they who injected themselves into the US election. I think that this is a violation of journalistic diplomacy. They took a story that was just plain common sense - as I'm sure Harper's Chief of Staff and Michael Wilson meant - and made it into something that made news in the US and embarrassed Canada.

The CTV reporters followed up with something Brodie said in a meeting about what Clinton insiders told him. It was Brodie and Wilson who directed the reporters to Obama instead as being the one with a different stance on NAFTA.

Laying the blame on the media for this is just not in the cards. Brodie spoke, reporters followed up to verify and Tories are trying to point fingers everywhere except at their own.

Edited May 24, 2008 by jdobbin

[fellowtraveller]

Brodie still revealed information that turned out to be embarrassing. It is one of the reasons why Brodie is leaving to spend time... you guessed it...with his family.

That is not why Brodie is leaving.

He is going so that he is not subject to the new 5 year mandatory hiatus on lobbying after you leave federal employment which applies to all those employed as of July 1. 2008. If he stayed, his personal options and potential income would be severely limited.

You can expect to see numerous DMs and ADms quitting before July 1 too. Damn that scoundrel Harper for introducing this legisaltion!

[Michael Bluth]

That is not why Brodie is leaving.

He is going so that he is not subject to the new 5 year mandatory hiatus on lobbying after you leave federal employment which applies to all those employed as of July 1. 2008. If he stayed, his personal options and potential income would be severely limited.

You can expect to see numerous DMs and ADms quitting before July 1 too. Damn that scoundrel Harper for introducing this legisaltion!

Plausible, but not the reason for Brodie leaving. He's going back to Western to teach.

[jdobbin]

That is not why Brodie is leaving.

He is going so that he is not subject to the new 5 year mandatory hiatus on lobbying after you leave federal employment which applies to all those employed as of July 1. 2008. If he stayed, his personal options and potential income would be severely limited.

You can expect to see numerous DMs and ADms quitting before July 1 too. Damn that scoundrel Harper for introducing this legisaltion!

I guess that is as nice a spin on it as you can make it.

[Keepitsimple]

The CTV reporters followed up with something Brodie said in a meeting about what Clinton insiders told him. It was Brodie and Wilson who directed the reporters to Obama instead as being the one with a different stance on NAFTA.

Laying the blame on the media for this is just not in the cards. Brodie spoke, reporters followed up to verify and Tories are trying to point fingers everywhere except at their own.

You're missing my point. When I first heard Clinton and then Obama spewing anti Nafta comments - I knew - as did any other informed person - that they were just playing politics. CTV didn't have to pursue this story - it was just common sense to most people...but they went ahead anyway and got access to a supposed "confirmation" of this non-story. The better story here in Canada would have been the reasoning behind why we did not have to worry about all this posturing......but the story ended up to be all about CTV's "discovery" of a diplomatic memo. I would feel the same way if the Liberals were in power. It was an unfortunate circumstance caused by the over-zealousness of a reporter. As I said....a lack of journalistic diplomacy.

[jdobbin]

You're missing my point. When I first heard Clinton and then Obama spewing anti Nafta comments - I knew - as did any other informed person - that they were just playing politics. CTV didn't have to pursue this story - it was just common sense to most people...but they went ahead anyway and got access to a supposed "confirmation" of this non-story. The better story here in Canada would have been the reasoning behind why we did not have to worry about all this posturing......but the story ended up to be all about CTV's "discovery" of a diplomatic memo. I would feel the same way if the Liberals were in power. It was an unfortunate circumstance caused by the over-zealousness of a reporter. As I said....a lack of journalistic diplomacy.

And I say...baloney. Brodie was speaking off the cuff and CTV just confirmed what he said. They did nothing out of the ordinary. Brodie and Wilson were the ones that were not being diplomatic.

[Alta4ever]

This had to be the biggest non story of the year, along with Cadman and all the other non issues the liberals have been whining about.

[jdobbin]

This had to be the biggest non story of the year, along with Cadman and all the other non issues the liberals have been whining about.

And oh so successful in putting the Liberals ahead of the Tories by 1 point.

[Alta4ever]

And oh so successful in putting the Liberals ahead of the Tories by 1 point.

So.... There is only one poll that matters and that is election day. We'll see what happens when people are actually faced with the choice of higher energy prices due to an ill thought carbon tax, or the sanity that is true conservatism.

[jdobbin]

So.... There is only one poll that matters and that is election day. We'll see what happens when people are actually faced with the choice of higher energy prices due to an ill thought carbon tax, or the sanity that is true conservatism.

The Tories are planning on regulating carbon by charging big industry. They will pass on the costs to the consumers. The idea that the Tories are not going to have consumers not end up paying is a myth.

I'm sure the speeches are ready for election day when the right wing can blame the media, the ethnic vote and talk about western separation when they don't get their way.

[Alta4ever]

The Tories are planning on regulating carbon by charging big industry. They will pass on the costs to the consumers. The idea that the Tories are not going to have consumers not end up paying is a myth.

I'm sure the speeches are ready for election day when the right wing can blame the media, the ethnic vote and talk about western separation when they don't get their way.

Is that right, pleasae show me where in the blue book you would find that policy?

Do you really think the CPC will lose to Dion? He will hand the CPC victory.