Liberals Falsely Slander Harper: Communion Host

August1991 · July 29, 2009

Stephen Harper was accused of putting a communion host in his pocket. This story, repeated endlessly, originated with the Saint John Telegraph Journal. Harper strongly denied the story.

Subsequently, the Telegraph Journal fired its editor, suspended its publisher, corrected the story and offered an apology on its front page:

On Wednesday, July 8, 2009, the Telegraph-Journal published a story about the funeral mass celebrating the life of former Governor-General Romeo LeBlanc that was inaccurate and should not have been published. We pride ourselves in maintaining high standards of journalism and ethical reporting, and regret this was not followed in this case.

It is worth pointing out that the Irving family owns the Telegraph Journal and its suspended publisher was Jamie Irving. Moreover, the Irving family did not receive recent federal ship building contracts.

MacKay, a Nova Scotia MP, doesn't have to look far from home for an example of the cut-throat nature of marine industry as Irving-owned Halifax Shipyards recently filed an appeal with Federal Court over the loss of a portion of a $1.5-billion submarine maintenance contract to a West Coast consortium.

CP

Robert Fife of CTV now states that the Liberal Party was behind this original story:

Lisa, most of us will remember the story that went all around the world about the prime minister apparently not eating the host when he was at the funeral of former governor general Romeo LeBlanc. That story was first published in the St John Telegraph Journal which is owned by the billionaire Irving family. The prime minister hit the roof. Well, today, a grovelling apology from the paper. They said the story was not true. So what happened? Well, I'm told that the Liberals passed the story to young Jamie Irving who was the publisher of the paper. He passed it to the editor who put it in the paper without checking it out, and today the editor has been fired, and Jamie's father has suspended his son for thirty days, and I'm told the prime minister is pretty thrilled with that.

Steve Janke

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The sad thing is that this story fits well with the way the federal Liberal Party operates. While there are any number of people who want to demonize Harper, this is precisely the kind of tactics that the Liberals have used.

Moreover, this scandal points out the connection between certain companies and wealthy individuals (Power Corporation and Desmarais, Irving).

I have no doubt that the Liberals are going to deny this allegation strongly.

There are few beasts as violent as a cornered Liberal.

Edited July 29, 2009 by August1991

M.Dancer · July 29, 2009

I will say what I said to Topaz...there's a thread already on this...

August1991 · July 29, 2009

I will say what I said to Topaz...there's a thread already on this...

Morris, there is no thread that specifically deals with the story that the Liberal Party is behind this fabricated claim.

I started this thread because I think we should discuss how the federal Liberal Party operates.

Edited July 29, 2009 by August1991

jdobbin · July 29, 2009

I have no doubt that the Liberals are going to deny this allegation strongly.

I have no doubt that you will run smears without evidence.

Who told Fife that Liberals supplied the story? Is Fife angling for a Senate seat?

M.Dancer · July 29, 2009

I started this thread because I think we should discuss how the federal Liberal Party operates.

Fair enough. I hesitated at first cause there were soldiers on the streets.

I'm not making this up.

August1991 · July 29, 2009

I'm not making this up.

Well, somebody made it up.

The reporting journalist didn't include the communion host angle in the original story. At first, I thought the Irvings might have been behind this slander.

Fife apparently has some evidence that it was someone in the federal Liberal Party that planted this "lost wafer" interpretation.

It seems to me now - and I'm no conspracy fanatic - that both the Irvings and the Liberals had reason to slander Harper in this way.

It's the kind of false innuendo that has become typical of the Liberals in the past few years. They really do need a long time out.

I have no doubt that you will run smears without evidence.
Who told Fife that Liberals supplied the story? Is Fife angling for a Senate seat?

Angling for a Senate seat? Is that all you can think of Dobbin? Why would n't Fife be angling for the GG spot?

Anyway, Fife got the information from somewhere. Maybe there's some kind of internal spat between the Irvings and the Liberals. It's not as if the Liberals don't know what ugly civil wars are like.

Edited July 29, 2009 by August1991

Alta4ever · July 29, 2009

I have no doubt that you will run smears without evidence.
Who told Fife that Liberals supplied the story? Is Fife angling for a Senate seat?

I was wondering when you would show up, in the emperors new clothes. Fife has always been a liberal media supporter, guess he is starting to see the clothes come. The liberals seem to have been caught tring to fabricate a scandel I wonder how many of the past ones they had their fingers in? Dobbin between this and the sponsership and how many other countless lapses of ethics had in the past I can't beleieve that you will still stand so solidly behind them. Its taken a lot less for me to change my provincial alignments and decide thaty the progessive conservatives have orphined me. When will you see that this liberal party is not the party that they once were.

lily · July 29, 2009

It seems to me now - and I'm no conspracy fanatic - that both the Irvings and the Liberals had reason to slander Harper in this way.
It's the kind of false innuendo that has become typical of the Liberals in the past few years. They really do need a long time out.

Funny you should mention false innuendo right on the heels of your own innuendo.

August1991 · July 29, 2009

Funny you should mention false innuendo right on the heels of your own innuendo.

According to the news report of Fife, someone in the Liberal Party planted this story with teh Telegraph-Journal and then ensured that it got wide media coverage.

It is not teh first time the Liberals have falsely made suggestions about the ignorance, backwardness, unsophistication or sheer danger (dinosaurs and guns in our streets) of their opponents.

In any case, its is not innuendo to suggest that someone planted this story.

It was absolutely false to suggest that Harper pocketed the host.

lily · July 29, 2009

According to the news report of Fife, someone in the Liberal Party planted this story with teh Telegraph-Journal and then ensured that it got wide media coverage.
It is not teh first time the Liberals have falsely made suggestions about the ignorance, backwardness, unsophistication or sheer danger (dinosaurs and guns in our streets) of their opponents.

In any case, its is not innuendo to suggest that someone planted this story.

It was absolutely false to suggest that Harper pocketed the host.

Without proof, either scenario is the same.

jdobbin · July 29, 2009

Angling for a Senate seat? Is that all you can think of Dobbin? Why would n't Fife be angling for the GG spot?

Given the growing list of CTV reporters to the Senate one has to ask.

Anyway, Fife got the information from somewhere. Maybe there's some kind of internal spat between the Irvings and the Liberals. It's not as if the Liberals don't know what ugly civil wars are like.

Yes, Fife got the story from the Tories.

jdobbin · July 29, 2009

According to the news report of Fife, someone in the Liberal Party planted this story with teh Telegraph-Journal and then ensured that it got wide media coverage.

But who told Fife?

jdobbin · July 29, 2009

I was wondering when you would show up, in the emperors new clothes. Fife has always been a liberal media supporter,

According to who?

You probably said the same thing about Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin right up till the time they were appointed Conservative Senators.

Alta4ever · July 29, 2009

According to who?
You probably said the same thing about Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin right up till the time they were appointed Conservative Senators.

I have never said that about Mike (although i did think he was a conservative supporter of some stripe), i never had seen enough of pamela walin to have an opinion.

Shakeyhands · July 29, 2009

I saw the video... I didn't see hand go to mouth...

Topaz · July 29, 2009

I saw the video... I didn't see hand go to mouth...

Yes, you are right and that's why Harper must take part of the blame for this to get out of hand!(sorry about the pun) IF he had taken the wafer and placed it directly into his mouth like the other people around him this wouldn't be a story but he didn't and he kept it in his hand and turned to walk out of the seating area making people wonder...what happened to the wafer??

Wild Bill · July 29, 2009

Right from the OP, it was obvious that many posters in this thread were going to be quite predictable.

An issue like this illustrates the inherent difference between the typical Tory and Liberal supporter, that of "head" person and "heart" person.

"Head" people are more practical, forming their beliefs and values according to reason and experience.

"Heart" people lead with their "feelings". They tend to follow by faith. They might not understand very much of what a leader says but if they have a good opinion of him or her they will follow them blindly.

"Head" people are more willing to change their minds when confronted with strong new evidence. That's why Mulroney's party was knocked down to only TWO SEATS in Parliament when they were offered the option of the Reform Party. "Head" people could not continue their support in the face of his ACTIONS!

"Heart" people will rarely change their minds, if ever. They tend not to scrutinize new evidence very closely anyway, so why should they change their mind? As long as they LIKE their leaders they will stick by them!

The electorate is made up of these two groups plus a perhaps equally large third group of people who are much more fluid in their choices. Most of who post on this board seem to fall strongly in one or the other of the first two camps.

"Heart" people forgave Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggart. Their faith could not be broken!

They will continue to support the Liberals. Adscam, Shawinigate, HRDC, the Gun Registry cost and now 'Wafergate' notwithstanding...

Alta4ever · July 29, 2009

Yes, you are right and that's why Harper must take part of the blame for this to get out of hand!(sorry about the pun) IF he had taken the wafer and placed it directly into his mouth like the other people around him this wouldn't be a story but he didn't and he kept it in his hand and turned to walk out of the seating area making people wonder...what happened to the wafer??

The few times I have taken communion at the local Baptist church, no body does it right away, some sit and pray for a few minutes, others wait until everyone has received the host before taling the communion others its mear seconds. This has all gotten way out of hand, the next question is who cares how long it takes

noahbody · July 29, 2009

But who told Fife?

I assume Fife talked to the reporters who were credited with the story, the editor, Irving and/or a spokesperson for the paper. A good investigative journalist would also talk to those who were supposedly quoted in the article and try to find out who interviewed them. This isn't an edited article, it's a replaced article, so someone had to conduct the interviews unless they're all fabricated. If Joe Volpe is involved, they might all be dead too.

From the original article:

Henneberry said he has received a call on Harper's actions from a concerned Catholic, and he doubts that she is the only one puzzled and perturbed.
"She said she was very upset," he said, adding he had not seen the footage.

"She said, 'All weekend long it has been bothering me and I know I can't do something about it, but someone should.'

"She can't be the only one in this country that is thinking that."

Hmmm. If only Henneberry had call display.

M.Dancer · July 29, 2009

The few times I have taken communion at the local Baptist church, no body does it right away, some sit and pray for a few minutes, others wait until everyone has received the host ...

When I'm the host I wait till every has seated before I dig in...

lily · July 29, 2009

The few times I have taken communion at the local Baptist church, no body does it right away, some sit and pray for a few minutes, others wait until everyone has received the host before taling the communion others its mear seconds. This has all gotten way out of hand, the next question is who cares how long it takes

Most times, I wouldn't care. Personally, I follow the example of those around me - if they take it right away, so do I. If they wait till everyone has theirs, I follow suit.

Catholics are different though. The wafer isn't a symbol, so it's treated differently. He should have done what everyone else did and eaten it right away. There should have been no doubt what he did with it.

jdobbin · July 29, 2009

I assume Fife talked to the reporters who were credited with the story, the editor, Irving and/or a spokesperson for the paper. A good investigative journalist would also talk to those who were supposedly quoted in the article and try to find out who interviewed them.

And I assume he talked to someone at the PMO who fed him the line that the Liberals did it.

Hmmm. If only Henneberry had call display.

If only there was some indication that he didn't know who he was talking to.

jdobbin · July 29, 2009

I have never said that about Mike (although i did think he was a conservative supporter of some stripe), i never had seen enough of pamela walin to have an opinion.

So exactly what constitutes Fife being a Liberal supporter? And how could you tell that Duffy was a Conservative supporter?

jdobbin · July 29, 2009

Right from the OP, it was obvious that many posters in this thread were going to be quite predictable.
An issue like this illustrates the inherent difference between the typical Tory and Liberal supporter, that of "head" person and "heart" person.

The constant refrain that Tories are the only party of logic and not guided by emotions is unsupported. It is also quite predictable.

OddSox · July 29, 2009

So exactly what constitutes Fife being a Liberal supporter? And how could you tell that Duffy was a Conservative supporter?

You must be kidding. Fife was one of the first to start salivating and jump on the bandwagon when the story originally broke - and now you're saying that he is lying? Based on what?