Desmarais and Harper

[August1991]

Has Stephen Harper ever sat down and had a conversation with Paul Desmarais?

I think that is a legitimate question in this campaign. I expect an answer before I vote.

I am asking a journalist to ask: "Mr Stephen Harper, have you ever had a conversation with Mr Paul Desmarais?"

There are journalists who read these posts. Has Stephen Harper ever spoken to Paul Desmarais?

Please tell us and make this known. I think it matters. I am using the Internet to say this freely.

Is there a journalist willing to use the Internet to do the same?

Cohen? Gagnon? Simpson? Wells? Foglia? Kinsella? Spector? Steyne? Olive? Walkom? Hebert?

Figure it out. Tell us the truth. Please.

[Goldie]

Have you e-mailed the varios journalists to find out? Ask him personally.

[August1991]

Let's wait and see Goldie.

Without being a whacko conspiracy seeker, I happen to think that Harper is not a typical member of the elite of this corporatist-state we call Canada.

Right now, Ontario voters are deciding whether they feel comfortable with Harper. People like Desmarais will want to do the same (if he hasn't already) in their own more personal way.

Desmarais has been successful because of his government ties. For example, Great West Life provides many insurance services to the federal government.

So, I'm curious to know whether Desmarais has met Harper and how Harper responded. You know the old line, "I wish I could be a fly on the wall..." I'd be very surprised if Mulroney, for example, hasn't broken the ice.

[idealisttotheend]

I don't see why Desmarais would choose Harper over Long. I mean there is the Western angle but I think Desmarais would be too smart to choose Harper over Long or even Martin given Harper's baggage and the fact that Mr. Desmarais' proteges tend to have carefully moderate images (and are moderates). Whatever Harper's true colours if there is anyone with half a brain in Liberal HQ, Harper will not and can not have a moderate image given his past statements etc.

[August1991]

Has Stephen Harper ever sat down and had a conversation with Paul Desmarais?

...

Please tell us and make this known. I think it matters. I am using the Internet to say this freely.

Is there a journalist willing to use the Internet to do the same?

Cohen? Gagnon? Simpson? Wells? Foglia? Kinsella? Spector? Steyne? Olive? Walkom? Hebert?

Figure it out. Tell us the truth. Please.

For an anglo audience, I'll correct my spelling mistakes:

Andrew Coyne? Jeffrey Simpson? Paul Wells? Pierre Foglia? Warren Kinsella? Norman Spector? Mark Steyne? David Olive? Tom Walkom? (Enfin une femme) Chantal Hebert?

Do any of you have any knowledge/evidence of Stephen Harper talking to/dealing with Paul Desmarais?

[geoffrey]

I'm going to tell you by personal opinion on the matter August. I have little doubt that they've met, Demarais has an audience with whomever he wishes, and I'm sure he wishes to speak with Harper.

Mulroney would be an obvious stepping stone.

That said, I don't think there is an intimate connection between those two. Look further into the cabinet if you want to see the real Quebec power men, Mr. Bernier is an insurance executive himself.

[Charles Anthony]

--- and GeofFrey, if you had the opportunity to do so, for what major news network would you work?

I am just teasing.

However, the call-out of this thread is clearly not meant for you nor me.

[August1991]

I'm going to tell you by personal opinion on the matter August. I have little doubt that they've met, Demarais has an audience with whomever he wishes, and I'm sure he wishes to speak with Harper.

Your call.

But I'll add that choice (the ability to choose) makes for a civilized society. And Quebec and Alberta make for a civilized Canada.

I'm still intrigued, as I was two years ago, about the conversation between ambitious Stephen Harper (from Leaside) and Paul Desmarais.

No (official) Canadian journalist has told us whether the conversation even existed.

[geoffrey]

--- and GeofFrey, if you had the opportunity to do so, for what major news network would you work?

CBC of course.

But I'll add that choice (the ability to choose) makes for a civilized society. And Quebec and Alberta make for a civilized Canada.

I'm still intrigued, as I was two years ago, about the conversation between ambitious Stephen Harper (from Leaside) and Paul Desmarais.

No (official) Canadian journalist has told us whether the conversation even existed.

I'm really struggling to understand what your big point is here. Desmarais is a major power broker, maybe the biggest, but what's the significance of him in particular?

[Saturn]

Has Stephen Harper ever sat down and had a conversation with Paul Desmarais?

I'd be surprised if he didn't. Why is this important?

[Charles Anthony]

Guys, why should any of us bother voting??

Why is this important?

Are you comfortable with cronyism?

Desmarais is a major power broker, maybe the biggest, but what's the significance of him in particular?

Are you aware of cronyism?

[in an online discussion forum, quoting a blog entry gives me a vague queasy feeling. I do not know how to describe it but it seems to feel worse than plagiarism to me. Oh well.] This quote is somewhat out of its original context but it is very a propos to this thread.

Assorted Links: February 11, 2007

On a side note, Jim Hill did want to build a Canadian transcontinental, but when he attempted to gain permission to do so, he was politically outmaneuvered by shipping magnate Hugh Allen. Allen famous financed John A's 1872 re-election campaign. When George Brown's Globe broke the story of the scandal a year later, the MacDonald government fell from a backbencher's revolt (yes, those things did happen in the past). When Jack Layton talks about the government, not the market, building "the social and physical infrastructure for the 21st," I keep seeing another generation of Hugh Allens (and Maurice Strongs and Paul Desmarais) building that infrastructure, at the expense not only of the Jim Hills but also the people of Canada. In the words of a great old western folk song: "And God Damn the CPR!"

The Gods of the Copybook Headings

[jdobbin]

Is there a journalist willing to use the Internet to do the same?

Cohen? Gagnon? Simpson? Wells? Foglia? Kinsella? Spector? Steyne? Olive? Walkom? Hebert?

Figure it out. Tell us the truth. Please.

Which Desmarais are you talking about? Junior was in attendance with Harper this week at a news conference. Thought I saw him at the Nature Conservancy news conference.

From the PM's website: http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=1574

In January La Presse announced their endorsement of Harper. Power owns the paper.

[August1991]

Bump.

Sarkozy and Harper. Have they met?

Edited April 2, 2009 by August1991

[August1991]

Bump.

[Jack Weber]

Bump.

Hmmm...Elvis and Harper...

Have they met?

[August1991]

Hmmm...Elvis and Harper...

Have they met?

Elvis was a rock singer.

Paul Desmarais hired Henri-Paul Rousseau and made Paul Martin a wealthy man.

[Jack Weber]

Harper and Sasquatch....

Have they met?

[RNG]

I once talked with a guy that was three years later arrested, tried and convicted for manslaughter. Should I be crucified?

[bloodyminded]

I met, and liked, a convicted murderer.

Guilt by association?

[August1991]

I once talked with a guy that was three years later arrested, tried and convicted for manslaughter. Should I be crucified?

Did you make the guy rich?

I met, and liked, a convicted murderer.

Guilt by association?

Did he get rich?

----

RNG and BM, academics refer to correlation and causation. Is this distinction clear to you?

I am asking a broader, simpler question, still unanswered, whether Paul Desmarais invited Stephen Harper's family to his lodge. I still wonder whether any journalist has the courage to ask Harper (or his press guy) if Harper has met Desmarais.

Such a simple question.

Edited June 3, 2011 by August1991

[Michael Hardner]

Such a simple question.

Simple and loaded too. So what if they've met ?

[August1991]

Simple and loaded too. So what if they've met ?

Seven years later, we still don't know.

Such is our media, the MSM. One billion for Radio-Canada-CBC, and we don't know whether Stephen Harper and his family have ever been to the wonderful lodge of Paul Desmarais.

Indeed, we don't know whether Harper has ever met Desmarais at all.

Edited June 3, 2011 by August1991

[Bonam]

Indeed, we don't know whether Harper has ever met Desmarais at all.

Why should we care?

[August1991]

Bump.

The Parti Quebecois is demanding Premier Jean Charest supply a detailed list Liberal MNAs who have accepted visits to Sagard, Quebec businessman Paul Desmarais's sprawling ranch in the Charlevoix region of Quebec.

CTV

Mr. Charest acknowledged having attended “social events” and even having spent the night at the large Desmarais family estate known as ‘Sagard’ located in the picturesque Charlevoix region just east of Quebec City.

G&M

« J’ai deux principes devant moi. D’un côté, j’ai le droit d’avoir une vie privée, de voir des amis. Également, j’ai la responsabilité de protéger l’institution, et de protéger la perception de l’intégrité de cette institution si importante. »

Est-ce donc une erreur d’être allé à Sagard, est-ce qu’il n’y a pas dans ce cas-ci apparence de conflit d’intérêts, est-ce que la « perception de l’intégrité de cette institution » est protégée? « Ce n’était pas une erreur [d'aller à Sagard], selon Michael Sabia. C’était juste une controverse dans le domaine des médias. Mais ma perception et ma position est que s’il faut faire un choix entre les droits comme personne et ma responsabilité professionnelle de protéger la caisse, je vais choisir 100 % du temps la responsabilité de protéger cette grande institution. »

Radio-Canada

---

It is astonishing that several years later, we still don't know whether Stephen Harper ever met Paul Desmarais.

Quebec Inc? Maybe we should speak of Canada Inc.

Edited February 25, 2012 by August1991

[waldo]

Bump.

It is astonishing that several years later, we still don't know whether Stephen Harper ever met Paul Desmarais.

as the very astute Shakeyhands recently stated in regards padding one's post count!

What you have to do then is troll back in really old threads, that have no bearing now, to find some that you were the last to post in, and then add a comment. It works for some on this forum, not only increasing their post counts (like anyone gives a shoite about that) bu thousands, but it also identifies you as an attention whore!!! Win-Win.