Mackay busted in a lie about the helicopter of doom

[PIK]

The libs and dippers are going wild, I love it. It must be just driving them crazy that the only so called scandals they can really sink there teeth into is a helecopter ride and some over priced gazeboos. This is one of the cleanest goverments (but not perfect)we have had in a long time. And just think at least 8 more years of harper.

[PIK]

With out going thru them all, did anyone mention when rae took a OPP helicopter to ohio ,so he could spend a extra day with his family, when he was premier.lol

[WWWTT]

Mr MacKay only has to prove that the Opposition slandered/ libelled him……….If I sue you after I slipped on a icy step of yours, do you really think I need to prove that I hadn’t been drinking prior or had poor footwear?

Ya this is why I do not believe you when you write the things you do buddy!

And the link is irrelevant to filling a lawsuit against a political party or MPs who have privelage!

And why are you trying to compare this case to a guy slipping on a patch of ice?

How do you expect anyone to take you serious when you make such ridiculous cross analogies?

WWWTT

[olp1fan]

The libs and dippers are going wild, I love it. It must be just driving them crazy that the only so called scandals they can really sink there teeth into is a helecopter ride and some over priced gazeboos. This is one of the cleanest goverments (but not perfect)we have had in a long time. And just think at least 8 more years of harper.

Oh God what are you drinking?

[olp1fan]

With out going thru them all, did anyone mention when rae took a OPP helicopter to ohio ,so he could spend a extra day with his family, when he was premier.lol

the issue isn't the flying it is the lying

[CPCFTW]

the issue isn't the flying it is the lying

The issue isn't the flying, it's the lying about flying? Then why complain about the flying in the first place?

[Bryan]

What's blatant partisan crap is trying to spin this as though McKay was just giving the pilots time to practice. I don't even know how you can say that with a straight face.

So you are calling the pilot a liar then?

[olp1fan]

The issue isn't the flying, it's the lying about flying? Then why complain about the flying in the first place?

I didn't, the flying is meh..although I'd be angry if I were a Newfi, the massive cover up is what worries me

if they cover up something small like this they will cover up something big that happens in the future

[olp1fan]

So you are calling the pilot a liar then?

pilot was told what to say

[g_bambino]

pilot was told what to say

Or what?

[g_bambino]

What's blatant partisan crap is trying to spin this as though McKay was just giving the pilots time to practice.

I don't think anyone claimed such a thing. The pilots practice on a regular basis and had supposedly for three years been asking MacKay to join one of those flights.

[cybercoma]

So you are calling the pilot a liar then?

No. I'm saying the pilot didn't know any better and was just doing what he was told.

[wyly]

I don't think anyone claimed such a thing. The pilots practice on a regular basis and had supposedly for three years been asking MacKay to join one of those flights.

even though mackay had been on one just a year before???

[Guest Derek L]

Ya this is why I do not believe you when you write the things you do buddy!

And the link is irrelevant to filling a lawsuit against a political party or MPs who have privelage!

And why are you trying to compare this case to a guy slipping on a patch of ice?

How do you expect anyone to take you serious when you make such ridiculous cross analogies?

WWWTT

I don’t really care if you believe me or not………but as already stated (With GoC link) they don’t have Privilege went the remarks are uttered outside of the HoC….Again, the onus isn’t on MacKay to prove that he was not lying, but that his reputation was damaged by the other Mps/Parties…….That’s clearly an easy proposition for him……Now the onus will be placed upon the defendants in any potential civil suit to “defend” and “justify” their damaging remarks towards Mr MacKay…….Mr MacKay can counter this with a written statement by, or for the dramatic effect, the personal appearance of any/all of the Cormorant flight crew………After that, all the defendant/opposition has to fall back on is hearsay……

Even if you think I’m full of bean (as I said, I don’t care), why hasn’t the Opposition responded to Mr MacKay’s “threat” of legal action? Why has the ongoing “scandal” all of a sudden seemed to drop off the face of the earth? Why isn’t the media talking about it? (As I side note, I googled a couple of media stories released a few days ago, and they appear to have been edited/updated in their telling of the “scandal”….with a flagrant use of the word allegedly…..

[Guest Derek L]

No. I'm saying the pilot didn't know any better and was just doing what he was told.

He's retired now.....he's no longer told to do anything..

[g_bambino]

even though mackay had been on one just a year before???

Were they at all the same?

[g_bambino]

they don't have Privilege went the remarks are uttered outside of the HoC...

That's true. What takes place inside the House of Commons is handled by the House of Commons; with a motions of censure, contempt of parliament, etc.

[WWWTT]

why hasn’t the Opposition responded to Mr MacKay’s “threat” of legal action? Why has the ongoing “scandal” all of a sudden seemed to drop off the face of the earth? Why isn’t the media talking about it? (As I side note, I googled a couple of media stories released a few days ago, and they appear to have been edited/updated in their telling of the “scandal”….with a flagrant use of the word allegedly…..

You could be right in implying that an MP may have said something that could expose themeselves.

I'm sure everyone's reviewing and consulting.

Aswell there are many other issues that deserve attention so moving away from this McKay issue for the time being is reasonable.

I personally am not convinced that this issue is over!

In fact I believe that what we are witnessing now is a strong confident and capable NDP opposition very organized strategically targeting weekness in the government.This attack on McKay has thrown the government off balance and they need time to regroup.

I doubt this issue is dead and I wouldn't look too much into this temporary lull.

WWWTT

[WWWTT]

I don’t really care if you believe me or not………but as already stated (With GoC link) they don’t have Privilege went the remarks are uttered outside of the HoC….Again, the onus isn’t on MacKay to prove that he was not lying, but that his reputation was damaged by the other Mps/Parties…….That’s clearly an easy proposition for him……

How many times are you going to repeat things we all know?5 times?10 times?20 times?

Keep in mind that what an MP "does" say in the house can be used against him if in fact he was lying.

Do you sincerely believe the opposition isn't putting a case together to challenge the conservatives in court?

And how will McKay prove his reputation was damaged if in the event the opposition is capable of providing adequate evidence to convince the ruling justice?

Good luck buddy

WWWTT

[Guest Derek L]

How many times are you going to repeat things we all know?5 times?10 times?20 times?

Keep in mind that what an MP "does" say in the house can be used against him if in fact he was lying.

Do you sincerely believe the opposition isn't putting a case together to challenge the conservatives in court?

And how will McKay prove his reputation was damaged if in the event the opposition is capable of providing adequate evidence to convince the ruling justice?

Good luck buddy

WWWTT

The Opposition doesn’t have a case, all they have is hearsay…..so no, I doubt they’re “putting a case together”, if anything, I‘d guess their attorneys are advising them to keep their traps shut and move on……..They now have to go after the creditability of a retired air force officer….

As for “luck”…..don’t need it…….I’ve been one of the few posters here defending MacKay’s (And the CDS) reputation since the story first broke a few months ago…….I’m quite prepared to continue to do so ad nauseam.

How deep are the NDP’s pockets?

[olp1fan]

The NDP and Liberals have no choice but to go after corruption in the government

if they want to prove to the Canadian population they are good for something

MacKay has more to lose here than the opposition which is why MacKay was flown out of the country at the last second

[Topaz]

The seating party has power in the House, the Speaker, the senate and the GG, the power is all theirs to abuse and the Tories do a very good job of abusing the House of Commons and Canadians laws. The opposition parties try but you can't get this government. They keep things secret or let very few know within their party what they are planning and now they don't even let the Federal workers testify before committee. When Harper is finally done with Ottawa and they are painting his picture, when they hang it, turn the picture towards the wall, by time its hang, he'll be the most disliked PM!

[Keepitsimple]

Another tempest in a teapot stirred up by the opposition......but as usual, there's six months of negative Conservative bashing by the CBC and Star - and then a tiny article will appear somewhere in the back pages reluctantly exhonerating someone. Peter MacKay is rightly threatening to sue these blabbermouths:

Two men involved in the pick-up are now publicly backing the Defence Minister.

A military technician who hoisted Mr. MacKay into the helicopter as it hovered near the lodge said it was entirely positive that the minister was actively involved with the work of the search-and-rescue team.

“As a SAR Tech, I appreciate the support the [Minister of National Defence] provides the [Canadian Forces] and I welcome future opportunities to conduct this style of contact training with any member of the government,” Warrant Officer Morgan Biderman said in an email sent to the Defence Department's public affairs office Wednesday.

“The positive aspects of Minister MacKay becoming actively involved in our training and the absolute trust he puts in the personnel of the Air Force, is what need to be emphasized! If it has a spin off benefit of transporting him-them, where they need to be, I consider it a win-win for all concerned!”

The pilot who flew the helicopter and commanded the Cormorant squadron told the iPolitics news website Wednesday that the trip was legitimate, given that it occurred during a regularly scheduled training flight and would have gone ahead with or without Mr. MacKay.

“This was a training flight that we were going to participate in,” said retired major Stephen Reid. “If the minister was able to slide his way in, in some fashion, that was fine with us.”

He added that the hoist technician, WO Biderman, needed the training.

Mr. MacKay's office says statements like that show the minister was telling the truth when he said he was taking advantage of an opportunity to participate in an exercise.

“Minister MacKay has had his character and personal reputation attacked,” spokesman Jay Paxton said. “Minister MacKay is looking into legal options against those who have attacked his integrity.”

Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/mackay-threatens-to-sue-mps-for-questioning-veracity-of-his-chopper-tale/article2263702/print/

[cybercoma]

He's retired now.....he's no longer told to do anything..

So he was just out for a jaunt in the chopper and saw MacKay waving, so decided to pick him up?

[Guest Derek L]

So he was just out for a jaunt in the chopper and saw MacKay waving, so decided to pick him up?

No, not a jaunt, as was mentioned, and any one could confirm with an access to information request of flight logs for the squadron (If they don’t have them already) that they, like any military unit, conduct regular training exercises. Also, as was mentioned in one of the various links posted here, one of the new crew members required further training on the rescue hoist………add this to a requirement for MacKay to cut his vacation short and attend an announcement………It looks to be a case of “killing two birds with one stone”…..

Again, what motive does a retired RCAF officer have in defending MacKay?

Basically, this is quickly becoming a case of MacKay’s word, and that of the flight crews, versus the conjecture conjured up by the Opposition, fuelled by an email foretelling the negative optics of said flight….

So is the Opposition going to go after the ~5 person flight crews word?