Conrad Black Wants to be a Canadian Again?

[Higgly]

I had some trouble figuring out where this belonged but ultimately it will be a decision made by a Federal cabinet Minister, if not the PM, so I am putting it here.

Conrad Black renounced his Canadian citizenship so he could become a British Lord. The reason he had to renounce was that there is a formality which says any Canadian who is offered a British title must get permission from the Canadian government of the day. Black, who had been kicking the bejaysus out of Chretien through the National Post, was not able to get his blessing and so had to chose between one and the other. He chose the title and renounced his Canadian citizenship. The Brits laughed at him and referred to him as 'Lord Almost' in the press.

Anyways, do you feel Black should be given back his Canadian citizenship?

[watching&waiting]

Even after all is said and done with his legal woes, he will still be quite rich and will be one of the movers and shakers in the country. He will pay his taxes to Canada and that in the end of the day is a plus for us all.

[jdobbin]

Even after all is said and done with his legal woes, he will still be quite rich and will be one of the movers and shakers in the country. He will pay his taxes to Canada and that in the end of the day is a plus for us all.

Don't they have rules with people with criminal records?

[Higgly]

I think there is a good chance that he is going to end up in jail like his buddy Radler. The US Attorney General seems to have him by the balls and if he gets convicted, his chances of regaining his citizenship go to zero.

[Leafless]

Conrad Black renounced his Canadian citizenship so he could become a British Lord. The reason he had to renounce was that there is a formality which says any Canadian who is offered a British title must get permission from the Canadian government of the day. Black, who had been kicking the bejaysus out of Chretien through the National Post, was not able to get his blessing and so had to chose between one and the other. He chose the title and renounced his Canadian citizenship. The Brits laughed at him and referred to him as 'Lord Almost' in the press.

Anyways, do you feel Black should be given back his Canadian citizenship?

Chretien was just being mean spirited in denying Conrad Black's the Queen's appointment to the House of Lords.

I don't believe there is ANY law preventing him from doing that. He was a dual citizen of Canada and Britain.

Furthermore in 2001 Terry Matthews and George Bain head of the Queen's University in Belfast, both Canadian citizen's were awarded knighthood by the Queen.

I think Mr. Black should be given back his Canadian citizenship as the reason he renounced his Canadian citizenship at the time was because this knighthood was very special to him and would have remained Canadian if Mr. Chretien wouldn't have been so mean.

What really makes my blood boil is someone like Pierre Vincent a federal civil servant who refused the oath of allegiance to the Queen (Head of State) and still gets to keep his federal job.

[jdobbin]

Chretien was just being mean spirited in denying Conrad Black's the Queen's appointment to the House of Lords.

I don't believe there is ANY law preventing him from doing that. He was a dual citizen of Canada and Britain.

Furthermore in 2001 Terry Matthews and George Bain head of the Queen's University in Belfast, both Canadian citizen's were awarded knighthood by the Queen.

I think Mr. Black should be given back his Canadian citizenship as the reason he renounced his Canadian citizenship at the time was because this knighthood was very special to him and would have remained Canadian if Mr. Chretien wouldn't have been so mean.

What really makes my blood boil is someone like Pierre Vincent a federal civil servant who refused the oath of allegiance to the Queen (Head of State) and still gets to keep his federal job.

Mean spirited or not, he gave up his citizenship. He has to apply like everyone else. There is no fast track.

And given the Tories plan on ending duel citizenship, I think that if any Canadian decides to accept a seat in the House of Lords, they should lose their citizenship.

[sharkman]

Black, who had been kicking the bejaysus out of Chretien through the National Post, was not able to get his blessing and so had to chose between one and the other. He chose the title and renounced his Canadian citizenship. The Brits laughed at him and referred to him as 'Lord Almost' in the press.

The reason Black started the NP was the Liberals were facing little in the way of opposition in the press. A businessman found an opportunity and provided jobs for 100s of people. Chretien, who everyone knows is a bitter grudge holder, interfered in the Lordship matter plainly out of spite. I can't blame Black for what he did, and hopefully the system will allow it.

[gc1765]

I don't believe there is ANY law preventing him from doing that. He was a dual citizen of Canada and Britain.

There is no law, but there is a convention: Link

[Remiel]

Lordship and Knighthood, while governed by the same convention here it seems, are two entirely different things. These days, a knighthood is just an honour, while Lordship means land title and being able to sit in the House of Lords... or at least that is what I inferred...

I could of been mistaken, but I heard that the House of Lords may have to accept some people who arent peers now, or are peers but no Lords or somesuch? Can anyone clarify that?

[Michael Hardner]

If he invests in Canada, he could be fast tracked.

So I guess it's not going to happen...

[M.Dancer]

Allow me to rip a page from Leafless' book and say we already have too many Black immigrants......

[M.Dancer]

Even after all is said and done with his legal woes, he will still be quite rich and will be one of the movers and shakers in the country. He will pay his taxes to Canada and that in the end of the day is a plus for us all.

Don't they have rules with people with criminal records?

They sure do.....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...y/National/home

Although if he is found not guilty I will personally nominate him to head up CIRI

[geoffrey]

The man needs to hit the road, the US prosecutors have him now. What he did was wrong, illegal, but the shit that he stirred with Chretien makes him a hero to us all, so I encourage him to take the next flight to Brazil and disappear.

That being said, a fraud charge has a very high standard of means rea if I'm not mistaken. Again, the US justice system is on a bit of a spree with these types of cases though, so guilty or not, he's likely to be found that way.

[Higgly]

Allow me to rip a page from Leafless' book and say we already have too many Black immigrants......

Good one!

[Leafless]

Allow me to rip a page from Leafless' book and say we already have too many Black immigrants......

Judging from a Black homeland with 18,000 murders a year, you could be right.

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33527

[Figleaf]

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Edited July 22, 2007 by Figleaf

[M.Dancer]

The reason Black started the NP was the Liberals were facing little in the way of opposition in the press. A businessman found an opportunity and provided jobs for 100s of people.

Not sure who's telling you thiose numbers but I would highly doubt if the launch of the Post created 25 new jobs. The post was piggy backed on the Financial Post, which by then was a daily tab, The NP's circulation handled mainly by existing southam products. It's launch was the worst kept secret in Toronto, as the headhunters has been poaching staff for month.....

And since Southam was sold to Global, staff cuts have been regular and to the bone. Yeah, most of the NP staff were already Southam employees....so maybe 25 new jobs...probably 15

[Leafless]

The reason Black started the NP was the Liberals were facing little in the way of opposition in the press. A businessman found an opportunity and provided jobs for 100s of people.

Not sure who's telling you thiose numbers but I would highly doubt if the launch of the Post created 25 new jobs. The post was piggy backed on the Financial Post, which by then was a daily tab, The NP's circulation handled mainly by existing southam products. It's launch was the worst kept secret in Toronto, as the headhunters has been poaching staff for month.....

And since Southam was sold to Global, staff cuts have been regular and to the bone. Yeah, most of the NP staff were already Southam employees....so maybe 25 new jobs...probably 15

Why was Southam sold to Global initially?

Your missing the point as Conrad Black continued to keep the old operations viable.

[M.Dancer]

Why was Southam sold to Global initially?

Your missing the point as Conrad Black continued to keep the old operations viable.

They were viable operations....why wouldn't he keep them? Something had to create revenue because the NP doesn't.

Why was southam sold? Black was papering his get away.

[jbg]

Anyways, do you feel Black should be given back his Canadian citizenship?

On condition that he agrees to reside in Alert, Nunavut. Tuktuyotuk, NWT would do as well. Old Crow, Yukon would be too warm.

[Higgly]

Conrad Blank is swimming like mad for the shores of Canada. Last night he gave a speech at the Empire Club in Toronto waxing enthusiastic about Canada being one of the top 10 countries in the world, trashing the UN, eschewing our traditonal role as peacekeepers, and generally giving his approval to all of Steven Harper's current talking points.

Can it only be a coincidence that Mr. Harper is the guy who will decide Lord Black's application for renewal of his citizenship? Could it be Lord Black would rather serve time in a Canadian jail or use the Canadian justice system to his legal advatange? In any case, he would like us all to know that his renunciation of Canadian citizenship a few years back was only an 'act of protest'

Peter C. Newman, chronicler of Canadian top-dogdom, was quoted as saying that he views this as part of Lord Black's application to get his passport back.

Globe and Mail article

[jbg]

Conrad Blank is swimming like mad for the shores of Canada. Last night he gave a speech at the Empire Club in Toronto waxing enthusiastic about Canada being one of the top 10 countries in the world, trashing the UN, eschewing our traditonal role as peacekeepers, and generally giving his approval to all of Steven Harper's current talking points.

Sounds transparent as cellophane to me.

[Figleaf]

[

Edited July 22, 2007 by Figleaf

[Higgly]

Can it only be a coincidence that Mr. Harper is the guy who will decide Lord Black's application for renewal of his citizenship?

I know that the Globe story mentioned that in passing, but I don't think it's correct. The PM has no formal role in individual immigration or citizenship cases, and if he intervened in something like that it would be pretty peculiar to say the least.

We have a complete federal department to process Lord Crossbudget's applications if they come, and existing rules to apply.

Lord Crossbudget. I love it. Formal or informal, you can be sure this one will go to the top.

I am waiting to see if those for whom Lord Black fought are going to fight for him. O Barbara....