I think this is an excellent idea:Liberal MP Albina Guarnieri today formally demanded the Foreign Affairs Committee call Conservative MP Wajid Khan before it to present and discuss his report on the Middle East.
Then there's the Globe piece today with reviews from some of the fine folks he met on his $13,000 Excellent Middle Eastern Adventure:"When I said the [security] wall is like a sharp knife cutting our flesh, he said, 'I [would] not have believed it until I have seen it,' " said Mahdi Abdul-Hadi, who attended the lunch and said Mr. Khan's reaction to the barrier "was a real cultural shock."
I like that last one in particular. It reminds me of what a teacher might write on the report card of a C student when they're trying to say something nice. "Johnny is well behaved and attentive in class, but needs to work on his penmanship."
"He basically listened to my opinion on basically everything, from political reform, the Arab-Israeli conflict, regional security issues and so on," Mr. Kassem said.
Lastly in today's round-up of News You Totally Khan't Do Without, I'd be remiss not to comment on this election funding loan thing. I have to confess to being unsure of exactly what's going on, not being an expert in the nitty gritty of election law.
It's unclear just how widespread knowledge of what was happening is; obviously Khan knew, his official agent, probably the riding president and treasurer I'd think would have to, but it wouldn't necessarily be beyond that. Did Khan knowingly leave us with a mess? Maybe. I'd have to think it would be in his interest to get the loans repaid though. After all, if they're not wouldn't Khan and his business be in an illegal contribution situation?
Anyway, all we can do now is be open and transparent, accept whatever responsibility appropriate, and take the steps that need to be taken on our end. It was, after all, on our watch. More financial oversight of ridings by the party would seem to be in order; using a riding association to funnel money from your business to your campaign isn't acceptable.
But Khan's a Conservative now, so they have responsibility here too. They can't just say this is a Liberal thing and be done with it. He's their man now, either they stand with him and condone what he's done or they condemn it, unless becoming a Conservative magically washes all your sins away. He also has ongoing personal responsibilities that he can't just walk away from.
All I'll say is Steve, you're welcome to him. He seems like a real prize catch.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Testify!
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21 comments:
"But Khan's a Conservative now, so they have responsibility here too. They can't just say this is a Liberal thing and be done with it."
You might want to rethink this post because Liberal EDAs of Alfred-Pellan and Beaches-East York were also delisted for the same reasons
You might want to rethink this post because Liberal EDAs of Alfred-Pellan and Beaches-East York were also delisted for the same reasons
I haven't heard that so I can't comment. I'll just say right is right and wrong is wrong.
The "anonymous" shopped the same thing over at Red Tory's, so I'll ask him the same thing I asked over there: Do you have a link to this "news," anonymous? In any case, a riding association can be de-registered for not filing on time. But that's clearly not the issue were talking about here.
Ti, actually a scan of the last few Canada Gazettes did confirm they were deregistered, I don't know the details. And, as you said, that's not the issue anyway.
"In any case, a riding association can be de-registered for not filing on time. But that's clearly not the issue were talking about here"
Get your facts straight!!!
"Tim Naumetz, CanWest News Service
Published: Monday, January 15, 2007
OTTAWA - Elections Canada revoked the legal registration of new Conservative MP Wajid Khan's former Liberal riding association in December because it failed to file financial returns for 2004 and 2005, the Ottawa Citizen has learned."
... scan of the last few Canada Gazettes did confirm they were deregistered...
Is it possible to do such a scan on-line or were you looking at the "treeware" edition of the Can. Gazette? If it's the former, do you have a link?
TIA.
Get your facts straight!!!...
Yes, they were deregistered, we're all aware of that. It's a problem.
But the more concerning thing to me is this practice of funneling money from a business through a riding association to a campaign in the form of loans.
Jason, it's at http://canadagazette.gc.ca/index-e.html
"But the more concerning thing to me is this practice of funneling money from a business through a riding association to a campaign in the form of loans"
Really,so what's your position on the money borrowed for Liberal leadership contenders,totalling over $2.7 million,some of which came from their businesses,say Bob Rae for example?
And i provided the canwest news release stating that Khan's Liberal EDA was delisted for failing to file returns on time,the same as the other two ridings.So whats your point,the three were delisted for the same thing.
Really,so what's your position on the money borrowed for Liberal leadership contenders,totalling over $2.7 million,some of which came from their businesses,say Bob Rae for example?
Could you provide links to verify that it was links from businesses? My recollection was that the bulk, if not all, were personal loans. For example, John Rae lent a fair bit to brother Bob.
So whats your point,the three were delisted for the same thing.
Yes, they were all deregistered for late filing. While troubling, that in and of itself is not cause for alarm.
What is important is why they were late with their filings. In Khan's riding, we're learning it was because of a mess involving this whole loan thing. In the other ridings, we don't know why. Could be as innocent as someone forgetting to pop something in the mail. That's the point. We don't know.
But the more concerning thing to me is this practice of funneling money from a business through a riding association to a campaign in the form of loans.
I was just wondering, Jeff, how big a post you'd make on this if Khan was still a sitting Liberal? And considering he did this as a Liberal and the Liberal party knew about it and apparently did nothing about it, isn't this really a problem for the Liberal party? Will you dig deeply into this looking for more Liberal ridings using this questionable tactic? Looks to me me like more of the same-old same-old from the party of organized corruption.
I don't feel the need to defend my willingness to call my own party to account to you Rat.
Interesting though that you're perfectly to welcome this same-old questionable tactic practitioner into the Conservative Party.
Call me when you're willing to hold your own party to account.
"Interesting though that you're perfectly to welcome this same-old questionable tactic practitioner into the Conservative Party."
Well,you got stuck with Stronach so maybe this evens things up a little?
So how will you explain the other two ridings delisted if circumstances turn out the same?
"Call me when you're willing to hold your own party to account"
Wow,ya got me there.I guess to be accountable he should be made Ambassador to Denmark maybe?
So how will you explain the other two ridings delisted if circumstances turn out the same?
If your hypothetical conjecture should hypothetically turn out to be hypothetically true, then I would hypothetically give you an answer at that hypothetical time. Hypothetically.
Wow,ya got me there.I guess to be accountable he should be made Ambassador to Denmark maybe?
(Insert random, off topic reference to Mulroney-era malfeasances here.)
I think what you should do is go research what happens if those loans are not paid back and the loophole used to get around the contribition limit if the loans are written off.
It's the same way the leadership contenders will get around personal loans being over the prescribed contribution limit for example Rae's brother.
In regards to your comments about the other ridings i would suspect,hypothetically,that you will offer an apolgy right away if they in fact were delisted under the same circumstances.
(Insert random, off topic reference to Mulroney-era malfeasances here.)
Careful. When Chretien did that, he ended up giving Mulroney's lawyers a big pile of cash :)
Careful. When Chretien did that, he ended up giving Mulroney's lawyers a big pile of cash :)
Can't get blood from a stone Jason...
Call me when you're willing to hold your own party to account.
Well, Jeff, I did just that when I stopped voting for the corrupt PC party. We in the West destroyed the PC Party rather than live with that culture of graft and patronage. Funny, but you still defend the Liberals when they did stuff that made the PCs look like amateurs. So, I'll respect you when you stop minimizing the theft of millions, the abuse of power, the patronage pork, and ethical lapses of your chosen party. Deflecting from the fact that any malfeasance Khan committed was done with the knowledge of the LPC, if not outright support, shows how little you guys have changed.
Khan has been cleared by Elections Canada who said all loans were legitimate and no rules were broken.
I would expect you to apologize now for smearing Khan with in fact wrong information.
I guess ti-guy has entered the witness protection program as nary a peep since he was given the information about the other ridings delisted.
Would you be so kind as to point out what wrong information I smeared him with?
"But the more concerning thing to me is this practice of funneling money from a business through a riding association to a campaign in the form of loans."
"But Khan's a Conservative now, so they have responsibility here too. They can't just say this is a Liberal thing and be done with it. He's their man now, either they stand with him and condone what he's done or they condemn it, unless becoming a Conservative magically washes all your sins away. He also has ongoing personal responsibilities that he can't just walk away from."
What sin's?The loans were all legal under Elections laws.And you provided two links alleging wrongdoing by Khan in your post.
You also said Khan's riding being delisted was different from the other two,when in fact they were all delisted for failing to file returns on time.
What sin's?The loans were all legal under Elections laws.And you provided two links alleging wrongdoing by Khan in your post.
I never said he broke the law. I said I thought this practice of funneling massive loans through riding associations was wrong. Not illegal, but wrong. It's an obvious attempt to skirt corporate donation limits using a loophole in the law. There's a difference between the law, and ethical behaviour.
You also said Khan's riding being delisted was different from the other two,when in fact they were all delisted for failing to file returns on time.
No. I agreed they were all delisted for late filing. What I said was we didn't know WHY the others were late in filing.
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