Mulroney-Schreiber inquiry set to begin Monday

Email To Friend Email To Friend | Print Print |26/03/09

By Norma Greenaway
Canwest News Service
March 26, 2009

“OTTAWA — In a nod to Brian Mulroney, the judge leading an inquiry into his business dealings with Karlheinz Schreiber has clarified an earlier ruling to emphasize he has no intention of prying into the private affairs of the former prime minister or writing a report that would lead people to “perceive” specific findings of criminal liability have been made.”

Read the entire story here.

Statement on Behalf of the Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney

Email To Friend Email To Friend | Print Print |26/03/09

Ottawa, ON – The following statement on behalf of the Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney was today issued in response to Justice Jeffrey Oliphant’s ruling on a request for clarification and direction:

We are grateful to the Commissioner for agreeing to hear this motion and for his clarification that the inquiry should not be seen to delve into Mr. Mulroney’s private life. We are further grateful for the Commissioner’s assertion that he saw no relevance of the Criminal Code to the inquiry.

-30-

For more information, contact:
Joseph Lavoie
jlavoie (at) navltd.com
(416) 642-4404

Author astounded at Karlheinz Schreiber’s participation in ethical reforms

Email To Friend Email To Friend | Print Print |25/03/09

The author of the new biography Frank Moores: The Time of His Life will be following the Oliphant Inquiry with particular interest in light of the fact that Karlheinz Schreiber has been granted standing to participate in potential ethical reforms that could guide federal politicians in the future.

In The Time of his Life, Frank Moores tells Janice Wells his side of the so-called Airbus affair. Wells, a respected columnist, author, and political commentator from Newfoundland has been accused by national media of being fooled by Moores, but the author believes that others have been fooled, and are continuing to be fooled, by Karlheinz Schreiber, who refused repeated requests by Wells for an interview when she was researching the book.

Wells says “ The true story may never be known, but weighing all the ‘evidence’ to date, the most logical conclusion is that Schreiber orchestrated the whole thing to cover the fact that he took 20 million dollars in commissions he didn’t earn because Airbus was chosen on its own merits; that he manipulated everyone, including Canadian parliamentarians, the Canadian justice system, the RCMP and the media, to perpetrate his scam and is still manipulating them to avoid extradition to Germany.

“The encouraging thing is that this Inquiry is being conducted by legal experts who know the difference between so called evidence and proof” she says. “Perhaps after part 1 of the Inquiry, the madness of giving this fugitive a stage to say anything about anyone in order to keep himself in Canada and out of a German jail will stop, and his only contribution to ethical reforms will be as an example of all that can go wrong.”

For more information on the book Frank Moores: The Time of His Life
or to receive a copy please contact Pat Cairns at 905 569-0002 or creativeconnect@rogers.com

Hearings limited to two days, then adjourns until April 14

Email To Friend Email To Friend | Print Print |23/03/09

Mulroney inquire will start on time, then adjourn
By Norma Greenaway
Canwest News Service

OTTAWA — Former prime minister Brian Mulroney turned 70 on Friday and got a tiny birthday break from the judge leading the inquiry into hefty cash payments he received from German-born lobbyist Karlheinz Schreiber soon after leaving office in 1993. Although Justice Jeffrey Oliphant rejected Mulroney’s bid to delay the March 30 start of formal inquiry hearings until April 14, he agreed after hearing the request Friday to limit the hearings to just two days — March 30 and 31 — and to then adjourn the inquiry until April 14. The inquiry is expected to hear testimony from more than 20 witnesses. It is not known who will appear or when they will appear.

Read the full story here.

Brian Mulroney at 70

Email To Friend Email To Friend | Print Print |20/03/09

By L. Ian MacDonald

“As Brian Mulroney turns 70 today, he has every reason to reflect on what he calls “a good life, a full life.” The former prime minister is in Florida, at his winter home in Palm Beach, surrounded by his wife, four kids and four grandkids.

He adds: ‘Mila’s in great shape. The kids are in great shape. The grandchildren are fantastic. My health is better than it’s ever been in my life. You’ve got all that going for you at 70, you’re beating the odds.’”

Read the complete interview here.

Fairness Requires Knowing the Rules before the Game Starts

Email To Friend Email To Friend | Print Print |20/03/09

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Friday, March 2009

Fairness Requires Knowing the Rules before the Game Starts

Ottawa, Ontario – Counsel for the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney on March 16, 2009 requested clarification and direction with respect to Justice Oliphant’s February 25, 2009 Ruling on Standards of Conduct. Mr. Mulroney wants to ensure that the inquiry will deal with issues related to the public interest, and that it will not become an invasive inquiry into his private affairs. As a matter of fundamental fairness, it is essential that the standards by which his conduct be measured be understood clearly by all concerned and pertain to the original mandate set down in the Terms of Reference of the inquiry.

On January 7, 2009, Justice Oliphant said: “…it is only fair to counsel to know what the rules are before the game starts and not after it’s completed.” To that end and in order for the request to be properly considered, counsel for Mr. Mulroney today asked the Commissioner for a brief postponement of hearings to April 14, 2009.

Of all the parties involved, none desires a speedy resolution more than Mr. Mulroney and his family.

The request for clarification and direction and application for postponement can be found here: http://www.oliphantcommission.ca.

- 30 -

For more information, contact:
Dan Robertson
416.642.4736
drobertson@navltd.com

L’équité exige de connaître les règles du jeu avant de commencer

Email To Friend Email To Friend | Print Print |20/03/09

COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE
Pour diffusion immédiate
Le vendredi 20 mars 2009

L’équité exige de connaître les règles du jeu avant de commencer

Ottawa, Ontario – L’avocat du très honorable Mulroney a présenté le 16 mars 2009 une demande de clarification et d’instructions afférents à la décision sur les normes de conduite rendue par le juge Oliphant le 25 février 2009. M. Mulroney veut s’assurer que l’enquête portera sur des enjeux d’intérêt public, et éviter une enquête générale qui examinerait ses affaires privées. En ce qui a trait au principe d’équité fondamentale, il est essentiel que les normes servant de référence pour évaluer sa conduite soient clairement comprises par toutes les parties impliquées et portent sur le mandat initial établit dans les règles de procédure et de pratique de l’enquête.

Le 7 janvier 2009, le juge Oliphant a dit : « …ce n’est qu’équitable que l’avocat connaisse les règles avant le début des audiences et non pas lorsque celles-ci seront terminées. » À cette fin et pour que la demande soit bien examinée, l’avocat de M. Mulroney a demandé aujourd’hui que le commissaire accorde un court ajournement des audiences jusqu’au 14 avril 2009.

De toutes les parties impliquées, personne plus que M. Mulroney et sa famille ne souhaite une résolution rapide de cette affaire.

La demande de clarification et d’instructions et l’avis de demande d’ajournement se trouvent sur le site : http://www.oliphantcommission.ca.

- 30 -

RSS