I’m watching CPAC’s broadcast of Question Period and Peter Mackay just stood up and outlined the CTV broadcast and the conflicting accounts of the RCMP commissioner and the PMO concerning an RCMP investigation of Grewal-gate. He went on to ask if the PMO was interfering in the business of the RCMP.
From my post this morning titled “CTV Newsreel – PMO Contradicts Top Mountie”:
RCMP investigation? Dosanjh is under the impression that it’s underway, so does Guiliano Zaccardelli, the RCMP Commissioner. The PMO says, “talk to our more senior RCMP guy, he says there isn’t an investigation”. Huh? Bob Fife seems to look just as confused as I do.
I certainly hope that the Prime Minister isn’t talking about manipulating the Minister of Public Safety through her cabinet job. Is the RCMP the latest institution to experience further corruption by the Liberals? This would be my question in Question Period today. Won’t someone ask this concerned citizen’s question?
Here are Peter Mackay’s questions in Question Period:
Mr. Peter MacKay (Central Nova, CPC): The fact, Mr. Speaker, is some did.
Last night CTV television reported that the RCMP had launched an investigation into the corrupt deal making efforts of the Prime Minister. Then the station received a call from the Prime Minister’s Office saying that the RCMP was only reviewing the complaints and further questions would be directed to the RCMP.
How did they know in the PMO, and could the Prime Minister tell us when his communications department became the official spokesperson for the RCMP?
Hon. Anne McLellan (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, let me make it absolutely plain. No one from the Prime Minister’s Office contacted anyone in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Mr. Peter MacKay (Central Nova, CPC): Mr. Speaker, we will just have to take their word for that. Time will tell. This is very reminiscent of the efforts to interfere with the Ethics Commissioner.
The Globe and Mail reports today that the RCMP said that it was only reviewing the complaint, only after the RCMP spokesperson, Nathalie Deschenes, told the Globe and Mail that an investigation had been launched.
Why was the police investigation suddenly downgraded to a review, and was the Prime Minister once again exercising political interference in an RCMP matter?
If Peter Mackay really asked my question in Question Period, that would make this political geek’s day.
Peter Mackay also had elements of Angry’s analysis in his question yesterday concerning the independence of the Ethics Commissioner.
Actually, as I continue to watch Question Period, Helena Guergis is asking questions along same lines regarding the independence of the Ethics Commissioner, and now Jason Kenney asking about it too.
UPDATE: Here’s the video of Mackay’s questions (check out his last two)