Dona Cadman said Monday that she talked to Stephen Harper about a million-dollar life insurance policy that she alleges the Conservatives offered her late husband, Independent MP Chuck Cadman, and believed the prime minister when he said he had no knowledge about the matter.
"I recall specifically asking him if he was aware of a million-dollar insurance policy offer that upset Chuck [Cadman] so much," she said in a news release issued Monday.
"He looked me straight in the eyes and told me he had no knowledge of an insurance policy offer. I knew he was telling me the truth; I could see it in his eyes. He said, yes, he'd had some discussions with two individuals about asking Chuck to rejoin the party, but he'd told them they were wasting their time trying to convince Chuck."
"If I didn't believe this to be true in my heart, I wouldn't be running for the Conservatives in Surrey North"
Interesting, to say the least.
37 comments:
And now the Liberal chickens will come home to roost. Wear it well Dion.
Hang on here a second, if you are going to leap all over these comments by Dona Cadman, it still leaves her accusation out there, or do you just cherrypick what you like? She takes Harper at her word, but the fact she asked him directly about insurance speaks to the fact that she believed it to be true?
Interesting indeed. And now all those Conservative trolls that were savaging Dona Cadman as a Liberal spy, book profiteer and a liar will all of a sudden hold up her statements the bolster their case.
It's reminiscent of 1984 almost. We've never been at war with Eurasia...
"And now all those Conservative trolls that were savaging Dona Cadman as a Liberal spy, book profiteer and a liar will all of a sudden hold up her statements the bolster their case."
And the funny part, even though she believed Harper, she thought enough of the insurance offer to confront him.
As Don Martin just said, we have been waiting for "candidate Cadman" to come forth, in many ways this is just "damage control". "Good soldier routine".
A few more quotes:
"In Monday's news release, Dona Cadman said she didn't regard the matter as a "party" initiative "but rather, the overzealous indiscretion of a couple of individuals … whose identity Chuck never revealed to me."
And I counter your Martin with my Fife - if the Liberals knew about all this when their leader got a copy of the book, they should have went to the RCMP a long time ago. But they didn't did they? And why is that?
Interesting indeed. And now all those Liberal trolls that were lionizing Dona Cadman, putting her on a pedestal, as a practical saint, and who could not possibly lie about this will all of a sudden are backing away.
Dion must be asking what the sick feeling is in the pit of his stomach.
"And now all those Liberal trolls that were lionizing Dona Cadman, putting her on a pedestal, as a practical saint, and who could not possibly lie about this will all of a sudden are backing away.
Jeff, here it in reverse.
And, now all those SILENT Blogging Tories will suddenly leap to their feet. Too funny, at least we bring it out as it comes, you clowns bury your head in the sands.
ontario
You seem to be missing the elephant in the room, the allegation of bribery remains, her comments don't take away from the thrust, it just tends to distance Harper.
Just to add, zealous partisans aside, we are too believe that Harper, the control freak, had two of his closest advisors freelancing, without his knowledge??
Jeff, here it in reverse.
And the funny thing is none of them will be aware of the logical inconsistency in their reasoning.
Didn't see an e-mail, btw. Its jjedras(at)hotmail.com.
Listening to the HoC audio feed now, we'll see if Dion makes a statement before QP.
This is better than a soap opera (not that I watch them anymore, but I did love Melrose Place!)
The game of he said, she said continues, and Steve and Jeff, you make excellent points. Tories trolls will now be praising Dona Cadman after villanizing her last week. Liberal Trolls will be villanizing her after complimenting her last week.....
One second thought, this isn't a soap opera, it's even worse - it's Pro Wrestling! :-)
So if we have degenerated to pro wrestling, let's have a best 2 out of 3 falls, steel cage match between "Ice Cold" Steven Harper and the Stephane "The Rat" Dion (sorry, couldn't think of a better nick name) and get on with running the country.
rick
In the end, it might all come down to what your own perceptions tell you. The Cons have some talking points now, plus the fact that there is no paper trail.
Cadman's statement here doesn't resolve the issue, it's just another twist. I mean, if you are going to use this statement, then you also have to accept her other comments, which clearly suggests bribery. How that all shakes out to the Libs in trouble, the Cons smelling sweet as a rose frankly escapes me.
Liberal Trolls will be villanizing her after complimenting her last week.....
I don't know Rick, here's how I'd respond:
I believe Dona Cadman when she says she believes Stephen Harper. I'm just not so sure I believe Stephen Harper, which is why full investigation is needed.
No vilinization necessary.
Steve, you misinterpreted my comments I think - I don't think the Tories are clean as a whistle, and I don;t think the Liberals are clean as a whistle either. I don't care if the NDP is clean, because I would never vote for them.
I am a centre right fiscally, and centre left socially, and I go back and forth between the Tories and Libs. After AdScam, The Libs needed a break and I fully supported the Tories, and hoped they would act as they had spoken.
Between this and Emerson, the Tories have proven they will work politically the same as the Libs did, and take advantage of the rules as much as possible, without quite breaking the rules.
Do I think they tried to bribe Cadman? Yep I do. Can it be proven? Probably not.
Do I think the Liberals bribed Belinda (even if she was very willing) and tried to bribe others? Yep I do. Can it be proven? Probably not.
Do I believe that either party will act any differently when it comes to patronage, unofficial bribery, or enticing MPs to cross the floor? Probably not.
So neither party is superior to the other when it comes to ethics. So I suggested the steel cage match.
"Steve, you misinterpreted my comments I think - I don't think the Tories are clean as a whistle, and I don;t think the Liberals are clean as a whistle either."
Sorry Rick, I should have clarified. I was responding to the trolls who now seem to think the Libs will pay, while the Cons are exonerated, based on this statement.
I agree with almost everything you are saying, even on Turner ;)
I'll stand behind anything I said about Dona Cadman. She is my candidate and I am not happy about that...never was. I don't think she is MP material. Plus she is a little too chummy with Penny Priddy and endorsed her in the last election...my hatred of socialists knows no bounds.
Having said that....
Liberal apology in 5, 4, 3, 2,....
I've always thought the most damaging part (besides the statements of the 4 Cadmans) were Harper's own words in 2005. He tried that altered tape stuff, but this would have to be proven in court. It seems obvious there was some kind of financial offer and Harper knew something. He will still need to answer to this.
So Harper knew nothing about the insurance policy, but clearly in his own words he knew financial considerations would be offered.
Where is the contradiction here? So what if he did not know they were going to offer an insurance policy, so long as he knew they were going to offer something.
"It seems obvious there was some kind of financial offer and Harper knew something."
Dion and another MP have both asked a question in QP I asked on Friday. Why, when asked specifically about the insurance policy, didn't Harper respond with disbelief. No, he just casually distanced himself from the details, even though the author posited an absolutely outlandish premise.
Didn't Jodi Cadman say something last week about her mother perhaps being 'naive' regarding her statements about this matter?
It's just passing curious that the daughter, who is not a candidate has made several tv appearances to discuss the details, yet her mother, who IS a candidate for the CPC has made none. Has Dona, like all CPC candidates, been muzzled by the PMO until they have made whatever arrangements with her about what she would say publicly?
"Has Dona, like all CPC candidates, been muzzled by the PMO until they have made whatever arrangements with her about what she would say publicly?"
Well we know what happens when you don't follow the pre-authorized script.
More to the mix. From CTV.ca:
Fife said the Tories should come clean on what went on with Cadman, but there are questions about Liberal behaviour too.
"Apparently they knew about this in 2007 ... and they kept it, probably waiting for an election campaign," Fife said.
"There's no clean hands in this sort of thing."
Just for the record, according to my EDA, Dona Cadman was out of town for several days. I found this out when I called to ask WTF?!?
I have the feeling that Dona may not have been consulted before her daughter's media appearances.
I speculate that Dona and Jodi are having a heart to heart right now and it ain't great for Jodi.
Am I missing something here? All Dona Cadman says is she believed Harper when she spoke to him 2 and half years ago. I wonder what she thinks about the tape (also made about 2.5 years ago) on which Harper says he does know that an insurance policy was discussed?
Interestingly, CBC just had a libel lawyer on, Jacobson, who said that the charges against Dion, Iggy and Goodale go nowhere, essentially baseless. He did say that the website was an issue, but hardly definitive, "might have", "could have", and then qualifying that the political arena seems to operate differently.
I also heard that Baird called Dion a "sleazy wimp" in QP today.
Greg said...
"on which Harper says he does know that an insurance policy was discussed?"
Care to point that out Greg? He said NOTHING of the sort.
Everyone should try and stick to the facts here, lest you be sued! :)
As a side note, Duffy completed a piece on Cadman's statement. As they went off air he said "don't worry, this story isn't going away, as much as we would like it too". Little slip for Mike, but pretty accurate.
jim
I have a question. If someone approached you suddenly in a driveway, presented you some outlandish, obscene scenario of a 1 million dollar insurance offer, how would you react?? Harper reacted as COOL as a CUCUMBER, no surprise, no shock, just wanted to know if it was off the record. That wasn't the first time he heard that scenario, and for anyone to think it was, they are either naive, or so blinded by partisan, or both, that their opinion is frankly irrelevant here. And that is a fact, as sure as shit.
David Akin, on Mike Duffy, said that it will be difficult because Harper would have to prove it was Dion, Goodale or Ignatieff that wrote and set up the website, which I doubt they did.
Also, before jumping all over the Liberals for knowing for so long - probably they didn't. Martin may have signed a confidentiality or disclosure agreement not to reveal contents prior to marketing the book or he may not even have read it - I think people should wait and find out before getting in a lather here.
No one seems concerned that Harper's operatives claim they didn't - well they are his operatives and does anyone really think they'd say "yes we did" - I doubt it. We don't know if they're telling the truth or not.
Dion and Ignatieff both said they first heard of the allegations Thursday morning.
So, Steve, you mean it would have made all the differebce if Harper acted surprised?
The plain truth is Harper acknowledged no such offer of an insurances policy anywhere on that tape. That is fact. Do you agree?
If this is going to be investigated, all that matters is fact, not emotion.
Personally, I think even the offer to Cadman of gaining the nomination unopposed is not exactly kosher, but that is party politics, just like Dion parachuting in female candidates. Offering to help with his campaign cost by way of a loan is party politics as well I suppose. If I was to run, I would need financial help from the party. ;)
"The plain truth is Harper acknowledged no such offer of an insurances policy anywhere on that tape."
The fact is Harper didn't deny that offer was made, he just scurried away and tried to distance himself. Harper the control freak, unaware of what two of his closet advisors were up too, no sanction, just freelancing. If that sounds like your guy, you're delusional. I would add, if these two did act unilaterally, no ramifications? Come on.
If the 'offer of assistance', whatever it was, was so innocent and not particularly out of the ordinary as the Harper team keeps saying, then why would Chuck say to his daughter before telling her of the offer that 'this is just between us'. It seems to me that if the offer was as innocent as we're being told it was, then Chuck would want the whole world to know how generous Harper's team is.
And...
Why isn't the conversation between Dona Cadman and Harper - when he told her he knew nothing about the offer, and she looked in his eyes and knew he wasn't lying - in the book? Seems to be a rather major omission.
The story of the offer is certainly believable as nothing would surprise me about these guys. That being said, whoever made the statement obviously knows zip about economics or the insurance industry as I cannot think of any insurance company that would offer insurance to a dying man. Off course considering the lack of knowledge some have with economics, some might have still believed this was possible.
My take: Harper told them to do what they had to do, and to not tell him the details.
miles
It isn't up to anyone to prove whether the offer was reasonable, or possible for that matter, only if it was offered. It reeks of desperation, but it also fits in with Cadman's worry about his own insurance. Whatever, Cadman said the offer was on paper, which means this wasn't a spontaneous offer, in the midst of conversation, it was part of a strategy.
All that is missing is a video of the driveway interview, where all Harper's 'um's and 'er's and 'this isn't for publication?' is a shot of his eyes shifting like someone caught unaware, but caught.
It's not admissible, but ask any police officer with years of interogation experience. No better sign of a guilty (articulate) man than awkward pauses and broken sentences.
I'm with Jeff. Whether Dona Cadman believed stephen Harper (but failed to mention this item a few days earlier) weighs little to the overall issue. She likely would have invested heavily in an income trust that day, too, on his advice.
In fairness to Harper, he is not terribly articlulate unless prepared. The broken sentences and poor grammar burlivespipes refers to are typical examples of how Harper speaks when he is not pre-scripted. He likes to be prescripted.
The tape says it all though;
1. Harper admits that he and his strategists had discussed Cadman's "financial insecurity"
2. Harper admits that he knew a "financial" offer to Cadman was planned by his strategists.
3. Harper, who is known to control every facet of his party, gave the offer te go ahead by telling his strategists to "make their case".
I think Harper is done. I doubt he will resign or even be forced to resign, but many Canadians will look at the Cadman family claims, hear Harper on the tape and come to the conclusion that this offer did occur and that Harper was fully aware and in control of it.
Prior to this the Liberals and Conservatives have been in a virtual tie in most polls, with the Liberals stronger in vote rich Ontario. Once Canadians realize that Harper is just another politician, the polling numbers will change quite dramatically.
Canada really is not a right wing country at heart.
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