Harper mainstreets backyard of BC.

Stephen Harper takes his campaign to a dead end Victoria Sunday, where the conservative camp and the media descended on a suburban house.

Conservative leader spent the morning of Easter baskets and decorate eggs with a group of children and participated in an Easter egg hunt. Owner Rose Cowles runs a studio of small artist out of the back of the House where she teaches children's art classes.

Harper used the backdrop to talk about tax credit for children arts first announced on the 2008 campaign trail and has promised in the budget on March 22.

Stephen Harper and Laureen Harper wife help Ava de Souza find eggs during an Easter egg hunt in Royal Oak, b.c., Sunday. Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press

Harper is in the hope of gaining ground in British Columbia Colombia may 2, where several swing constituencies could hold the key for a conservative majority.

After the Easter holiday, Harper took the crowd outside where he took questions from the media.

Harper has yet responded to questions about Vancouver-southern conservatives, Wai Young candidate, who came under fire for accepting an endorsement of Ripudaman Singh Malik, businessman local Sikh linked to individuals convicted in the bombing of Air India.

It sticks to its candidate, and his explanation that it simply did not know that Malik was when she accepted the endorsement, Harper said. Young has since the endorsement of Malik was dismissed.

Harper was also questioned on the issue of whether he can be trusted with a majority government. Harper has said that his file and the sound management of the economy prove there are trustworthy. It did not address the question of whether Canadians can be trusted, because several campaign promises - including a commitment to not run a deficit - were broken.

Conservative leader participated in a rally Saturday with conservative candidate John Duncan of Campbell River, part of the North of the island of Vancouver riding.

Duncan recaptured its former headquarters in the apparition of Vancouver Island in a tight race in 2008, beating NDP incumbent Catherine Bell.

"We know about the NDP here." "And we know better," Duncan told supporters at the rally.

Harper also blown Democrats, criticizing the party leader Jack Layton on the register of firearms.

"Mr. Layton and his partner says no to new to the waiver of rights because they support the firearms registry," Harper said. "Do not register of weapons fire and should not be your taxes to pay for it."

The NDP took heat from all sides as the Liberals, the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois after a series of polls suggested increased support for it.

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Opinion Angus Reid, said he expected that the apparent rise in support of the NDP will be a major issue in the last week of the campaign.

"One of the main things that has happened in the last 48 hours, now we have advertisements tories attacking NDP," he said. "" "". It is something what we never thought would be possible a few weeks ago. ?

The Conservatives held 21 seats 36 of the Colombia-British title in the election, while the NDP held five Liberals and nine. A single seat was vacant.

Harper has been developed to make appearances in Victoria and Vancouver Sunday before heading to Ontario.

Accessibility links

View the original article here

Don't try to govern 2nd place: Harper

Conservative leader Stephen Harper said that he would not attempt to form a Government if another party won a majority of seats in the elections and his party came in second place.

In an interview exclusive with CBC Peter Mansbridge was released Thursday afternoon, Harper said that if Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff or the leader of the NDP, Jack Layton, won the election, but were unable to win the confidence of the House, he would not attempt to try to take power.

"They will form the Government," said Harper.

"I think that if the other guys win, they get a shot to the Government, and I do not think that challenge you that unless you are ready to return to the people."

Harper said he rejected an offer made by the Governor General to try to form a Government.

"So you would say the Governor General," "not, would not do that?" "" ". Mansbridge was asked.

"Yes, absolutely," he said, adding that people want another election.

On the campaign trail, Harper has repeatedly warned that if his party fails to win a majority government, the opposition would work on an arrangement to seize power.

But when Mansbridge pressed Harper on if they have this right under parliamentary rules, Harper said it is a matter of constitutional law debate.

"I do not think most Canadians would still be very surprised if they elected a minority conservative and discovered that they had some completely different from the Government.". "I think that this would be a shock of people," said Harper.

"In my opinion, is that Canadians expect the party that wins the election to govern the country." I think that any other thing that the public would not buy. ?

On Tuesday, said Ignatieff Mansbridge would be willing to form a Government under parliamentary rules if Harper wins the most seats in the election but not unable to win the confidence of the House of Commons.

"If the Governor wants to call on other parties, or myself, for example, to try and form a Government, then we attempt to form a Government", said Ignatieff.

"This is exactly how the rules, and what I'm trying to say Canadians is, I understand the rules, I respect the rules, I will follow them to the letter and I'm not going to form a coalition." This I am ready to do so is to speak to Mr. Duceppe and Mr. Layton or even Mr. Harper and say, "we have a problem and here's the plan I want to put before the Parliament, it is the budget I would bring in ' and then 'We take from there. ?

Harper again rejected the charges made by Jack Layton and Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe was ready to seize du pouvoir an agreement of coalition after their arrival in the second of the Paul Martin Liberals in 2004.

Duceppe and Layton stated that the three leaders came together and wrote a letter to tell and then Governor General Adrienne Clarkson that Harper was prepared to form a Government if Martin lost the confidence of the House of Commons.

But Harper refused the intention of the letter.

"The option I was talking about is that we were trying to influence the Government program, and if we want to defeat the Government, we must get our own mandate." I never suggested otherwise. ?

Earlier Thursday, said Harper correspondence between one of the members of its staff and the Ethics Commissioner in 2009 about a possible conflict of interest involving Bruce Carson showed that his Office follows the rules of conflict of interest.

Conservative campaign officials have published two letters of 2009 late Wednesday indicating top of page help, Guy Giorno, and Harper then contacted the Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson on Carson, a former Advisor Harper, who has since accused foreign lobbying violations.

The letters warned the conflict of interest possible Commissioner, measures Prime Minister's Office had taken to resolve it and described additional measures taken to remove Carson of potential conflict in the pre-budget process.

"I think that what shows the correspondence is that my Office ensures at all times that the conflict of interest rules are applied," Harper said during a campaign in the South, N.L. Conception Bay

"They have been applied in this case, the matter has been satisfactorily resolved."

Harper not answer when asked what he knew on the correspondence with the Ethics Commissioner 2009

Office of the Prime Minister called the mounted police last month to investigate the allegations of pressure Carson may have illegally on Government in 2010 on behalf of a corporation to filter water using his girlfriend.

Carson, who had already been found guilty of the charges of fraud not related, said that he would take a leave of absence from his position as Executive Director of the base of Calgary Canada School of Energy and the environment while the RCMP probe was underway.

Research and the Organization pedagogical announced Thursday the appointment of Richard Hyndman as the Acting Director General, entered into force immediately. Carson is not mentioned in the press release.

Accessibility links

View the original article here

Top of the help page Harper has written ethics Chief on Carson

Former head of Stephen Harper's Office wrote to the ethics Federal Commissioner in 2008 on then Prime Minister Counsellor Bruce Carson, now under investigation for alleged and illegal influence peddling pressures, CBC News has learned.

Sources say CBC high aid that Harper, Guy Giorno, wrote at least two official letters on Carson to the Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson in only a few months.

Giorno is currently the Director of national election campaign of the conservatives.

Shortly after Il Giorno contacted the Commissioner ethics, sources said, a third letter on Carson was sent to Dawson, one of a Senior Deputy Minister in the Harper Government.

All three letters preceded the current problems of Carson by two years.

Last month, the Office of the Prime Minister called in the police to investigate the allegations of pressure Carson may have illegally on Government in 2010 a company of filter water using his girlfriend, a former prostitute for 22 years.

In this story, Harper and his executives all said that they had no prior idea there was nothing amiss on Carson.

Relative hail of mail to the Commissioner the ethics on Carson in 2008 adds another bizarre twist to the saga the conduct of the convicted fraudster who became one of the advisors of confidence of Harper.

The fact of two of these letters came from Harper and then Chief of staff is also bound to raise new questions about how the Prime Minister was aware of his former assistant.

Harper said that he is only aware that Carson had been sent to prison and removed from the bar as a lawyer for fraud more than 30 years.

The Prime Minister said he was under the impression Carson had become since a honest citizen with an exemplary career in politics and Government.

In fact, at the time that Carson became a Senior Advisor for Harper in 2006, he had been convicted on an another three counts of fraud, had been bankrupt twice and was several times behind his taxes up to and including the time that he worked in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Exactly what prompted former Chief of staff of Harper to communicate with the Commissioner of ethics on Carson in 2008 remains a mystery.

Giorno has not responded to requests for an interview, and the Ethics Commissioner is prohibited by law to discuss the details of this correspondence.

However, in a written response to the CBC, Dawson Jocelyne Brisbois spokesman said that in cases like this, the Commissioner would have responded directly to the author, namely Giorno.

The subject of a letter, Carson in this case, may also be copied on the correspondence "is it y utility by.".

Brisbois said: "there is no obligation for the Commissioner copy the Prime Minister."

One thing that is a secret in official circles in Ottawa in 2008 has been intense dislike of Giorno Carson.

The feeling was obviously mutual, with a long history of animosity between the two dating to their days at Queens Park.

At the time wherever giorno took over as Chief of staff in early summer 2008, Carson had been a senior advisor of Harper policy during almost four years, first in opposition, and then in the Government.

Almost immediately after the arrival of Giorno to CMP, it converts Office of Carson in a common room for junior staff members.

Carson soon left to become head of a newly created in Calgary reflection group called the Canada School of energy and the environment.

The Agency was set up as a corporation, private and fully funded by a grant from the Federal Government $ 15 million.

Carson had barely unpacked his bags in Calgary when Harper called the 2008 election and insisted his return of confidence to travel on the plan of campaign Adviser.

Sources say that it was the likely return of Carson during the campaign that triggered the first letter of Giorno Ethics Commissioner.

As soon as the campaign was over, Carson returned to Calgary to resume his position at the Institute.

But six weeks later, he was back in the PMO Advisor Harper during the crisis of the coalition who threatened to overthrow the newly elected Conservative Government.

Sources say that it is this period that giorno wrote again to the Ethics Commissioner.

Documents show Carson officially left the PMO to well about two months later, on February 4, 2009.

Carson returned to the Institute of Calgary who was supposed to be a coordinating body for clean energy research.

Almost immediately, Carson rewritten the mandate of the Agency of an Institute of research for a centre dedicated to promoting the oil sands of Alberta, and help the Harper Government to navigate on the issue of climate change politically treacherous.

Sources say that Carson was also officially hired as Advisor unpaid for the Federal Ministry of the environment.

This is the third letter on Carson landed on the Office of ethics and federal conflict of interest Commissioner.

This missive was the Deputy Minister of the environment, Ian Shugart.

He refused to comment on.

Accessibility links

View the original article here

Liberals could still govern if Harper WINS minority: Ignatieff

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, said that he would be willing to form a Government under parliamentary rules if Stephen Harper wins the most seats in the election but not unable to win the confidence of the House of Commons.

"If"the Governor wants to call on other parties, or myself, for example, to try and form a Government, then we attempt to form a Government, Ignatieff said Peter Mansbridge for CBC in an interview exclusive Tuesday afternoon."

"This is exactly how the work rules and what I'm trying to say Canadians is, I understand the rules, I respect the rules, I will follow them to the letter and I'm not going to form a coalition.". This I am ready to do so is to speak to Mr. Duceppe and Mr. Layton or even Mr. Harper and say, "we have a problem and here's the plan I want to put before the Parliament, it is the budget I would bring in ' and then 'We take from there. ?

The statement is that the nearest Ignatieff has come to describe how he could become Prime Minister since his first day of the campaign to renounce a coalition with the NDP and the Bloc Québécois.

Ignatieff, who had signed to form a coalition with the NDP supported the block when then-Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion had worked a deal three years ago, says Mansbridge that he later rejected the idea because it was not in the interest of Canadians.

"I could be sitting here and talking to you as Prime Minister and chose not to do that because I felt that it was not in the national interest," he said. "If I have dismissed the coalition in 2008 and I went into this election firmly in 2011 excluding the coalition."

"Mr. Harper had a coalition in 2004 with Mr. Duceppe and Mr. Layton discussions." Not me. ?

Shortly after the interview, the Tories back shot, issuing a statement which said Ignatieff "clearly." it is his agenda to become Prime Minister, even if he loses the election

"Michael Ignatieff ambition to be Prime Minister outweighs everything: our economic recovery, what is best for families, and even how Canadians vote,"said conservatives."."

Ignatieff has also denied he has started a negative campaign against Harper, saying that the question boils down to whether if you can trust the Conservative leader with the authority. The Liberals were forced to modify an anti-Harper announces attack on health care, after it was determined that a quotation has been attributed incorrectly to Harper.

"I think we must be very difficult, I believe that we have to frame the issues. I think that Canadians want to know what choices on 2 may, "Ignatieff said advertisements that his party is running."

"We believe that a strong campaign here is essential."

Pressed Mansbridge Ignatieff on some of the announcements of campaign, the Liberals are running, more specifically those who say Stephen Harper wants to "absolute power".

Ignatieff said Harper closes Parliament twice and held contempt of Parliament. He said that the important issue of the campaign is: "can you trust this guy with power."

"If you can not trust this man with democracy, you can be trusted with anything else," said Ignatieff.

Foundation of the Ignatieff with Mansbridge discussion is part of a series of one-on-one interviews with the leaders of the party. Harper accepted an interview at a time that has yet to be determined.

At the interview, Ignatieff rid of similarities that platform of his party may have with the NDP, saying that, unlike the Liberals table cost the NDP does not add.

But the NDP was quick to offer a rebuttal, saying their platform is not encrypted only, but also third validated.

"Unlike the platform Liberals, it is not making promises non-encrypted several billion dollars (e.g., payment of HST at Quebec, prescription drugs, high speed rail), or it does not ignore two years," the Democrats said in a statement.

"And unlike the Conservatives, it contains no reductions unidentified 11 billion from $.".

Accessibility links

View the original article here

No discussion of estate of monarchy for Harper

Conservative leader Stephen Harper speaks at a campaign event, at Yellowknife NWT, Monday. Frank Gunn/Canadian Press

Conservative leader Stephen Harper said that he is not interested in wading in a debate on whether to change the system of the Royal estate.

Critics of the Act, 300 years have used the upcoming marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton to call for an overhaul of the system of 300 years in Britain, saying: it is time to make equality of the sexes in the rules of succession of the country.

This system currently provides son automatic preference over his brothers and sisters aged females to succeed to the British Throne. This means that Middleton had a daughter and a son, the daughter would be transmitted to the wire and the son would become King when William dies or leaves his throne.

Any modification to the rule would affect the Canadian constitution and requires the support of the Canada and other countries of the Commonwealth.

John key for the New Zealand Prime Minister has already said that it supports the reform proposal.

However, when asked about the proposal during a campaign stop in the Northwest Territories Monday, Harper said that he was not the time for such a debate. He also noted the two of then successively - Prince Charles and his eldest son, Prince William - are men.

"The successor to the throne is a man," said Harper. "The next successor to the throne is a man." I do not want Canadians to open a debate on the monarchy or constitutional issues at this time.

"It is our position, and I just see that as a priority for Canadians now to all the".

Other federal party leaders have not weighed on the question.

Any legal change would not affect Charles of Princes or William, since they have more older sisters who could leapfrog if these new rules have been adopted. And the issue would be moot for another generation if the first child of Middleton was a boy.

The Associated Back press folders of accessibility links

View the original article here

Not more Canadian jets to the mission of the Libya: Harper

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has ruled we had sent more to participate in the NATO mission on the Libya, saying at one such a commitment requires consultation in Parliament.

His comment Friday came that NATO has failed for a second day find new aircraft to attack the ground for the fight against the forces of Muammar al-Gaddafi in Libya, but Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen expected soon additional aircraft.

Harper, speaking Friday on the campaign trail, said Canada performs a "significant contribution" and believes that the leadership of Gaddafi must "end" to fully protect the civilian population.

But Harper reiterated that his Government has been clear that it will not put the troops on the ground in Libya.

Will "of any request for additional participation, we not make this kind of commitments during an election campaign." To make any any additional commitment would require the Parliament of the Canada to be seated and to discuss these issues, "he told reporters in Richmond Hill, have."

Top commander NATO military, U.S. navy Admiral James Stavridis, said there is a growing need for attack aircraft of precision to avoid civilian as casualties Gaddafi forces camouflage themselves and hide in populated areas to avoid the Western air strikes.

US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to discuss the details, said that the Commander is looking for approximately 8 to 10 additional aircraft.

The alliance is struggling to overcome differences over the mission of the Libya, with Britain and the France seek several strikes by other nations of NATO, particularly from United States.

In the United States, said he sees no need to change what he called an important role in the campaign - even if she still fly one-third of missions - and many other NATO countries have developed rules to prevent substitution of Gaddafi force except in self-defence.

Fogh Rasmussen said Friday that Berlin meetings had ended with no specific commitments of the allies for additional aircraft, but he received the "indications that the nations will be what is necessary."

"I hope that we will have the necessary assets, in the very near future," he said.

NATO air strikes began three weeks ago, aimed at protecting Libyan civilians attacks by forces loyal to Qadhafi.

Friday, a letter stating that there can be no peace in Libya as long as Qadhafi remains in power was published by the leaders of in United States, Britain and the France.

The letter appeared in three major newspapers such as the battle for the control of major cities Libyan grinds on with little progress seen by opposition rebels and forces loyal to the dictator.

Said Derek Stoffel CBC journalist, the stronghold of the rebels in Benghazi, which is regarded the letter as good news. Libyan, that he has spoken in recent days many want to see NATO to move simply to protect civilians to help remove them Gaddafi to power.

About 10,000 people rallied after the Friday prayer in Benghazi. They thanked France for his part in the NATO strikes, asked the Americans to do more, and said that they stand in solidarity with the people of Tripoli and Misrata. Tripoli is the capital and a stronghold of the Government, while Misrata was fiercely fought by the two parties.

Neil Macdonald the CBC, also in Libya, tweeted Friday, "the General message people here has for the anti-war left to the Canada and the United States: you have another solution?" Would you like that rather we die? ?

Letter leaders - published in the International Herald Tribune, the Times of London and Le Figaro the France - attempts to show a United front, even as members of NATO as the Germany are openly critical of the mission.

"Our duty and our mandate under 1973 of the UN Security Council resolution United is to protect civilians, and what we do," the US President Barack Obama, Prime Minister David Cameron British and French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in the letter. "It is not step to remove Gaddafi by force." "But it is impossible to imagine a future for the Libya with Gaddafi in power."

Members of the Alliance agreed Thursday that Gaddafi must leave power, but he insisted on the military mission remain focused on its goals declared to apply an arms embargo, for the protection of civilians and to force the withdrawal of the forces of the dictator of citiesthey are entered.

The field Friday, Government unleashed intense shelling on Misrata, pushing forces and troops of tanks on rebel held city. A helicopter circled overhead for several hours, apparently spots targets of artillery in the third largest city of the Libya, despite the no-fly zone applied to NATO. Forces bombarded the city with tanks, artillery and rocket fire.

Gaddafi forces are drawing of cluster munitions on the ground - ground rockets in the residential neighbourhoods of Misrata, according to witnesses cited in a report by the New York Times. Weapons cannot be targeted precisely and put civilians in danger.

It is the heaviest assault in the seat of aged 50 days of Misrata.

Meanwhile, NATO planes hit hometown of Sirte Qaddafi in the East, said the Libyan TV. Explosions were heard also of what appeared to be that NATO strikes against the forces of the Gadhafi near the coastal town of Brega.

In Tripoli, reported increased security measures in the apparent attempt to prevent anti-Government protests.

The Associated Back press folders of accessibility links

View the original article here

Harper "throws me under bus": Guergis

反序列化操作 "translate" 的响应消息的正文时出现错误。读取 XML 数据时，超出最大字符串内容长度配额 (8192) 。通过更改在创建 XML 读取器时所使用的 XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas 对象的 MaxStringContentLength 属性，可增加此配额。 第 1 行，位置为 9259。

Independent candidate Helena Guergis lashed out at Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and his office Friday over her treatment when she was kicked out of the Conservative caucus sensational over - purpose ultimately unsubstantiated - allegations.

Guergis took aim at Harper after a Friday news conference in Collingwood, Ont., saying he "tossed me under a bus." She said he never told her what the allegations against her were and didn't give her an opportunity to defend herself.

"this is the behaviour that we re supposed to accept?" "I find that unacceptable, and so does the average Canadian," she said.

Guergis was ousted from the Tory caucus and cabinet last April when Harper cryptically referred to serious allegations of a criminal nature. A party lawyer has said she was fully briefed about the allegations, but Guergis has insisted she was not.

During the news conference, Guergis accused staff in Harper's communications office of running a "destructive campaign" against her and perpetrating "false allegations" that damaged her reputation.

"Not only was it made to seem I was guilty of conduct that has never been disclosed to me - going against the very core of what our principles of justice are built on - the Prime Minister's Office still made it seem as though I was guilty of something even after I had been proven innocent""," Said Guergis.

"this of course is the worst kind of politics, the kind that Canadians abhor," she said.

Guergis broke down in tears during her statement, describing her ordeal over the past year.

"the damage is real," she said. "it is deep, and it is permanent."

Earlier in the day, Harper said the Conservatives have "no desire" to see Guergis back in the Conservative caucus. He added that there were multiple problems surrounding the former cabinet member that were related to her deportation.

"there were... a range of political problems around this individual," Harper said at a campaign event Friday morning. "they have been discussed among members of our caucus." "There is simply no. desire to see the return of this individual to our caucus."

He didn't 't refer to by name, and he praised the Conservative candidate in Guergis Guergis' riding, where Guergis is running as an independent.

"There were no. problems with me and the caucus," Guergis told CBC's Evan Solomon during an audio podcast, noting that several members of caucus had been supportive of her over the past year.

' I intend on finding my way back into my Conservative family, but perhaps under a different leader' -Helena Guergis

Guergis became tabloid fodder last year and is now back into the spotlight - and the federal election campaign.

The controversy over the handling over the allegations against Guergis continued Friday, with both Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and NDP Leader Jack Layton criticizing Harper's handling of the issue and accusing the Conservative leader of showing hypocrisy on Guergis.

"We've got people who have been convicted who have been hired and are close to the prime minister," the NDP leader said, in reference to Bruce Carson, a former aid to Harper's who is now the subject of controversy because of his criminal record with five fraud convictions that recently came to light, and other allegations about his business dealings since leaving the Prime Minister's Office in 2008.

Ignatieff said the Guergis situation was the "most amazing case of double standards I've seen in a very long time."

Harper was aware of two of Carson's convictions from the 1980s and has been criticized by the opposition for still letting him into his inner circle as a top adviser. But Harper Guergis kicked out of Office and the Conservative Party based on information from a source that wasn't credible, Ignatieff said.

"You make accusations against a member of Parliament based on some dubious allegations by some third-rate gumshoe - you drive her out of the caucus, and Bruce Carson is sitting there at the centre of power in Canada," Ignatieff said during a campaign event in Sudbury.

"Any woman who is, you know, at work thinks, ' This is exactly what I worry about, that kind of boss," Ignatieff said.

At the Sudbury event, Ignatieff also criticized Harper for what he called an "unwillingness to admit a mistake."

"He tried to smear her, he discovered the allegations were baseless, and then he refuses to take responsibility," the Liberal leader said.

Guergis is running as an independent in the Simcoe — Grey riding, but she said she still believes in conservative values and principles.

"I'm a conservative, I have been my entire adult life, through and through," said Guergis. "I intend on finding my way back into my Conservative family, but perhaps under a different leader."

She said she would keep pushing for answers from Harper, but added that her complaints about "a few of the people in the leadership" in no way characterize the entire party caucus.

Guergis held the news conference to respond to a CBC News story indicating the allegations that got her ousted from cabinet, caucus and the Conservative Party last year included unsubstantiated claims of fraud, extortion and involvement with prostitutes.

A letter written by Harper's principal secretary to the commissioner of the RCMP indicates the allegations were made by a private investigator and were not based on any hard evidence.

Guergis, who claims she was never told what the allegations were, was cleared by the RCMP of any wrongdoing.

In an email to CBC News late Thursday, Dimitri please, Harper's director of communications, wrote: "Information was given to us. We passed that information to the authorities." "the authorities dealt with it."

Guergis repeated Friday that no evidence against her was ever produced, including from private investigator Derrick Snowdy, who first brought allegations against her husband Rahim Jaffer to the attention of a Conservative lawyer.

She also released some of the correspondence involved to reporters at her press conference Friday.

"You need to remember one thing here... the government invoked the Privacy Act and did not give anything...." And I did not get one thing from the four departments that were part of this investigation.

"And I did not get any testimony from Derick Snowdy whatsoever in that package."

The Canadian Press also reported Friday that Snowdy offered at the time of Guergis's removal from cabinet to provide a statement saying he had no evidence against her. Snowdy said he had gone to the Conservatives with concerns about Guergis's husband Rahim Jaffer goal didn't have anything on her.

He said Guergis's lawyer set a meeting with him twice to get a statement goal cancelled both times, The Canadian Press reported.

Leading up to her expulsion from the Conservative caucus, the Liberals had been calling for Guergis to resign as minister of state for the status of women. Earlier Friday, Ignatieff was asked if he and Harper both rushed to judgment on Guergis based on unsubstantiated allegations.

Ignatieff said his party had legitimate criticisms of Guergis in her role as a minister of state, but did not attack her personally, and that his party was more concerned about the allegations surrounding her husband Rahim Jaffer, related to his business activities.

Asked by Solomon whether she planned to sue over the allegations, Guergis said she was waiting to see what her lawyers said. "I will exercise the options that are available to me, and I'll wait to see what my lawyers have to say."

With files from The Canadian Press Back to accessibility links

View the original article here

Harper reiterated his vow to scrap gun registry

Conservative leader Stephen Harper is once more promising to eliminate the register of firearms of the Canada.

"" With regard to the register of weapons to fire useless and ineffective, you know where the conservative party. "."We are in solidarity with farmers and hunters and will allow us to scrap the arms register firearms, Harper said a group in Welland, Ontario, Monday.

The conservative party has promised before to get rid of the registry, but have not yet introduced Government legislation - supported by the cabinet - to do so.

Last year, a Bill introduced by the Conservative MP Candace Hoeppner is close to adoption, but failed on his last vote.

Some NDP and Liberal MPs, including Welland, Mr. Malcolm Allen, voted against the Bill of Hoeppner, "even though they promised their constituents that they would be discarded from the register", Harper said.

Six rural constituencies NDP MPs joined the majority of the NDP and Liberal MPs to vote to put an end to the legislation of the Hoeppner last September. Allen won the district by a small margin in 2008.

A Conservative Government would also introduce a new hunting and Wildlife Advisory Group, Harper said, to "common sense" issues of crime and firearms.

"We need this common sense more common in Ottawa", he added.

People in the rural Canada are not opposed to the control of firearms, he said, with a register of arms gun hand and licenses rulesdrawing little opposition.

"Which do not accept people is out and registering millions and millions and millions of long-guns where you already have all this information.". "This is wasteful, inefficient, and he dealt with rural people, farmers and hunters as if they were criminals at the same time by the Governments that will do absolutely nothing on the crime of weapons, firearms," said Harper.

Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe, commenting before spoke of Harper in Welland, said that conservative leader tries to impose an American mentality.

"It does not correspond with us, it is not with us," said.

In new revelations about the former Senior Advisor Bruce Carson of Harper, Harper said that he learned on their subject for the first time Monday.

The Canadian Press reported that Carson had revealed five statements of prior fraud convictions he obtained employment in the Office of the Prime Minister. He also revealed that he was ordered by the Court to follow psychiatric treatment, according to his lawyer.

"Is that I had known these things, it is obvious that I have not committed," said Harper.

"I don't know why I didn't." It is clear that we will go back, look at our systems, the Privy Council Office [bureaucratic wing of the BP] will have to focus on its systems. ?

"But I think it is important to remember that Mr. Carson is not accused of everything that relates to his job in my Office."

Said NDP press release Harper does not speak of Economics at Welland - despite putting emphasis on it during his campaign stops - because the rate of unemployment in the district is two percentage points higher than the Ontario average.

The farm that Harper visited three featured distinctive green John Deere tractors parked outside, an iconic symbol of agriculture in the Canada, but also of unemployment in the region.

In 2009, a John Deere plant that had operated in the district for almost 100 years closed. The closure left 800 individuals from their work, with jobs moving to the United States and the Mexico.

Accessibility links

View the original article here