International Law

Question Period: Dion and Harper on Cadscam

By Garry J. Wise, Wise Law Office, Toronto

Yesterday's Question Period in the House of Commons included a raucus debate on the Chuck Cadman affair and the Prime Minister's threats to sue Stephane Dion and other prominent Liberals for libel:

The Prime Minister's threat of libel action stems from allegations byMr. Dion and other Liberals that "financial inducments," including a $1 million life insurance policy, were offered by Conservative operatives to now-deceased, independent Member of Parliament, Chuck Cadman in an effort to secure his support in a crucial 2005 budget vote that had potoential to topple Paul Martin's Liberal Government.

The Globe and Mail reports on the lawsuit threat:

Mr. Harper filed a notice of libel suit Monday against Mr. Dion, two other top members of his caucus and the party. Court documents obtained by CTV and The Globe and Mail say two articles published on the Liberal website were ?devastatingly defamatory? to the Prime Minister.

The notice of libel, which also names Liberal Deputy Leader Michael Ignatieff and House Leader Ralph Goodale, takes on the Opposition for saying that Mr. Harper knew Conservative party officials attempted to bribe Mr. Cadman to vote against a Liberal budget in the spring of 2005.

?It's going to take much more than [the] threat of [a] lawsuit from stopping us from getting to the truth,? Mr. Dion told the House of Commons during yet another boisterous session of Question Period.

Other reading:

• Harper sues Dion, Liberals over Cadman affair - Canada.com
• CTV Politics Blog :: Harper sues Dion - CTV
• PM threatens to sue Liberals over Cadman allegations - CBC
• A big shout out to Ken Dryden tonight - Impolitical
• Todays Question period...It was actually interesting? - A Creative Revolution
• Questions in the House - Cadman allegations, March 3 - Une Femme Verte
• A Piece of Advice Too For Stephane Dion - Peterborough Politics
• Prime Minister Sues for Libel - Law Is Cool
• Defiant - Far and Wide

- Garry J. Wise, Toronto

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Full post as published by Wise Law Blog on March 04, 2008 (boomark / email).