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CTV News | Harper recording in Cadman affair intact: expert

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Home : Canada : Harper recording in Cadman affair intact: expert

Harper recording in Cadman affair intact: expert

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Fri. Oct. 10 2008 8:51 PM ET

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's contention that a tape recording was doctored to implicate him in a bribery scandal involving the late MP Chuck Cadman was contradicted Friday by the very specialist Harper hired to analyze the tape.

A judge ordered an inspection of the tape after Harper launched a $3.5-million libel suit against the Liberal Party of Canada.

The suit centres on allegations that Harper and the Conservatives tried to bribe Cadman into helping them defeat the minority Liberal government in 2005 by offering the cancer-stricken MP a $1-million life insurance plan.

However, audio expert Bruce Koenig, a former FBI agent who was hired by the Harper team to check the tape, filed a report on Friday which contradicts Harper's court testimony and finds that the key section of the tape contains no splices, edits or alterations.

The report was filed to the Ontario Superior Court on Friday.

The tape contains an interview that a British Columbia journalist conducted with Harper in 2005.

Harper is heard telling author Tom Zytaruk that he was aware Conservatives had discussed "financial considerations" with Cadman as they tried to coax him into opposing the Liberals during a confidence vote.

Harper has claimed that he knew nothing about the alleged bribery, saying he only approved an offer of campaign financial support in the event of an election.

The defamation suit was launched after a posting on the Liberals' website likened the allegations against Harper to a criminal act.

The scandal rocked the Conservative government and led to a raging political debate over ethics, honesty and trust.

On Friday, Zytaruk told CTV's Mike Duffy that he was relieved to hear about the report.

"I'm tempted to say I told you so," he said, adding that he spoke to Harper after the then-opposition leader visited Cadman's widow in 2005.

Meanwhile, Harper spokesman Kory Teneycke shrugged off the report and maintained that the tape wasn't a complete recording. He told CTV's Mike Duffy that the report helps Harper's case.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

MHR
said

I hope Harper drop like stone and that is all I can say. I pray that Canadian are smarter than I think. ABC!


goridersgo
said

Vintage accusations of copying speeches,cost of afghanistan war ,cadman tape allegations and everything comes out days before an election,interesting,,apparently more interesting than breaking employment records or postive economic /crime/taxation record.


Hos
said

Here we go about Harper and his colleages ......always plays under the belt

Go Dion Go




Mike Webster, Mississauga
said

That's one expert out of about 4 who have looked at it - the rest, if you'll recall, thought there was a problem with the tape.


Mike
said

So one part of the tape was not altered, but the beginning of the tape was erased and over recorded with the portion dealing with insurance policy.

So why did Zytaruk erase the first part of the tape and over record it with the Insurance policy portion.

It kinda of sounds like the tape was altered. And it does appear that Zytaruk was trying to put a different light on the original conversation.




Paul Vancouver Island
said

This is not from the Liberals, this is a fact from a court of law.

It was obvious from the beginning. The Conservatives offered Chuck Cadman $1 million to vote with them to topple the Paul Martin government. It has been proved the tape was not altered as Harper claimed.

If Harper lied on the soul of a man who passed on, he cannot be believed on anything. Chuck Cadman was an honest, reputable man who could not be bought, even to the benefit of his family after his death. Would that Harper was a tenth of a man Chuck Cadman was.


Lou M
said

So this is Harper's expert who says the tape was unaltered?

I hope Canadians are smart enough to figure out what's really under that warm and fuzzy sweater and vote this man out of office.


david
said

Mike Webster, did u read the entire article?

"But former FBI agent Bruce Koenig, the sound expert Harper hired to prove his allegations, submitted a report dated Friday to Harper's lawyer, which also had to be sent to the Liberal lawyer, Chris Paliare, saying the contentious portion of the interview was uninterrupted.."


David
said

I hope Mr. Harper knows that if he loses the case, he will be subject to an adverse cost award for a couple hundred thousand dollars...we can only hope


Paul in BC
said

Now will Harper tell the truth, his party, the Conservatives offered, in essence, a bribe to Chuck Cadman to vote with them, and being an ethical man Mr. Cadman turned the Conservatives down.

If Harper can't come clean on this one, we cannot trust Harper on anything.


Bj Homes
said

The law suit will be dropped by Harper after the election so the truth won't have to come out.


tony
said

And to think Harper wanted an election! How the tables have turned.


Fred - Brandon MB
said

even experts can be fooled by today's technology. But the fact remains that the tape was doctored.


mario from qc
said

FRED, this expert was hired by the conservative?? how do you rationalize it.




Linda
said

... Release the tapes NOW! I want everybody to listen and hear & make up their own minds. Of course, the conservatives want it to come out AFTER the election but AFTER or BEFORE I've made up my mind.


BB in B.C.
said

Paul Vancouver Island, Have you seen the video footage of Chuck Cadman personally saying to the news media "there was no offer". Now if Chuck was the man you say he is, believe him.


Ed
said

Have all you not seem a issue with every party and politician in this land since democracy began? Get of the issue and and see hope and things as they should be and not as they sometimes are? Negative comments are for negative people. Get a real life you critics.


Closely Watching
said

So when does the RCMP step in an start investigating. These charges are criminal and Harper and or his goons should be going to jail for this.

With these facts in public domain, I wonder if the Globe and Mail will reconsider endorsing these thugs?


C. Riess
said

One expert says that the "contentious" part of the tape is not altered, however it is altered at the beginning of the interview, hmmm? I recall that there was several experts who studied the tape and at least three of them stated that the tape was altered/doctored/modified from it's original form. There is some truth here and I believe the Fiberals will lose this case or they will seek an out of court settlement! What about the economy and the Carbon Tax?


Lycan Stark
said

This story was already outin the summer -

Three seperate people looked at the tapes, two said there was tampering one, Kroenig, said there wasn't. This is old news. The only news is that the findings made a few months ago are being used by the Liberals in defence (gee, what a surprise surprise). This article we are responding to doesn't mention at all that the experts were 2-1 leaning towards saying the tapes were edited.



mario from qc
said

ED,

critical thinking is what leads to a good decision.

I agree with your negativity comment, but if someone looks at Harper's behavior critically, you can tell he isn't very forthcoming (to put it in polite words so CTV won't block my post).

Unfortunately I don't trust the man (I am a former PC party member, FORMER being the key word)




Alex (Toronto)
said

Harper was threatening dire consequences "in a court of law" when Liberals quoted the tape. Harper was there and knows whether the words on the tape were the words that he said. His lawsuit was a bluff based on a lie, just like the rest of his government.

Now maybe Conservatives can focus on the loss of jobs, the lost government surplus, the collapse of the Canadian dollar, the rising temperature of the planet, and the other critical issues of the day, instead of trying to distract voters with specious claims about "leadership". Stephane Dion has a decade of experience in cabinet during a time when Canada was successful and prosperous; he is far better qualified for the job of Prime Minister than Harper (or any Conservative front-bencher).


charlie
said

ouch! Harper had one up yesterday when that poll chose canadian banks at the top like he had said. But now seems he's lieing and about to be run threw the wash over this. Too bad looks like another minority!

*Which is good unless you want the conservatives in a majority to bring out that hidden battle axe and start tellling canadians what we can and cant do with our lifes ...ie. no gay marriage, no abortions and all the rest that falls under a party thats apply named "The Conservatives".

For freedom vote "NO" to harper.


Ivan Ideha
said

In a day...week...month...year...or decade (?) of financial turmoil do we truly want to even consider the Liberals or the NDP??? Jack Layton is frightening! Stephane Dion is not as frightening but twice as rudderless. I'm sick of lawyers playing political games. Give Harper a majority and let's see what he and his party can do. If they keep our heads above water they will surpass anything the Libs or NDP could do. (I'm a Libertarian by the way)


Scott
said

So the tape DID have conversations taped over and WAS stopped and started. THat sounds altered to me.


Harry
said

So lets recap, Harper as now plan for the economy, except stay the course. He said there is no problem yet today they are proposing giving the banks 25 Billion dollors. He can't right his own speeches has has to plagerize the speeches of others and now his own expert states that the tape was not altered. Which means harper thried to buy the vote of a dying man and this is the man who people want as Prime Minister. Come off it people. Wake up. Just imagin what he would do if he had a majority. Frightening isn't it.


jay
said

Wow right on the eve of the election this comes out! How ironic is the timing.

ABCD

Anybody but Confused Dion!


Ryan P.
said

A Liberal appointed judge no-doubt. As our election closes to all you "ABC" folks a thought from an Ontarian....good luck if you get your dream PM Dion; you'll be back to have not status in no time; and in reality you and your loud-mouth Premier deserve it.


ZH in BC
said

Yes, Chuck Cadman had already said there was no offer. His wife is actually running for the party so how corrupt can she think they are? Moreover, the Conservative representatives that visited Chuck revealed their own identities voluntarily. If criminal behaviour was afoot, then this would be bizarre and hardly constitute a cover up.

I would also point out how outrageous this whole thing is. Offering Cadman a 1 million dollar life insurance policy when he is clearly dying would cost 1 million dollars and such an amount is too incredible to believe.


Nick J Boragina
said

The fact that this was put out just days before the election is clearly political.


Sam from Richmond Hill
said

As always, the Canadian Press failed to press the most important question:

Why were the other parts of tape in which Harper's relationship with Cadman was discussed ERASED and OVER-RECORDED?

The segment may not be altered, but it sure arouses suspicion that the segment was taken out of context!


Urban Shawn
said

Isn't Cadman's wife a Conservative candidate? There's can't be much or any bad feelings between them if that's the case.


Shane in BC
said

what scares me the most out of this whole Liberal vs Tory Harper vs Dion thing is that there are people out there on either side who see things "there" way no matter the truth.

Harper lied he admitted it under oath in court of law he knew about the offer to Cadman after saying he knew nothing. Now the tape HE sent out claiming it was doctored has been found to be not so these are just the facts.

Let's be politically aware enough to let the truth still be a factor in our voting and not blind allegiance to any leader or party. That is not why Canadians died and continue to die for our right to vote.


JPF
said

Go hardcore tory supporters... It was harpers OWN expert that HE hired that the the contentious portion of the tape was not altered... contrary to Harper's claims and purpose of the lawsuit. It was Harper's expert that submitted this information today. So the timing of it's release is not a matter of Liberals holding on to it until the right time. Get over it, all 3 parties play dirty politics, I don't like any of them at all. I'm just sick and tired of seeing conservative supporters blindly following and defending harper and his party like a bunch of domesticated sheep, incapable of thinking for themselves. If you could think for yourselves you wouldn't just think Dionne's incompetent, you'd think they all are, including Mr. Harper, who has spent more time playing politics than actually governing since he came into power... not that I can say any party is innocent of that


Catherine
said

OK, OK, OK - that's it. Let's make Dion the PM. Bring on those Carbon Taxes - heck why not double those Carbon Taxes..... heck, while we are at it - let's bring that Chretien back - afterall, we, taxpayers haven't been shafted enough under the Liberals.


Ron Eves
said

Well what would you expect from the Conservatives. Of course they will follow the party line which is;

1) Admit nothing
2) Deny everthing
3) Demand proof

The Tories have become to compliant with their hard line law enforcement position. Just check the record of Brian Mulroney ... What will become of Harper in the future?

Think hard Canada before you vote.

Ron Eves


ABCOntario
said

Another attempted smoke-screen, slight-of-hand by the man who believes accountablilty is only for the other guy.

It has been amply proven that Harper is not the man we can trust to look after the interests of this country

This is why I advocate ABC.


TimT
said

The thing is, when someone lies about this when they knew full well it wasn't since they were there, you just have to wonder about what else they're lying about here.


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