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Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Graham's gaffe
The Liberals' attack on Darrel Reid, a newly appointed top aide to Environment Mininster Rona Ambrose, fell on its face yesterday, although you wouldn't know it from most media reports, including this CP story.
As pointed out today by the Vancouver Sun's Peter O'Neil (in a story that is behind a subscriber wall), Opposition leader Bill Graham incorrectly attributed to Reid a quote, about Islam's connection to terrorism, contained in a letter written to the Western Standard earlier this year by a man named Darrell Reid. Note the different spelling. Our letter writer was Darrell with two l's. Ambrose's Reid is Darrel is one l.
O'Neil quotes Conservative MP Jason Kenney, PM Stephen Harper's parliamentary secretary, as saying: "We expect an apology from Bill Graham for this unacceptable smear. He got his facts wrong and he should face up to it."
Posted by Terry O'Neill on October 4, 2006 in Canadian Politics | Permalink
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Comments
Since the liberals are organically, and physiologically incapable of recognizing any mistake that they make, I would not hold my breath for Graham to withdraw his comments and apologize.
The liberals have a very cynical take on the attention span of the public, and are very good at creating a lie that although it will not stand up to scrutiny, is still very effective in 'colouring' the idea environment, the way they want it to be coloured. The facts? They do not matter.
Actully, although it wasn't Darrel that wrote the letter, I have to say that I agree with Darrell.
Posted by: DCM | 2006-10-04 9:31:56 AM
I don't expect to see an apology from 'the Right Honourable' Mr. Graham either.
Any statement issued will have the 'IF/THEN' formula. example:
"IF what I said led some people to think I would scrap the GST or CAFTA, THEN I am sorry." Jean Chretien.
"IF some people are upset and thought I meant crosses were burning on the lawns of Prince George 'as I speak', THEN I am sorry." Hedy Fry
Posted by: Speller | 2006-10-04 9:45:18 AM
Being liberal means never having to say you're sorry. (Scooter Libby is still waiting for his...)
Posted by: NCF TO | 2006-10-04 11:43:09 AM
Change the entire scenario, and take all the players back to WWII, or another scenario theoretical at best, where Canada is being invaded, and those loosey-goosey politically correct miniature-fake-men would be dancing up a storm with the nazis, claiming no wrongs were being done to anyone, while shouting at the top of their lings, that people who pointed out the obviouse, that the nation was being invaded, and in danger, were wrong and unfit for office.
We saw what the Liberals wanted and did in WWII, when they sent the St Louis away from Canadian shores. Thing is, they did it once and they would do it again. You know what they said? "None is too many". Sounds like they are barking the same ignorance is ever. And, btw, they were not talking about nazis!
Posted by: Lady | 2006-10-04 12:11:36 PM
The government should not let him and his party off the hook. Of course DCM is correct which is why they must hound him to the ground over this lie until he completely and officially admits he lied. The Left has to be beaten at its own game every time they attempt to lie and/or distort facts in order to smear others.
Although they probably would not go this far, I would very much like to see them question this idiot as to what was unacceptable in the letter anyway. Force them to state publically with whom they stand in this war and then shame them to no end.
Posted by: Alain | 2006-10-04 12:24:51 PM
Sounds like a plan Alain.
The material has not been articulated sufficiently though, in order for the concensus to be acheived. I believe, though, that they who are becoming aware of the threat, will see through those silly claims, made by the glibs, and they, left to their own devices, will prove themselves to be idiots, without any assistance from the right whatsoever.
Having said that, small ethical nudges, could not hurt in the least.
Posted by: Lady | 2006-10-04 12:32:29 PM
Islam is NOT connected to terrorism?.....since when? And the truth is the truth. Time to drop the useless rhetoric on protecting the reputation of "peacefull" muslims. Show me a peacefull muslim demonstating in the street like the ones on the radical side that riot, burn buildings and chant "Death to_____" at every opportunity. Where are they?....anybody seen a rally, peacefull or otherwise, condeming the terrorist acts done in the name of Islam?...I didn't think so. Call a spade a spade. un-popular truth is still the truth.
Posted by: arctic_front | 2006-10-04 1:41:59 PM
Graham made the near fatal political mistake of allowing a flunkie to speak on his behalf, there
are a lot of Liberal flunkies. Look what they did to
Martin. Where is the formerly Right Honorable Martin
these days? Graham however must apoligize, not only to the PMO and Minister Ambrose but to the House of
Commons. I can hear the ghost of PM Diefenbaker, who would have had a field day with this. Graham sometimes appears to be in a trance. MacLeod
Posted by: Jack MacLeod | 2006-10-04 1:42:22 PM
From the CBC:
"Conservative MP Carol Skelton admits her recent newspaper column contains an "incorrect line" concerning the NDP's support of the Afghan mission.
'I apologize for any confusion,' Skelton said in a news release Tuesday."
Ms. Skelton did the prinicipled thing and apologized for her gaffe and promised a retraction in her next newsletter.
Bill Graham, in typical Liberal fashion, will not be heard again on his "Darrell Reid" gaffe. Nor will this issue be reported on by the CBC (as Skelton's was).
A major reason why I despise the Liberals (and the CBC) so much.
Posted by: Bucky | 2006-10-04 2:23:36 PM
artic_front: Of course terrorism is connected to Islam, it's the religion which has spawned it they are identified as "Islamic" terrorists, it is the scourge of the 21st century. No arguments. Case closed.
There is no other religion which practices such brutality and teaches such hatred in it's name.
All this while spouting it's a religion of peace.
Posted by: Liz J | 2006-10-04 2:24:44 PM
Those poor, old, doddering fools in the LPC have been fumbling around with blinkers on, in the dark, for so long that they don't even know how uninformed and juvenile they appear to the average Canadian. Support for liberanos comes from people who would like to take advantage of this inability to add two and two together. PMSH is setting this country on a new course where people will have a lot more power in their own lives than 'gument'will; when the 'gument' does not control the purse strings in a nation, the people elect responsible, thinking M.P.s to do a job that the citizens have no time for - if a person has no 'vested interest' in gument he/she will look for a person they can TRUST to represent them in the nation where they DO have 'vested intrest'. Third party 'vested intrest.' Hopefully the daze of electing any brain dead dodderers to run the nation's business are long gone.
Billy should resign - he is not capable of simple research and he has slandered a fellow citizen in the House of Commons. Billy will be leading a charge against that disgusting Foley in the US any day now; dumbfounding the people who have to pay him. He is redundant.
Posted by: jema54j | 2006-10-04 2:46:32 PM
If he does retire, he'll have more time to seek out 15-year-old hookers.
Posted by: Set you free | 2006-10-04 3:07:21 PM
Liberals retract criticisms of newly appointed Conservative chief of staff
OTTAWA (CP) — The Liberals have retracted statements they made in the House of Commons about a Conservative government appointee.
On Tuesday, Liberal Leader Bill Graham slammed the Tories for appointing Darrel Reid as director of communications for Environment Minister Rona Ambrose.
At the time, Graham cited remarks alleged to have been made by Reid linking the Muslim religion with terrorism.
Today, Graham withdrew the remarks, saying he has since found out that Reid never made the remarks.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper responded by thanking Graham for admitting the mistake.
14:31ET 04-10-06
Posted by: Mike Jenkinson | 2006-10-04 3:32:22 PM
So, it wasn't Darrel.
It was his other brother, Darrell
Posted by: Rob R | 2006-10-04 3:47:09 PM
Here's the link Mike Jenkinson didn't give:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2006/10/04/1950089-cp.html
A retraction does NOT an apology make.
An apology serves the pupose of reigning in the motive that lead to the 'mistake'.
Moreover, there is a real connection between Islam and terrorism.
Posted by: Speller | 2006-10-04 4:08:49 PM
Willy Nuance-Feathers Graham eats crow. Caw...caw...caw...
Proves old Chinese proverb: Eating crow leaves foul taste in mouth. ...-
Posted by: maz2 | 2006-10-04 4:41:35 PM
Like many Canadians, I read the Liberal's critisicm of Reid. Scratched my head and said to myself, "Self, I like this Reid fella."
So, tell me: if there are Canadians who share Reid's opinion about Western Muslims isn't it a good thing to see someone in the halls of power who share that view. I say HELL YES! THAT is democracy BABY!
Posted by: DUsteD | 2006-10-04 5:39:59 PM
Oh my Allah, say its not true, it cant be. The liberal party screwing up and spreading false information. How can that be? Next thing, people will tell me that there are not troops jackbooting down the streets of our cities, like they said, if harper was elected. Im so shocked i went to leave the country for awhile but the liberal appointee said that if i came back i would have to have sex with him first.
Posted by: john a. | 2006-10-04 5:46:38 PM
Jack McLeod says that "Graham sometimes appears to be in a trance."
Sometimes?
Posted by: 'been around the block | 2006-10-04 7:49:04 PM
Look at what Bill Graham had to say:
"Yes, well I think that the Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin, but the Bible also teaches that pride is a sin, jealously is a sin, and hate is a sin, evil thoughts are a sin, and so I don't think that homosexuality should be chosen as the overwhelming sin that we are doing today."
Uhh... wait a sec.. Bill, Billy... hmm - let me double-check that.
Posted by: darrellllll | 2006-10-04 8:34:15 PM
yeah you know the one he means, that gospel in the bible titled overwhelming sins as compared to little liberal sins
Posted by: john a. | 2006-10-04 8:38:07 PM
While Graham did the classy thing and apologized he did not appear on any of the talk shows so that they could ask what happened. Why did he get the name and the information wrong? The Liberal media treated this as a non story. If it had been a conservative we would have seen it on the network news ad nauseum.
Posted by: hollinm | 2006-10-04 10:08:41 PM
hollinm,
Retracting a statement is NOT an apology.
An apology consists of someone saying they are sorry, taking direct responsibility for the act, and explaining the details of what they did and why.
Graham did nothing of the kind.
Apologies are a humbling experiance, retracting a statement is not.
To be humbled goes a long way to preventing residivist behavior, at least in a person of honest character.
Posted by: Speller | 2006-10-05 7:06:57 AM
WARNING! Don't watch Question Period in the House of Commons, aka "Comics", without taking a Gravol
Sad spectacle watching Ralphy and Billy emoting with accusations of little substance about which those paying attention don't give Tinker's Damn about.It's about time they do their emoting in front of a mirror to see and hear how pathetic they are.
As to Billy, he may be wise to go quietly into the night.
Posted by: Liz J | 2006-10-05 7:53:26 AM
Strangely enough, today's editorial in the National Post perpetrates the identity error and comments as if Graham's accusations were against the right guy.
Even though the story of Graham's retraction appears elsewhere in its pages.
Somebody at the NP should have their knuckles rapped for this stupid fundamental factual error.
Posted by: Set you free | 2006-10-05 8:45:16 AM
yeah but bill grahams most recent release that harper had sex with belinda stronach was a little over the top. harper is married. oh, right i forgot. naw, harper has class.
Posted by: john a. | 2006-10-05 7:16:40 PM
oh, new release; bill graham says that harper had an alien child from a relationship with a klingon during his abduction from a margaret atwood wiccan ceremony
Posted by: john a. | 2006-10-05 8:52:27 PM
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