[Freakinoldguy]

I might believe that Elections Canada was investigating Levant because of the timing of his book if it wasn't the first time that someone who attacked "Beloved Leader" was taken to task for pointing out things that weren't flattering to him or his regime.

Remember this:

$1:

Ever since Justin Trudeau told a “Ladies Night” fundraiser in 2013 that he admires China’s “basic dictatorship” the Liberal leader has been teased and mocked for the comments.

The mocking isn’t funny anymore as Canadian lives are on the line in China and Trudeau’s government is starting to imitate the regime in Beijing by trying to silence critics. Two former senior diplomats have come forward to say that officials called to ask them to stop contradicting the government in public on China and to “get with the program

That would be fine if either David Mulroney or Guy Saint-Jacques were still employed by the government but they aren’t. They are former diplomats now living out their lives as private citizens and offering their expertise on China to the media when asked.

The two have commented on the detention of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, detained by China on trumped up charges. They have also commented on the deteriorating relations caused by the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou last December, the incident that led to the arrests of Spavor and Kovrig.

This is deeply disturbing news. It speaks to the belief by Trudeau’s PMO that they can control what private citizens say. It’s one thing for the Liberals to try and rein in one of their own like former cabinet minister turned ambassador John McCallum.

https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnis ... o-in-china

or this:

$1:

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has received a lawsuit threat from the prime minister regarding comments he made about the SNC-Lavalin affair.

Scheer says he received a letter from Justin Trudeau's lawyer on March 31.

The letter from Trudeau's lawyer Julian Porter took issue with what they term inappropriate comments in a statement made by Scheer on March 29 in response to new documents tabled in the justice committee from former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould.

CBC INVESTIGATESSNC-Lavalin insider's bribery allegations spark probe by Crown agency that loaned the firm billions
"The statement contained highly defamatory comments about Prime Minister Trudeau," it reads.

Trudeau has been under fire for the last two months over allegations that there was pressure on Wilson-Raybould to interfere in criminal proceedings against Quebec construction giant SNC-Lavalin. In an appearance before the House justice committee, she said top government officials asked her to help ensure a special legal deal was extended to the company.

She later provided emails, a written statement and a taped recording to the committee.

'We aren't going to turn the page': Conservatives try again to tie Norman trial to SNC-Lavalin fallout
Scheer's March 29 statement, in part, accused the prime minister of political interference, of lying to Canadians and of corrupt conduct.

Trudeau's lawyer alleges Scheer made false statements, and refers to the Libel and Slander Act of Ontario, which deals with any publicly published material or comments that defame or disparage an individual or their profession.

"The prime minister supports wide-ranging and vigorous political debate on matters of public policy. However, your statement, in its entirety, is beyond the pale of fair debate and is libellous of my client personally and in the way of his occupation as prime minister," Porter writes.


Trudeau threatens Scheer with lawsuit | Power Panel
10 months ago 9:55
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has received a lawsuit threat from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding comments he made about the SNC-Lavalin affair. Brad Lavigne, Yolande James, Aaron Wherry and Rachel Curran discuss. 9:55
Attempts to 'silence debate'
Scheer has retained legal counsel as well.

His lawyer Peter Downard responded to the letter on Sunday, calling the complaint "entirely without merit."

"It is profoundly disappointing that the prime minister is seeking to silence debate on matters of such great public importance. Mr. Scheer will not be intimidated," he wrote.

The rebuttal also dares the prime minister to proceed with the lawsuit — which Scheer reiterated in his Sunday afternoon news conference — saying the defence will call for evidence, for Trudeau to testify under oath and for members of his government also to testify.

"I will defend myself vigorously on this," Scheer said.


The resignation of Jody Wilson-Raybould from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet was a significant development in the SNC-Lavalin affair, a controversy that sparked two government-related probes. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)
In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office said Scheer was put "on notice that there are consequences for making completely false and libellous statements."

The Opposition leader said the threat was an intimidation tactic intended to stop him from pressing the government about the SNC-Lavalin matter — but that his party will still continue to push the Liberals for more answers.

"If Mr. Trudeau believes he has a case against me, I urge him to follow through on his threat immediately," Scheer said.

"I stand by every single criticism I have made."

Read the transcript of the Jody Wilson-Raybould interview with CBC Vancouver
While Scheer has been unrelenting in his criticism of the prime minister, when he speaks in the House of Commons he is protected by Parliamentary privilege. That measure grants a degree of immunity to MPs and Senators for comments made in carrying out their duties in Parliament.

However, anything said outside of the chamber falls under regular defamation laws.

Scheer said he was not aware of any similar letters sent to anyone in his caucus.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudea ... -1.5088175

and this:

$1:

On Tuesday two RCMP agents came to my house. Two large men in suits asked for me and when my partner said I wasn’t there they asked who she was.

Why didn’t they email or call me to talk or set up a meeting? If they have my address, the RCMP certainly has my email, Facebook, Skype or phone number. My partner asked for their badges, took their photo and asked them to leave the hallway they had entered.

They returned the next day. Not wanting to interact, my partner ignored them. They rang the doorbell multiple times over many minutes. After she saw people at the restaurant across the street wondering what was going on – from the ground you can see into the front of our place – she poked her head down the stairway where they caught her eye. They asked why I didn’t call even though they didn’t leave a number.

The visits are a transparent effort to intimidate me from directly challenging the government’s pro-corporate and pro-empire international policies.

The day before their first visit to my house two RCMP officers physically removed me from a press conference when I asked Transportation Minister Marc Garneau about Canadian arm sales to Saudi Arabia. When I sat down at an event that was already underway an officer took the seat next to me. When I began to ask a question at the end of the press conference he used the cover of private property to try to block me. On this video one can see the RCMP agent asking the building security twice if I’m welcome in the space. Deferring to police, the security guard tells him I’m not welcome. The RCMP agent, who doesn’t have the right to remove me from the room without a directive, then uses the authority derived from a representative of the building to physically eject me and threaten arrest.

Last Wednesday lawyer Dimitri Lascaris and I were blocked from a talk by the prime minister at the Bonaventure Hotel in a similar way. In my case an RCMP agent called out my name as I entered the hotel and then accompanied me in the elevator, through a long lobby and down an escalator to ‘introduce’ me to hotel security. The representative of the hotel then said I wasn’t welcome, which gave the officer the legal authority to ask me to leave. Lascaris details the incident in “The RCMP’s Speech Police Block Yves Engler and Me From Attending A Speech By Justin Trudeau.”

After starting to write this story, I was targeted by the RCMP for removal from a press conference by Justice Minister David Lametti. On Thursday, a Concordia University security guard, who I walked past to enter the room, came up to me 15 minutes later and asked for my press credentials. There were two dozen people in the room who didn’t have press credentials and the release for the event said nothing about needing them. The RCMP agent admitted that he asked Concordia security to approach me. He also said he was only there for the physical — not political — protection of the minister, but refused my suggestion that he and the Concordia security agents sit next/in front of me to ensure the minister’s physical safety.

(Here is the question I planned to ask the Justice Minister: “Minister Lametti you have an important decision to make in the coming days about whether you believe in international law and consumer rights. As you know the Federal Court recently ruled against your government’s decision to allow wines produced on illegal settlements in the West Bank to be labeled as ‘Products of Israel’. While anti-Palestinian groups are pressuring your government to appeal the decision, the NDP and Greens want you to stop wasting taxpayer money on this anti-Palestinian agenda. Will you commit to accepting the court’s sensible ruling that respects consumers, international law and Palestinian rights?”)

Over the past six months Lascaris, I and other members of Solidarité Québec-Haiti and Mouvement Québécois pour la Paix have interrupted a dozen speeches/press conferences by Liberal ministers/prime minister to question their anti-Palestinian positions, efforts to topple Venezuela’s government, support for a corrupt, repressive and illegitimate Haitian president, etc. We are open about our actions and intentions, as you can read in this commentary. We film the interruptions and post them online. (If any illegal act were committed the RCMP could easily find all they need to charge me on my Facebook page!) The interruptions usually last no more than a couple of minutes. No politician has been stopped from speaking, let alone threatened or touched.

Did the RCMP receive a directive from a minister to put a stop to our challenging their policies? The federal election is on the horizon and government officials will increasingly be in public. The Trudeau government is playing up its ‘progressive’ credentials, but the interventions highlight how on one international policy after another the Liberals have sided with corporations and empire.

From the government’s perspective, having their PR announcements disrupted is a headache, but that’s democracy. The right to protest, to question, to challenge policies outweighs politicians’ comfort.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/09/13 ... gn-policy/

People can keep telling themselves that Levant's book critical of Trudeau wasn't the catalyst for Elections Canada to come calling but, past history would indicate otherwise. Maybe Levant should consider himself lucky that Trudeau didn't have use the RCMP to be his messengers because the outcome could have been much worse. Although I'm sure Levant will at the very least be subjected to a long, expensive legal battle to protect himself from the "independent" people at Elections Canada.

[Thanos]

So he likes sending out lawyers and hired goons from the police forces in order to get people to shut up? It just confirms, like I've said all along, that in terms of personality and in the willingness to resort to bullying tactics that Trudeau Junior has a hell of a lot in common in terms of character with Donald Trump.

[DrCaleb]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

I might believe that Elections Canada was investigating Levant because of the timing of his book if it wasn't the first time that someone who attacked "Beloved Leader" was taken to task for pointing out things that weren't flattering to him or his regime.

Your beliefs aside, Elections Canada is not a part of the Government Trudeau controls.

$1:

Once appointed, the Chief Electoral Officer may be removed from office only for cause, by the Governor General, on a joint address of the House of Commons and the Senate

https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?s ... rt3&lang=e

[DrCaleb]

I mean, seriously. I'm not a fan of Trudeau or the RCMP, but it's almost a full time occupation countering the bullshit fake news around here. Doubly so when Levant is involved.

[Freakinoldguy]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

I mean, seriously. I'm not a fan of Trudeau or the RCMP, but it's almost a full time occupation countering the bullshit fake news around here. Doubly so when Levant is involved.

So you're saying all those other instances didn't happen and it's "fake" news?

BTW the RCMP are supposed to be an independent body to. Because if they weren't independent they wouldn't have the ability to supposedly investigate politicians, but, we've all seen how that works.

And, anyone drawing a gov't paycheck is susceptible to pressure from the Gov't and that includes the Chief Electoral Officer especially one appointed by the Prime Minister.

$1:

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the nomination of Stéphane Perrault as the new Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.

Born and raised in Montréal, Mr. Perrault’s distinguished career with the Government of Canada spans more than two decades as both a senior executive and lawyer. He has been the Acting Chief Electoral Officer since December 2016.

https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/ ... al-officer

[herbie]

No, he's saying Trudeau didn't make them happen. You've swallowed too much of Trump's bullshit that he should determine who the police and agencies investigate and projected that to what you imagine should or does happen in Canada.
Just like Americans think the Queen determines what Canadians can and can't do.

[Freakinoldguy]

herbie herbie:

No, he's saying Trudeau didn't make them happen. You've swallowed too much of Trump's bullshit that he should determine who the police and agencies investigate and projected that to what you imagine should or does happen in Canada.
Just like Americans think the Queen determines what Canadians can and can't do.

So all these agencies just happened to investigate people who criticized Trudeau? Talk about a set of unfortunate coincidences.

Or how about Admiral Mark Norman having his house raided, and his reputation tarnished for doing his job. No trial, no chance to face his accusers. Just given a bunch of money to STFU and disappear after being forced to sign a non disclosure agreement.

And yet, you keep claiming that Trump is doing exactly what you claim Trudeau isn't. Odd?

[Saskanna]

homebound homebound:

It is all Bull Shit and Trudeau is the biggest asshole we have ever had as our leader. His father was a asshole, Justin is a stupid asshole. I hope the conservatives can find a good leader to take on this pr--k and win. He has to go or we are all screwed.
If this crap of the last 4 years carries on we will not have much of a country left.

Truer words were never uttered. Western Canadians should be rioting in the streets. Take lessons from France.

[PluggyRug]

Trudeau is not involved..

That slimy slug Butts is still pulling his strings and some people can't see it or walk around with eye's wide shut.

[Tricks]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

And, anyone drawing a gov't paycheck is susceptible to pressure from the Gov't and that includes the Chief Electoral Officer especially one appointed by the Prime Minister.

$1:

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the nomination of Stéphane Perrault as the new Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.

Born and raised in Montréal, Mr. Perrault’s distinguished career with the Government of Canada spans more than two decades as both a senior executive and lawyer. He has been the Acting Chief Electoral Officer since December 2016.

https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/ ... al-officer

You're aware appointed and nomination are two different words right? Parliament appoints the position and the position reports only to parliament.

[Freakinoldguy]

Tricks Tricks:

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

And, anyone drawing a gov't paycheck is susceptible to pressure from the Gov't and that includes the Chief Electoral Officer especially one appointed by the Prime Minister.

$1:

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the nomination of Stéphane Perrault as the new Chief Electoral Officer of Canada.

Born and raised in Montréal, Mr. Perrault’s distinguished career with the Government of Canada spans more than two decades as both a senior executive and lawyer. He has been the Acting Chief Electoral Officer since December 2016.

https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/ ... al-officer

You're aware appointed and nomination are two different words right? Parliament appoints the position and the position reports only to parliament.

Yes I do. But when you're the leader of a Majority in the House of Commons it's pretty well a rubber stamp nomination even if it's supposed to be a secret ballot.

$1:

A quick procedural sidebar: before a nomination for the 10-year, non-renewable term can be finalized, it must be approved by the House. Traditionally, this has been a pro forma practice, as no nominee has ever been publicly opposed since the position was created in 1920. (Before that, elections were run by a clerk handpicked by the government of the day.)

https://www.tvo.org/article/why-the-fed ... r-business

[PublicAnimalNo9]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

So we should just allow anyone to interfere in our elections *cough*Russia*cough*?

Why not? We've been letting the US do it for years. We also let them interfere with our resource economy.

Canada is a land of political pussies.

[DrCaleb]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

I mean, seriously. I'm not a fan of Trudeau or the RCMP, but it's almost a full time occupation countering the bullshit fake news around here. Doubly so when Levant is involved.

So you're saying all those other instances didn't happen and it's "fake" news?

Ask yourself, how many things in the last while have you posted, and myself or someone else, usually Tricks, managed to thoroughly discredit with 5 minutes and Google?

Levant is doing what Levant does. Crying he's being repressed, but completely ignoring his own culpability for making advertising signs that looked like Election signs and putting them on lawns and around cities during an Election.

No one gives a fuck about his book, no one is trying to censor it. What they are doing is upholding the laws that govern our elections.

[N_Fiddledog]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Your beliefs aside, Elections Canada is not a part of the Government Trudeau controls.

Neither is the CBC but try to sell us on the idea there's no influence or the idea if Justin really wants something from the state broadcaster he won't get it.

And Progressives lost the right to use the term "fake news" a long time ago. They might own the fake news but the term belongs to the rest of us.

[N_Fiddledog]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Ask yourself, how many things in the last while have you posted, and myself or someone else, usually Tricks, managed to thoroughly discredit with 5 minutes and Google?

Outside of the Progressive vacuum I've added it up to about zero.

I'll give you an example. There's little doubt the issue here is really about Ezra's book. Technically I imagine you could Lasso the minor issue of real estate style, ad signs on peoples' lawns and make the issue about that but that would be the google, CBC fake news version of the story.

So I just destroyed your nonsense but neither you nor Tricks heard it in your Progressive vacuum.