We Want Our Two Million Dollars Back

After his term as Prime Minister, the RCMP conducted an investigation of whether Brian Mulroney received kickbacks from a man called Karl Schreiber in a military deal to purchase Airbuses. The RCMP sent a letter to the Swiss government asking for Schreiber's bank records, mentioning Mulroney's name. Mulroney heard about the letter, sued for defamation of character, and got a settlement (out of court) of $2.1 million. Later on, Karl Schreiber admitted that he gave Mulroney $300,000. Mulroney claimed the $300,000 was for his consulting expertise in a pasta business. Schreiber said that was a lie.

The Globe & Mail reported recently that the government looked into trying to get our $2 million dollars back, but dropped the attempt. But there are other ways to bring some closure to this sad tale. Can a case be made that Mulroney perjured himself? Even if the case never got to court, there must have been some claim of innocence in the statement of the case. Can the kickback investigation be reopened now that Schreiber is talking?

There are a lot of people with egg on their face after this fiasco. There are questions about why the government paid the $2 million to Mulroney so quickly, when the usual M.O. is to hold up the funds for years (remember the civil service pay equity lawsuit, anyone?). Why was the RCMP unable to turn up evidence when the media was able to get it? How did journalist Stevie Cameron get so utterly smeared and discredited as she attempted to uncover the truth - were Mulroney supporters behind that?

###