Macleod MP condemns airbus scandal

By Blair Braitenbach
Staff Reporter

When asked how the Conservatives are handling former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s airbus scandal, Macleod MP Ted Menzies condemned Karlheinz Schreiber’s accusations.
“He’s a very conniving individual, and so far he’s managed to stay in Canada longer than he should have,” Menzies said at his open house at the Masonic Hall in High River Saturday.
Over the past several months Mulroney has returned to the newspaper headlines with accusations from Schreiber that Mulroney accepted $5 million in bribes from him for the purchase of 34 airbus planes by Air Canada in 1985. The deal was worth $1.8 billion, and Airbus paid Schreiber’s company, International Aircraft Leasing, $8.8 million as a commission. It has been stated Mulroney accepted $300,000 in cash from Schreiber between 1993 and 1994.
Mulroney claims he took because he was desperate for the money.
Schreiber has been attempting to tie Prime Minister Stephen Harper into the shroud of secrecy by stating Mulroney had promised to bring Harper a letter in the summer of 2006 asking for help with his legal problems related to his citizenship and his extradition appeals. Schreiber is facing charges in his home country for bribery, tax evasion and fraud. Schreiber wants an inquiry into his allegations against Mulroney, but has threatened he won’t testify if he is extradited back to Germany.
“Schreiber is a very determined individual, and mostly determined to save his own skin,” Menzies said. “He’s trying anything he can to stay in this country, most of it by unsubstantiated innuendo. I’m not going to get into who got money and who didn’t get money, but the fellow better be able to prove what his allegations are or he’s going to be held in contempt of parliament and maybe contempt of court.”
“He’s made all sorts of accusations about what’s happened. There’s a suggestion from him that he’s spread $10 million around Ottawa. Well if that’s the case, that’s an incredible accusation to make about or to politicians. And if he can’t substantiate that, then maybe we better kick him out and send him to Germany.”
Schreiber has already been given extradition orders, but is waiting for the justice minister to intervene.
“The reason our justice minister couldn’t intervene and stop the extradition without a speakers warrant – and by the way it was the justice minister that recommended the speakers warrant – he doesn’t have jurisdiction unless that individual is facing charges in Canada, and he’s not,” Menzies said.
Locally, however, flooding potential in the region was at the top of the mind for many people who stopped in to Menzies’ open house.
Menzies took the time to listen and speak with his Macleod constituents. Through his conversations, Menzies said area residents are still concerned with the threat of floods and asked him what the federal government intends to do in terms of preparation.
“It’s not that I’ve forgotten it, but we need to remind the provincial government that they have a report (spearheaded by Highwood MLA George Groeneveld) on their desk that hasn’t been acted upon yet. I’ll be speaking to some of the provincial members of the legislation to see that gets worked on again so we don’t leave High River vulnerable like it was in the last flood (in 2005),” Menzies said.
“Our role as federal government is we can’t do anything until we receive a financial request from the province. It’s a provincial issue, but we would play a role in it, but only when we’re asked. Until we find out a dollar figure and what the plans are, we can’t do anything.”
Menzies went on to discuss the possibility of a federal election in the new year. Right now the Conservative government has scheduled the next election for October 2009, however, he noted some have speculated one could be called by as soon as February 2008.
“We’re prepared, that’s part of the reason our board sits down and talks about these things to make sure we are ready and well prepared for an upcoming election,” Menzies said.