Hawk
Federales
- Since
- Jan 27, 2010
- Messages
- 843
- Score
- 0
- Tokens
- 0
Former lawyer who was disbarred, convicted of theft and sentenced to 18 months in jail in the early 1980s for stealing money from clients of his law firm. One of Harper's closest advisors, worked in the Prime Minster's Office as a senior advisor as recently as 2009.
RCMP now probing him for influence peddling.
http://www.ottawasun.com/news/canada/2011/03/16/17647121.html
PM seeks RCMP probe on ex-advisor
By DAVID AKIN, Parliamentary Bureau Chief
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has called in the RCMP to investigate allegations of influence peddling by one of his closest former advisors.
Harper was moved to call in the RCMP after receiving information that Bruce Carson, who worked in the Prime Minster's Office as a senior advisor as recently as 2009, was boasting to potential corporate clients about his close connections to Harper.
Harper has also referred the matter to Parliament's ethics commissioner and lobbying commissioner.
Carson's activities were first brought to the PMO's attention by the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.
"Given what we've learned about Bruce Carson, our government will not be in communication with him on any matter," said Dimitri Soudas, Harper's spokesman and former colleague of Carson's.
"The prime minister has never met with, been spoken to or been lobbied by Bruce Carson on any of these matters."
The Carson matter puts yet another bullet in the guns of his political opponents who are trying to convince voters the Tory government cannot be trusted.
Last week, the RCMP was asked to investigate a former aide to Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis for alleged violations of Canada's access to information laws. This week, a House of Commons committee is likely to conclude that both the government and a cabinet minister, Bev Oda, are in contempt of Parliament.
Carson was one of Harper's closest advisors while the Conservatives were in opposition and played a key role in advising Harper upon taking office in 2006.
He was named executive director of the Calgary-based Canada School of Energy and Environment in 2008, but came back briefly to work in the PMO as a senior advisor for a month in early 2009.
"The ethics commissioner was fully consulted at the time of his departure from the Prime Minister's Office and signed off on his employment at the Canada School of Energy and Environment," Soudas said.
"The laws are clear and they must be respected. Those who do not respect them must, and should, face the full force of the law as well as the consequences that come with it."
Carson, in a statement posted online, said he would take a leave of absence from his professional responsibilities until the investigation is concluded.
"I have retained legal counsel to protect my own reputation and, because the investigation is now ongoing, am unable to make further comment at this time."
Carson is in hot water for many of the same reasons that former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer was disowned by his former colleagues -- for trying to make commercial gains on his former political connections.
Carson, like Jaffer, is not a registered lobbyist.
Carson is a former lawyer who was disbarred, convicted of theft and sentenced to 18 months in jail in the early 1980s for stealing money from clients of his law firm.
In 1982, Carson pleaded guilty to two counts of theft over $200, after forging the signatures of two clients and stealing almost $20,000. He was 37 at the time.
He subsequently held several positions on Parliament Hill, including roles with former prime ministers Brian Mulroney and Joe Clark.
RCMP now probing him for influence peddling.
http://www.ottawasun.com/news/canada/2011/03/16/17647121.html
PM seeks RCMP probe on ex-advisor
By DAVID AKIN, Parliamentary Bureau Chief
OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper has called in the RCMP to investigate allegations of influence peddling by one of his closest former advisors.
Harper was moved to call in the RCMP after receiving information that Bruce Carson, who worked in the Prime Minster's Office as a senior advisor as recently as 2009, was boasting to potential corporate clients about his close connections to Harper.
Harper has also referred the matter to Parliament's ethics commissioner and lobbying commissioner.
Carson's activities were first brought to the PMO's attention by the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.
"Given what we've learned about Bruce Carson, our government will not be in communication with him on any matter," said Dimitri Soudas, Harper's spokesman and former colleague of Carson's.
"The prime minister has never met with, been spoken to or been lobbied by Bruce Carson on any of these matters."
The Carson matter puts yet another bullet in the guns of his political opponents who are trying to convince voters the Tory government cannot be trusted.
Last week, the RCMP was asked to investigate a former aide to Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis for alleged violations of Canada's access to information laws. This week, a House of Commons committee is likely to conclude that both the government and a cabinet minister, Bev Oda, are in contempt of Parliament.
Carson was one of Harper's closest advisors while the Conservatives were in opposition and played a key role in advising Harper upon taking office in 2006.
He was named executive director of the Calgary-based Canada School of Energy and Environment in 2008, but came back briefly to work in the PMO as a senior advisor for a month in early 2009.
"The ethics commissioner was fully consulted at the time of his departure from the Prime Minister's Office and signed off on his employment at the Canada School of Energy and Environment," Soudas said.
"The laws are clear and they must be respected. Those who do not respect them must, and should, face the full force of the law as well as the consequences that come with it."
Carson, in a statement posted online, said he would take a leave of absence from his professional responsibilities until the investigation is concluded.
"I have retained legal counsel to protect my own reputation and, because the investigation is now ongoing, am unable to make further comment at this time."
Carson is in hot water for many of the same reasons that former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer was disowned by his former colleagues -- for trying to make commercial gains on his former political connections.
Carson, like Jaffer, is not a registered lobbyist.
Carson is a former lawyer who was disbarred, convicted of theft and sentenced to 18 months in jail in the early 1980s for stealing money from clients of his law firm.
In 1982, Carson pleaded guilty to two counts of theft over $200, after forging the signatures of two clients and stealing almost $20,000. He was 37 at the time.
He subsequently held several positions on Parliament Hill, including roles with former prime ministers Brian Mulroney and Joe Clark.
