Conservative Gurmant Grewal

Well since this all over the news here in BC I figured I could throw this bone in for everyone to bounce on..... :P


B.C. MP blasted over visa guarantees
Last Updated Apr 6 2005 10:11 AM PDT
CBC News
VANCOUVER – Canada's Immigration Minister says the conduct of Newton-North Delta Conservative MP Gurmant Grewal "besmirches everybody and everything" to do with immigration.

Joe Volpe says Grewal admitted he has asked his constituents to give him refundable guarantees of $50,000 to $100,000 in exchange for his help in getting temporary visas for visiting friends and family.


Gurmant Grewal (File photo)
The guarantees were to ensure some "high-risk" visitors would return home when the visas expired.

Volpe said he has asked the federal ethics commissioner to investigate.

Grewal told the Commons citizenship and immigration committee last month that he hasn't cashed any of the guarantees from constituents. But Volpe said that's not the point.

Volpe said the process of granting temporary visas must be free of political interference.

"It unfortunately brings the whole system into disrepute," he said.

"And you have people who think that a system that is supposed to be open and accessible to all – even with all of its faults – is now only accessible to those who are able to put $50,000 down at the table, for a local member of Parliament to intervene."

Grewal's office in Ottawa said the MP was not available to discuss this issue. But a spokesperson said Grewal has never asked for a bond from a constituent.

And a Vancouver immigration lawyer said he doesn't believe Grewal is trying to make a profit, but was just testing how an immigration bill he has proposed might work in practice.

INTERVIEW: The Early Edition's Rick Cluff speaks with Vancouver immigration lawyer Richard Kurland.

Grewal has introduced a private member's bill that asks the federal government to collect such a bond from visitors when immigration officers are worried they might try to stay in Canada when their visa expires.

"He honestly believed, in my view, that he had done the right thing," said immigration lawyer Richard Kurland, who testified in front of the standing committee debating the bill. "The optics are not good, but his intentions were pure."

Volpe said that will be for the ethics commissioner to decide.

Hmmm...Conservatives accepting bribes in return for political favours. Whodathunkit? Besides everybody, I mean.

This is influence peddling. I think we need a full RCMP investigation.

Let the games begin!

Corruption and Ottawa seem to go hand and hand these day We should have the RCMP investigate every politician there period

I saw Harper on TV threatening to sue the government for casting aspersions on his MP, Mr. Grewal.

Harper doesn't seem to understand...Grewal admitted this when talking to the immigration committee. They have the minutes of the meeting.

Harper is an idiot. So is Grewal. A $50,000 dollar bond before your MP will agree do to his job representing his constituents. What a bunch of clowns.

I've heard a little more now. Either Grewal was lying to the committee (contempt of parliament) when he testified that he took bonds, or he lied to Harper when he said that he didn't. There's also the chance that he told Harper the truth and now Harper is standing in front of microphones and lying.

No matter how you slice it somebody in the Conservative party is being far less than truthful. Up to their old tricks.

This idiot is my MP. I can't stand him. I send him e mails and he only answers the very simple questions, anything hard or controversial he won't answer. He did not win by much last time over the liberal and the NDP lady was a very close third.

I find that I get better responses from politicians if I CC a copy to each of the party leaders and the appropriate critic in each of the parties.

In your case you might have to post a $50,000 bond before he'll answer though. That seems to be his minimum requirement for him to start doing his job.

I bet your MP has got a real nice suit now no1

Ha ha. He said he came to Canada from India because of the freedoms etc, then I asked him why he is against gay marriage. I said if it is ok for Harper to discriminate against "gays" then would it be ok for Harper to discriminate against new immigrants or visible miniorities?

I also pointed out he is a member from the West (left) coast and we are very environmental out here etc and if he was personally against Kyoto or if he was towing the party line. Again no answer. But from now on I will cc to party leaders and critics as Rev, suggested.

He beat the Liberal fellow by about 300 votes and the NDP Ladtyby 800-900( i cant quite remember exact numbers) but basically 60% of the voters never voted for him. He squeaked in near the end of the night as all 3 candidates were bouncing around from first to third.

From my dealing with him he does not think for himself, just tows the party line like a drone.

But I don't think he will win next time though. At least I hope not.

I guess if worst comes to worst I can start a fundraiser to get $50,000 so he will answer.

hey - i just like the phrase. kinda cool, eh pea?

I see this goof ball is up to his old tricks. Saying Liberals offered him a diplomatic post and a Senate seat for his wife if he were to sit out the vote tomorrow.

The Liberals say he asked them. Knowing the history of this quack (believe me he is) I think he did the asking. But judge for your selves. There is supposedly a tape recording. Here is a link to this story:
--
or here
or here

Who the hell is his wife that she would deserve a Senate seat?

She ran in an neighbouring riding last time. I never heard anything about her until the nomination meetings last year. Basically she is no one particularily special. I think Germant is looking for a ride on the Gravy Train. He barley won in a close 3 way race last year and he is not really that popular now, and I think he will lose, in the next election.

He is one of those people that seem to like attention.

*is not surprised*

We already knew that the Harperite Conservatives aren't good people. This is just one more nail in their political coffin.

I like the way his proof is a tape of him asking for things and them saying no. It kind of blows a hole in his claims.

Do the Conservatives really believe their own rhetoric about the Senate? There is no doubt that it's all patronage positions, but they don't go to just anybody...the Liberals need to have some sort of justification for who they choose.

I don't see a thread on this anywhere else, but does seem to fit the same general line as this one, "Conservatives showing thier stripes".

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...tory/National/

Harper is probably shifting uncomfortably in his seat right now.

These Conservatives make me laugh. A lot. If he talks like in public, what kind of thing is he keeping to himself?

You would think that Fletcher, having faced the challenges posed by discrimination to get where he is today, would be able to empathize with those that suffer the ill effects of prejudiced thinking...

What a tool...

Not really. I had a great uncle who had suffered from great discrimination, even persecution. His reaction was to hate others...and not even the ones that abused him. There is something dark and twisted in human nature.

Basically I make the assumption that anyone who makes it into the house has a fairly high level of intelligence no matter what side of the house they sit on. Irregardless if I disagree with thier views, or I believe that they use thier intelligence for thier own purpose, or lfor ess than ultruistic purposes I still hold the view that they are all pretty intelligent people.

But then every once in a while someone goes and challenges this belief of mine such as Fletcher just did. Even if he is prejudiced against Japanese people, as his comments certainly suggest, it is so obvious that saying such things is a bad thing to do in public and should never be done.

I really have to rethink my assumptions.

Apparently Grewal also wanted to stop the investigation about him taking money (refundable guarantees) from immigrants.

Gurmant Grewal has the same mentality as a snake oil salesman. He is sleazy.

I'd say most of that party has the same mentality. Which is why they should never, never form the government.

I wouldn't trust most of them to sell me a toothbrush, let alone run the country.

According to the National tonight those tapes were altered. Why am I not surprised. Grewal should resign forthwith. What a disgrace, especially with all the other shennanigans this guy has done in the past.

Then he would have fit in well with the liberals. No matter what, there were offers made. The language used by Stronach when she accepted the "bribe and payoff" is exactly the same language the PM's chief of staff used on these tapes. Priniciples my ass.

The heads of the Conservative Party had those tapes for two weeks, BA. If the tapes were altered; and even CFRA, the Ottawa radio station owned by uber conservative Lowell Green, say they were; then there is a very good chance that it goes a lot higher than Grewal. Keep in mind that Grewal has said that the main spinner for Harper was fully aware of what he was doing.

If those tapes are doctored it could mean jail time, and not just for Grewal.

Forget the Nixonesque secret taping, your party is corrupt.

There all corupt Derry :P They all have the stench of coruption on them

Altered tapes AND accusations from the CPC conservatives.

Thats how they work - they will BLAME you just after stealing something. For them, its all about what works, "whatever it takes" kind of mindset.

Hmmmm, thats a lot like the Americans.
So are the CPC's Christian Right fundies.

not to be trusted, they are not what they seem!! And boy does that go a long ways, including religion being just a tool.

Good luck with that ,
Karlin

It's good to hear the Conservatives prove how corrupt they are though. Maybe Harper will shut his damned mouth for a change.

The Globe and Mail agrees with CFRA and the CBC, the tapes have been tampered with.

The National Post story is more circumspect, presumably because their readership isn't large enough for them to be able to afford an expert. They do bring up an interesting story from the past though. When Peter MacKay's father was in Parliament they found a bug by his chair. After much investigation and brouhaha it turned out that the bug didn't work and was planted by a private detective employed by the Conservatives. That's right, they bugged them themselves.

And we all know that the Globe and Mail and the CBC are left wing, so their analysis is suspect as well. Paranoia runs rampant.