When Preston Manning wrote his book "Think Big" in 2002, he went into detail about the Jim Hart Affair and Stockwell Day's role in it."In July 2000, with the new leader anxious to get into the House as soon as possible, it was announced that Jim Hart, the Reform MP from Okanagan-Coquihalla, would resign his seat and make way for Stockwell to run in a by-election.
"Jim resigned, and Stockwell was subsequently brought into the House in the by-election of September 11, 2001. It all seemed quite routine. What most of us didn't know at the time is that Jim had asked for payment of $ 50,000.00 to compensate him for loss of salary following his resignation.
"Rather than finding some other supportive MP who would give up his seat with no strings attached, the leader's office, through Stockwell's chief of staff, Rod Love, entered into negotiations with Jim. A deal was struck. The money was to be paid by the party, but by the time the election was called Jim had not yet been fully paid. He then hired a lawyer and threatened to go public unless payment was made forthwith. The Party subsequently paid Jim in full two days after the election call.
"It is a criminal offence for an MP to accept money or reward to quit Parliament or for anyone to give money or a reward for that purpose....
"All this was kept under wraps at the time, but five months later with the media investigating another matter involving Stockwell and party finances, it all came to the light."
The RCMP investigated and did not have enough evidence to press charges, but several years after Manning's book was published, some old documentation surfaced that shed light on the crime.
Payoff allegations haunt Stockwell Day
Liberals say they've found documents revealing deal for MP who stepped aside
Mar 23, 2007
Tonda Maccharles
Ottawa Bureau
OTTAWA–It is a bizarre tale of documents lost and found. Stockwell Day is shrugging off demands to step down as minister for the RCMP as he faces questions about an old story – how he persuaded an MP to give up his safe seat for him, back when Day was the rookie Canadian Alliance leader.
The Liberals say new documents released yesterday and handed over to the RCMP suggest Day spent or intended to spend both public and party funds to pay former MP Jim Hart to quit back in 2000. And until the RCMP takes another look at the case, Liberal MP Mark Holland says Day, who is minister of public safety and responsible for the RCMP, should step aside.
"If proven true, these are very serious offences," said Holland, citing Criminal Code prohibitions against inducing public officials to vacate office ... RCMP Sgt. Nathalie Deschenes said the commissioner's office has received the Liberal request and is reviewing it, but had no further comment. Party officials named in the papers did not return calls yesterday ....
Preston Manning knew that what Stockwell Day was doing was illegal and says so in his book, and despite the fact that Day dragged many good people down with him, he never owned up to his deceit.
The Party co-chairman at the time, Ken Kalopsis had to make a public statement: "All I know is that the negotiations were handled by the leader's office and the party was asked to pay that amount, again by the leader's office, and the party consequently did that."
Kalopsis resigned soon after, though Day said he planned on firing him anyway. He now runs a successful business in London, Ontario where his wife Nancy Branscombe is on the city council.
Some people get into politics with good intentions, believing they can make a difference. Then they get dragged through the dirt by men like Stockwell Day, who obviously got into politics to prop us his ego. Day only has a high school diploma and no doubt is intimidated by people around him who are usually well educated, instead of capitalizing on their knowledge to improve himself.
The Party co-chairman at the time, Ken Kalopsis had to make a public statement: "All I know is that the negotiations were handled by the leader's office and the party was asked to pay that amount, again by the leader's office, and the party consequently did that."
Kalopsis resigned soon after, though Day said he planned on firing him anyway. He now runs a successful business in London, Ontario where his wife Nancy Branscombe is on the city council.
Some people get into politics with good intentions, believing they can make a difference. Then they get dragged through the dirt by men like Stockwell Day, who obviously got into politics to prop us his ego. Day only has a high school diploma and no doubt is intimidated by people around him who are usually well educated, instead of capitalizing on their knowledge to improve himself.
My Other Posts on Stockwell Day:
1. Stockwell Day Secretly Limits Scope of Gun Registry
2. Stockwell Day, Maxime Bernier, and the Call Girl
3. Stockwell Day Makes Secret Deal With Separatists
4. Stockwell Day Smoked Pot and Inhaled. Ha ha ha
5. Stockwell Day's Sense of Humour Lacks Sense and Humour
6. Stockwell Day Exploits Veterans for Political Gain
7. Stockwell Day was Never Pro-life But Always Pro-death
8. Stockwell Day Creates Police State to Push SPP
9. Stockwell Day Supports FBI Having Jurisdiction in Canada
10. Stockwell Day Says Shoot 'em if You've Got 'em
11. Before Ditzy Raitt and Biker Bernier, There was Careless Stocky
12. A fundraiser, a Lawsuit and a Questionable Contribution
13. Stockwell Day Digs in Heels to Put Foot in Mouth
14. Stephen Harper Learned Nothing From Stockwell Day
15. Stockwell Day Lied Through His Teeth and Jason Kenney Knew It!!!!
16. Sometimes a Cigar is just a Cigar and Sometimes Stockwell Day is Just an Idiot
17. Stockwell Day's Prejudice Goes Beyond Simple Homophobia
18. More on Stockwell Day: Hellfire and Neo-Nazi Connections
19. Stockwell Day: Fire, Brimstone and Neo-Nazis
20. Stockwell Day Guilty of Lying to Cover Allegations of Torture
21. Stockwell Day and Stephen Harper Lies, Lies and More Lies
22. Stockwell Day and When Ideology Trumps Common Decency
23. It's Not About the Dinosaurs. It's About Stockwell Day's Insanity
24. Was Stockwell Day the Best Choice to Send to China?
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