By Gudrun Schultz
OTTAWA, Ontario, March 8, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Liberal MP Scott Brison has admitted he sent an email discussing an upcoming government announcement on income trusts to a top bank official, a day before the announcement was made. In the email he reassured the CIBC employee that he would be pleased with the announcement.
“I think you will be happier very soon…this week probably,” Mr. Brison said in the e-mail, which he released yesterday. Trading in income trusts spiked on the same day the government announced it would not place a punitive tax on trusts. The timing triggered an RCMP probe into the possibility that advance news of the government decision had somehow fuelled improper trading.
Mr. Brison at first denied he had commented on the decision, when he was questioned by the Globe and Mail on Tuesday.
“No,” he said. “You’re asking me something in terms of communication that I don’t remember. I don’t recall anything.”
After the Globe published his statement denying any memory of the communication, Mr. Brison changed his mind and acknowledged the exchange had taken place, although he denies he had access to any private information.
He also initially refused to comment on whether or not the RCMP had questioned him on the matter, but he has now admitted they did discuss it with him five days before the election, on Jan. 18.
This is not the first time Mr. Brison’s conduct has been questioned. On the day after he wrote the e-mail in question, November 23, he was forced to apologize to PM Stephen Harper, then leader of the Conservative party, and the National Citizens Coalition for falsely accusing Mr. Harper of breaking federal lobbying laws while he was president of the NCC. Mr. Brison admitted he had lied after the NCC threatened to sue for libel.
Mr. Brison has been considered one of the front-runners for the Liberal party leadership.
Read the Globe and Mail coverage here:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060308.wxincome08/BNStory/National/home
See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Homosexual Activist MP Forced to Apologize for Lie; Tells Constituent to “Kiss My Ass”
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/nov/05112306.html