Is The PMO Influencing RCMP Grewal Gate Investigation?

Update Monday June 6 2005:
RCMP confirm there is no investigation into criminal intent of conversations in Grewal Tapes - CTV
Excerpt:

Later, the Prime Minister's Office asked CTV to call RCMP Chief Superintendent
Bernie Corrigan, who contradicted Cpl. Deschenes' statement. He said there was
no criminal investigation at this point, but the Mounties are considering a
formal request from the Bloc Quebecois for an inquiry.

"All we have is the letter. There is no criminal investigation. I can confirm
that 100 per cent," he said.

He could not explain why Cpl. Deschenes told CTV and the Globe and Mail that a
criminal probe had been launched.

[...]

Grewal is also overheard complaining that Immigration Minister Joe Volpe had
asked the RCMP and the Commons Ethics Commissioner to examine allegations that
Grewal and another Tory had offered to aid immigrants in return for money. Those
allegations are now being examined by the RCMP.

Murphy is overheard suggesting a retraction is possible, but that he could not
stop the probe by Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro

Update Thursday June 2 2005:
McLellan denies PMO influenced RCMP - CTV
Excerpt:

On Wednesday, there was confusion over the exact nature of the RCMP probe.

"We are looking into the allegations of what happened and what everyone is talking about if, in fact, a criminal act happened," RCMP Cpl. Nathalie Deschenes told CTV News.

Later, the Prime Minister's Office asked CTV to call RCMP Chief Superintendent Bernie Corrigan, who contradicted Cpl. Deschenes' statement. He said there was no criminal investigation at this point, but the Mounties are considering a formal request from the Bloc Quebecois for an inquiry.

"How did they know in the PMO, and can the prime minister tell us when his communications department became the official spokesperson for the RCMP?" MacKay asked on Thursday.

"Let me make it absolutely clear: No one from the Prime Minister's Office contacted anyone from the RCMP," McLellan responded.

Didn't the Nixon Whitehouse attempt to influence the FBI investigation into the Watergate building break-ins?

Didn't Tim Murphy say to Grewal in the tapes that he would make some form of arrangement for Grewal's RCMP investigation commenced by Joe Volpe?

Posted Wednesday June 1st 2005:

Woa...woa...woa...

What is the RCMP doing? A spokesperson gave CTV confirmation that an investigation was going to be launched and then 2 hours later the PMO's office told CTV to "ask a more senior officer of the RCMP" who then gave CTV the message that an "investigation was not on-going at this time".

Who was that "more senior officer"? I want to know dammit.

And what influence does the PMO have over the RCMP from investigating a possible criminal case?

The PMO should have no influence over whether or not the RCMP does its job. If the PMO has exerted influence then we have a serious serious serious problem in this country on top of the one we already have. Cannot the House of Commons act as the Attorney General as stated in s. 2 of the Criminal Code to give direction to the RCMP?

The PMO has no right to influence the RCMP. We as Canadians have the right to be protected under law, in particular the criminal code if it applies, as s. 15 of the Charter tells us.

Remember, a department within the RCMP is implicated in Adscam for money laundering and redirection of funds. Commissioner Zaccardelli gave a press conference about the influence of organized crime (the meaning is 3 or more persons involved conspiracy to commit a crime). See this archive.

I am wondering why the CBC is trying to minimize the seriousness of the Grewal tapes. On the 10 pm National tonight they allowed a professor from the University of Ottawa to state he didn't see any criminal violation because "no money was exchanged" (remind me not to study law at the University of Ottawa).

Well this discussion was brought up on Andrew Coyne's comments. That is because s. 119 of the C.C.C is about the exchange of money, which I didn't agree with.

CTV's 11 pm news had Lawrence Greenspon quoting s. 125, which I believe is appropriate to Grewal Gate as it is in line with dealing in offices for a benefit, in this case to increase the number of 'yeahs' in the recent budget vote. And since Belinda Stronach's situation was mentioned in the tapes, her defection should also be investigated.