Ethics Newsline®

Attorney for Brian Mulroney says panel has no right to see his personal tax records; Mulroney says the probe smacks of political revenge

OTTAWA
An ethics probe involving former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney heated up last week as an attorney for Mulroney locked horns with the House of Commons Ethics Committee.

The Toronto Globe & Mail reports that Mulroney’s attorney objects to the committee’s demand for records of personal taxes and cash expenditures for both Mulroney and his wife.

The committee is probing the former PM’s business relationship with a German-Canadian arms lobbyist. At issue are cash transfers an aide alleges are linked to Mulroney’s former official residence in Ottawa, according to a report from the Toronto Star.

Mulroney, reportedly furious about his treatment by the committee, argues that the panel is going beyond the scope of its investigation and is smearing his reputation for partisan purposes, according to the Canadian National Post.

Current prime minister Stephen Harper has promised a full public inquiry once the ethics committee has finished its formal investigation, which could continue for several months, reports CanWest News Service.

Sources: Globe & Mail, Jan. 30 — Toronto Star, Jan. 30 — National Post, Jan. 30 — CanWest News Service, Jan. 30.

For more information, see: Related Newsline story, Jan. 22 — Related Newsline story, Nov. 5, 2007 — Related Newsline story, May 21, 2007 — Related Newsline story, June 18, 2007 — Related Newsline story, Jan. 29, 2007.