Month: June 2007

Last fall, I met Rob and Fran Parker, the founders and chief organizers of the National House of Prayer. The Parkers, a pleasant couple who don’t look much older than I am, are evangelical Christians from Vernon, B.C. who set up shop in an old convent near Ottawa’s Market area a few years ago with the idea of bringing prayer teams from across the country to the nation’s capital to pray for the country and for the country’s politicians.

Rob and Fran and a visiting prayer team are in the public gallery in the House of Commons for just about every Question Period. When I interviewed them last fall for a CTV News piece I did on their initiative, they told me that they pray not for particular policy outcomes — i.e they’re not praying for a tax cut or something like that — but for a more general intercession, such as praying to reduce discord among politicians; praying that the MPs respect each other; and so on. (You’ll get a good sense of their prayer themes below).

The Parkers try to be as non-denominational as possible. They have personally visited with as many MPs from all sides of the House as possible. The life of an MP can be a lonely one and the Parkers do what is known in the business as ‘outreach’ to make sure MPs know they’re there.

Now that said, as I’m a subscriber to their weekly newsletter, it’s apparent that the NHOP and its supporters would likely be supporters of the Conservative Party when it comes to some social policy issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

I’m not sure that the Prime Minister and the Conservatives are actively seeking the support of the NHOP and its prayer teams but, in any event, on the urging of one of his MPs,  the PM was happy to host a prayer team the other day in his office in the Centre Block. My colleague Jane Taber noted this in a recent “Notebook” item in The Globe and Mail but here’s a picture (top left) from the most recent NHOP newsletter along with the description by the newsletter’s writers:

Students pray with P.M.

A highlight of their school field trip to NHOP in Ottawa, for the team from Fort Saskatchewan Christian School, was the private meeting they had this week with P.M. Stephen Harper.

Their M.P. Ken Epp arranged for them to meet in the official office of the P.M. to present him with a framed prayer that one of the girls had an opportunity to pray over him. The words of that carefully crafted prayer
are below.

This “New Generation Prayer Team” was formed at the onset of the school year at the request of Jr. High students who had an urgency to support their national leaders in prayer. The culmination of their weekly prayer meetings was this planned trip to the National House of Prayer and the unique opportunity to actually pray with the Prime Minister here in Ottawa this week.

A New Generation Prayer for Authorities

Heavenly Father, God of all wisdom and power, we humbly come before you to pray as you have instructed us in your Holy Scriptures, for all who arein authority.
We pray that they would find in the Bible and through prayer, their source of strength and wisdom.
We pray that they would remember that they are accountable to God Almighty for the tasks they perform and the decisions they make.
We pray that they would be able to resist those who may pressure them to go against their conscience and would have strength and courage to do what is right.
We pray that by your guidance, they would seek to preserve the blessings of freedom and opportunity for the generations to come.
We pray that they would seek to bring back honour and respect, honesty and trust to the positions of power they hold.
We pray finally that they would seek to be an example of good character and moral integrity to the Fathers, Mothers, Sons, and Daughters of this great nation; Canada.
May the God of Peace be with you all. Amen.

The Conservative Party of Canada has no youth — the party grassroots rejected the idea of a youth wing at their last policy convention in the spring of 2005 — but the Liberal Party of Canada, on the other hand, has an occasionally active youth wing which plans to do a little politicking this weekend:

One year later, united Liberal youth take on Harper 10 launch sites bring their TakebackCanada.ca message “to the streets” this Canada Day

OTTAWA – Last Canada Day, Young Liberals held competing events for youth in their different leadership camps. One year later, united behind Leader Stéphane Dion, the youth are turning their aim on Harper in a cross-country TakebackCanada.ca campaign launch.

“We’re proud of Dion leading the fight to curb climate change, protect the Atlantic Accord, increase women’s representation in the House of Commons, and consistently put policy before politics,” said Young Liberals of Canada (YLC) President Cory Pike. “Our Leader and the Young Liberals stand against Stephen Harper’s narrow politics of division and we’re excited to take that message to the streets.”

This Canada Day, recruitment events are the latest in a string of national actions coordinated by Young Liberals to showcase the differences between the vision of the two leaders, including the hi.im.a.liberal.ca ad launch and the Accordnoless.ca awareness campaign.

These determined Young Liberals will be camped out at Canada Day celebrations handing out buttons, stickers, water, Party memberships, and general good tidings.

Now what they really need is free beer … 🙂

 

Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Reform Party founder Preston Manning will receive Canada’s highest civilian honour — The Companion of the Order of Canada — at a special Canada Day ceremony to be presided over by Governor General Michaëlle Jean.

Also of some note, Canadian golfer Mike Weir is among the new members of the Order.

Madame Jean announced 71 appointments to the Order of Canada, including seven Companions, 17 Officers, and 47 members.

Here’s the list:

Companions:

The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, P.C., C.C.	Ottawa, Ont., and Shawinigan, Que.	Politics
Purdy Crawford, C.C. (Promotion within the Order)	Toronto, Ont.	Industry/Commerce/Business
The Honourable Barnett J. Danson, P.C., C.C. (Promotion within the Order)	Toronto, Ont.	Voluntary Service
Rock Demers, C.C. (Promotion within the Order)	Montréal, Que.	Arts/Film
The Honourable Charles D. Gonthier, C.C.	Outremont, Que.	Law
The Honourable Frank Iacobucci, C.C.	Toronto, Ont.	Law
Preston Manning, C.C.	Calgary, Alta.	Politics

Officers:

Bertha Clark, O.C.	Athabasca, Alta.	Social Service
Tom Cochrane, O.C.	Toronto, Ont.	Arts/Music
Paul Corkum, O.C.	Ottawa, Ont.	Science
The Honourable William Hoyt, O.C.	Fredericton, N.B.	Law
Molly Johnson, O.C.	Toronto, Ont.	Arts/Music
Leon Katz , O.C.	Ottawa, Ont.	Engineering
Edward A. Lyons, O.C.	Winnipeg, Man.	Health Care
Michael P. MacLear, O.C.	Toronto, Ont.	Communications
Alistair MacLeod, O.C.	Windsor, Ont.	Arts/Writing
Carolyn McAskie, O.C.	New York, N.Y., U.S.A. and Wakefield, Que.	Public Service
Derek Oland, O.C.	New River Beach, N.B.	Industry/Commerce/Business
Miles Richardson, O.C.	Vancouver, B.C.	Social Service
Robbie Robertson, O.C.	Los Angeles, C.A., U.S.A. and Toronto, Ont.	Arts/Music
Ginette Lemire Rodger, O.C.	Nepean, Ont.	Health Care
Jane Stewart, O.C.	Montreal, Que.	Science
Pamela Wallin, O.C.	New York, N.Y., U.S.A. and Wadena, Sask.	Communications
Kenny Wheeler, O.C.	London, U.K. and Toronto, Ont.	Arts/Music

Members:

Jean-Baptiste (John) Arcand, C.M.	Saskatoon, Sask.	Arts/Music
Chrystine Brouillet, C.M.	Montreal, Que.	Arts/Writing
Elizabeth (Libby) Burnham, C.M.	Toronto, Ont.	Social Service
Jean C. Chiasson, C.M.	Pointe-Brule, N.B.	Industry/Commerce/Business
Joan Craig, C.M.	Halifax, N.S.	Voluntary Service
Alexander (Al) Davidson, C.M.	Ottawa, Ont.	Public Service
Mary Dawson, C.M.	Ottawa, Ont.	Public Service
Flora Dell, C.M.	Moncton,N.B.	Voluntary Service
Robert Doyle, C.M.	Stratford, Ont. And Halifax, N.S.	Arts/Stage
Maria K. Eriksen, C.M.	Calgary, Alta.	Health Care
John Fanning, C.M.	Dundas, Ont.	Arts/Music
Bunny Ferguson, C.M.	Edmonton, Alta.	Voluntary Service
William Fitzgerald, C.M.	St. Anthony, N.L.	Health Care
J. Barry French, C.M.	Oakville, Ont.	Industry/Commerce/Business
Ronald Gillespie, C.M.	Dundas, Ont.	Science
Terrance Gillespie, C.M.	Halifax, N.S.	Heath Care
Muriel Gold, C.M.	Montreal, Que.	Arts/Stage
Charlotte Gray, C.M.	Ottawa, Ont.	Heritage/Writing
Doreen Hall, C.M.	Toronto, Ont.	Arts/Music
Robert H.A. Haslam, C.M.	Okotoks, Alta.	Health Care
The Honourable Lynda Haverstock, C.M., S.O.M.	Regina, Sask.	Public Service
Brent Hawkes, C.M.	Toronto, Ont.	Social Service
Peter A. Howlett, C.M.	Westmount, Que.	Voluntary Service
Beryl Ivey, C.M.	Toronto, Ont.	Philanthropy
Zbigniew Kabata, C.M.	Nanaimo, B.C.	Science
Laurent Lapierre, C.M.	Montreal, Que.	Education
Ronald Edward Lawless, C.M.	Beaconsfield, Que.	Public Service
Jon Lien, C.M.	Portugal Cove, N.L.	Science
Patricia (Ann) MacCuspie, C.M.	Truro, N.S.	Education
Douglas MacPhee, C.M.	New Waterford, N.S.	Arts/Music
Robert R. McEwen, C.M.	Toronto, Ont.	Industry/Commerce/Business
Thomas W. Noseworthy, C.M.	Calgary, Alta.	Health Care
Elizabeth Parr-Johnston, C.M.	Chester Basin, N.S.	Education
Jean E. Portugal, C.M.	Scarborough, Ont.	Arts/Writing
Lola Rasminsky, C.M.	Toronto, Ont.	Education
Donald B. Rix, C.M., O.B.C.	Vancouver, B.C.	Industry/Commerce/Business
Leon Rooke, C.M.	Toronto, Ont.	Arts/Writing
Kent Stetson, C.M.	Montreal, Ont. and Marshfield, P.E.I.	Arts/Writing
Jeff Turnbull, C.M.	Ottawa, Ont.	Health Care
Jim Vallance, C.M.	Vancouver, B.C.	Arts/Music
H.P. Daniel (Sandy) Van Ginkel, C.M.	Toronto, Ont.	Architecture
Timothy Vernon, C.M.	Saanichton, B.C.	Arts/Music
Fredrick A. (Fred) Walsh, C.M.	Berwick, N.S.	Voluntary Service
Michael R. Weir, C.M.	Draper, U.T., U.S.A. and Toronto, Ont.	Sports
Howard White, C.M., O.B.C.	Madeira Park, B.C.	Communications
Wilfrid Wilkinson, C.M.	Evanston, IL, U.S.A. and Trenton, Ont.	Voluntary Service
Clara Will, C.M.	Toronto, Ont.	Education

The Conrad Black jury had its first full day of deliberations today. And — with thirty minutes left to their day — we have heard from them twice.

Here’s the rules in Chicago if the jury wants to communicate with the judge. The jury writes down what they want to say and then sends it to the court clerk. The court clerk sends a message to all the lawyers saying there is a jury note and that everyone should hustle into the courtroom. Lawyers and their clients (and reporters) have been spending the day near the courtroom at their offices or in their hotels.

Everyone shows up in court ten or 15 minutes after the court clerk tells everyone to show up.

Judge Amy St. Eve opens the note and reads it.

Here was the first note, for which we were summoned after 30 minutes after the jury began deliberations today:

“Dear Judge:

Today we will be meeting from 9 am to 4:45 pm.

On 6/29, we will meet from 9 am to 1 pm.

The Jury”

The second note came out in mid-afternoon. This time it was a little more substantial. The jury asked for a “Summary Exhibit” that the prosecution had created. This summary exhibit is a chart showing how much and where non-competition payments went for each of the transactions at issue in the trial.

To make that one-line request, lawyers and clients had to be summoned back to the courtroom. After the request, one lawyer said, “That’s it?”, to which Judge St. Eve replied, “Hey, I don’t write ‘em!”

 

I’m down in Chicago covering the final stages of the Conrad Black trial. Tomorrow morning, Judge Amy St. Eve will read her instructions to the jury and then they will get down to their business of sifting through three months and then some of testimony. The instructions, though,  are not really St. Eve’s instructions. Rather, they’re instructions that the defence and prosecution have been haggling over for weeks with the occasional ruling from St. Eve. You can read what St. Eve will tell the jury tomorrow. She won’t deviate one bit from this script.

One of the Chicago lawyers who’s been watching this whole affair from the beginning is Hugh Totten. Totten was among the six lawyers recently interviewed by Maclean’s for their opinions on the case. Hugh thinks Conrad is not going to beat all the charges.

During one of the lulls in the prosecution’s rebuttal of the defence lawyers’ summations today I leaned over and asked Hugh which of the 90 instructions the jury will get are a problem for Black and which are good for him.

Totten says three are a problem and one is good news. Here are those instructions, worded exactly as St. Eve will read them:

Instruction 24

A Board of Directors or Audit Committee can ratify a prior unauthorized transaction.

Ratification has the same effect as approval. In order for such ratification to be valid, the Board of Directors or Audit Committee must have acted on complete disclosure of the material facts and circumstances surrounding the transaction. A subsequent ratification relates back to the transaction as of the date when the transaction occurred.

Problem for Black: “complete disclosure”. If the jury feels disclosure of certain non-compete payments and other details of certain transactions, this could help the prosecution secure at least one “Mail and Wire Fraud” conviction.

Instruction 49

The term “official proceeding” includes a proceeding before a judge or court of the United States, a proceeding before a Federal grand jury, and a proceeding before a Federal Government agency which is authorized by law. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) is a Federal Government agency which is authorized by law.

Neither an investigation by the United States Attorneys Office, nor any Canadian court proceeding, nor any internal corporate document retention policy constitutes an “official proceeding.”

An official proceeding need not be pending or about to be instituted at the time of the offense. An official proceeding, however, must have been reasonably foreseeable to the Defendant.

The government bears the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the official proceeding was reasonably foreseeable to the Defendant.

Problem for Black: Remember that video of Conrad spiriting those boxes out of the back of his Toronto office into his car? Well, that’s what this one is all about. For that act, Conrad is charged with “Concealing Documents from an Official Proceeding”. At trial, his defence claimed that it wasn’t until the day after Conrad took these documents out of the office that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission came looking for them. The government, in Totten’s view, has established that “beyond a reasonable doubt that the official proceeding was reasonably foreseeable” to Black.

Instruction 63 (The “Ostrich” Instruction)

When the word “knowingly” or the phrase “the Defendant knew” is used in these instructions, it means that the Defendant realized what he was doing and was aware of the nature of his conduct, and did not act through ignorance, mistake or accident. Knowledge may be proved by the Defendant's conduct, and by all the facts and circumstances surrounding the case.

You may infer knowledge from a combination of suspicion and deliberate indifference to the truth. If you find that a Defendant had a strong suspicion that criminal conduct was occurring, yet intentionally shut his eyes for fear of what he would learn, you may conclude that he acted knowingly, as I have used that word.

You may not conclude that a defendant had knowledge if he was merely negligent in not discovering the truth.

Problem for Black: Black’s lawyers fought hard to keep this out of the instructions. Here’s what my friend Globe and Mail reporter Paul Waldie wrote about this:

In Lord Black's case, the jury could find that even if the defendants did not directly participate in the disbursement of non-competition payments, they could be found guilty if they deliberately avoided knowing about fraud related to the payments.

Lord Black and the other defendants filed motions opposing the use of the instruction, arguing it was inappropriate in this case. They also argued it could result in the jury finding the defendants guilty even if their actions were not deliberate but merely negligent.

But yesterday, Judge Amy St. Eve ruled that the instruction was appropriate.

“Here, the government has introduced sufficient evidence to support an inference of deliberate avoidance,” the judge ruled. “Although the court does not agree that every factor set forth in the government's [motion] supports the instruction, there is sufficient evidence for it.”

On the plus side for Black, according to Totten:

Instruction 15

You have heard testimony from Paul Healy, who received immunity; that is, a promise from the government that any testimony or other information he provided would not be used against him in a criminal case. His receipt of immunity is not to be considered as evidence against the Defendants.

You have also heard testimony from David Radler, who has pleaded guilty to an offense.

Radler received benefits from the government, including a promise of a reduced sentence in return for his cooperation. His guilty plea is not to be considered as evidence against the Defendants.

You may give the testimony of Healy and Radler such weight as you feel it deserves, keeping in mind that it must be considered with caution and great care.

Black likes: “Caution and great care” are hints to the jury that maybe they shouldn’t pay attention to Healy and Radler so much. Big deal, says prosecutor Eric Sussman. Today Sussman told the jury: “You do not have to believe a single word David Radler said to convict each and every one of these defendants.”

Attention former Reform Party members: If “grassroots Liberals” take up Joe Comuzzi’s invitation —see below— your Conservative Party is about to change 🙂

Here’s today’s press release from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Thunder Bay-Superior North MP latest in a long line of former Liberals joining the Government Caucus

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today welcomed veteran Member of Parliament Joe Comuzzi as the newest member of the Government Caucus. Mr. Comuzzi becomes the Government’s first M.P. from Northwestern Ontario.

“Joe Comuzzi supported our recent budget and our historic deal which resolved the Canada-US softwood dispute,” said the Prime Minister. “So it feels very comfortable to stand here today with Joe and welcome him to the Conservative Caucus.”

Mr. Comuzzi is the latest in a long line of former Liberals who have joined the new Conservative Party. They include Lawrence Cannon from Quebec, David Emerson from British Columbia and Wajid Khan, from the Greater Toronto Area.

Mr. Comuzzi thanked the Prime Minister for welcoming him into the Conservative Caucus and said he looked forward to serving his city, his region and his country as part of Canada’s New Government. “I gave 18 years to the Liberal party,” said Mr. Comuzzi. “But it’s not my party anymore. Mr. Dion is taking it down a road I cannot follow.”

“What unites these new members of our team is their recognition that Canada’s New Government represents the way forward for our country,” said the Prime Minister. “I would like to extend a hand to other grassroots Liberals to join the new Conservative Party and work with us to build a stronger, safer and better Canada.”

The Radio, Television and News Directors Association of Canada voted our newscast — CTV National News with Lloyd Robertson — as the best newscast in the country. The award was handed out on Saturday night in Vancouver.

Not only did we win top newscast, CTV won the award for best Spot News, for best In-Depth/Investigative piece; for best Short Feature; for best Videography; and for Best News Information Program Award. That last one, along with the investigative award, went to our friends at W5.

Overall, CTV took 6 of the eleven awards in the “Network” category. CBC picked up the rest and Global and CITY were shut out.

Our friends at CTV's regional newsrooms also won a pile of awards for their work.

You can read our company's press release on the award ceremony for more information.