Ian Brodie, assistant to the PM, resigns. He is the guy involved in

[applegrove]

the "Naftagate" affair. I wonder why he is resigning from Harper's office.


The Toronto Star
Richard Brennan
Susan Delacourt
in Ottawa
Robert Benzie
in Toronto

"OTTAWA–Prime Minister Stephen Harper's long-time aide Ian Brodie is expected to step down within weeks in the wake of a cross-border controversy that undercut Barack Obama's bid to be U.S. president.

Brodie, Harper's right-hand man since the Conservatives took office in February 2006, is to be replaced by Guy Giorno, who served as chief of staff to former Ontario premier Mike Harris, effective July 1, the Star confirmed last night.

One source suggested that Brodie, who is telling people that he wants to spend more time with his family, was on his way out even without "NAFTA-gate," which made headlines on both sides of the border, embarrassed Harper and his government and possibly undercut Canada's dealings with a future president.

One Conservative source said Giorno's appointment is intended to help improve media relations in the beleaguered PMO.

.....Snip"

http://www.thestar.com/article/428557

[Ken Burch]

1. self-delete

no longer appropriate after clarification received below.

[applegrove]

2. I made a mistake. Broadie was involved in the Clinton side of the

Naftagate story.

I should perhaps change my avatar or something. I posted this with glee because I dislike the neocons in Ottawa so much. I meant nothing against Obama - I just couldn't remember which dem nominee was implicated in the part of the naftagate story that Brodie was involved with. I meant no slight to obama.

I've not had harsh words with anyone about our respective candidates because I like Obama a great deal and I avoid the GD:P. Sorry if my avatar and mistake gave you the impression I was going after Obama. I was not.

I like him.

[Ken Burch]

3. Now that you've clarified that, I will delete my post above, since it's unfair to leave it now.

n/t.

[applegrove]

4. Cool.

[myrna minx]

6. I think you're the cats pajamas for this post.

We are a very explosive, sensitive and exhausted bunch in here. I think we all could use a nice walk outside. :hi:

[applegrove]

7. Thanks.

:blush:

[myrna minx]

5. I would like to add a few more paragraphs to this post.

-snip
Brodie's offhand comments to journalists in Ottawa were singled out as sparking the chain of events that put Obama on the defensive on the eve of the March 4 Ohio Democratic primary, after suggestions from Canadian sources that he was saying one thing to American voters about the North American Free Trade Agreement, but another thing to Canadian politicians.

NAFTA has been under attack in the U.S., where critics blame it for job losses, an issue that resonated in Ohio, where thousands of jobs have disappeared. The controversy over the 1994 trade deal, signed by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, is blamed for Obama losing the Ohio primary to Hillary Clinton by a wider-than-expected margin.

The controversy began when Brodie reportedly told CTV News staffers in a private conversation on Feb. 26 that Clinton's aides had signalled Canada that her complaints about NAFTA should not be taken too seriously.

That led in turn to a report out of CTV in Washington that Canadian officials had been assured by Obama's aides that his calls to renegotiate NAFTA were just political posturing.

This report generated accusations of political interference by the Harper government.

Brodie's name was first thrust into the spotlight when ABC News reported in late February that he was the spark for the CTV story.

Then the Associated Press received a memo claiming Obama's economic adviser assured a Canadian consular official that Obama's NAFTA criticism should be seen only as "political positioning."

At the time, Harper appeared to be caught off guard by his government's foray into the U.S. Democratic race. Harper didn't mince words as he launched an inquiry into the matter. "This kind of leaking of information is completely unacceptable. In fact, it may well be illegal," Harper told the Commons.

"It is not useful, it is not in the interests of the government of Canada – and the way the leak was executed was blatantly unfair to Senator Obama and his campaign."

-snip

[nenagh]

8. Any Canadians reading the front page of the Toronto Star?

Can you see Clinton's name mentioned at all in the actual newspaper front page article titled "Harper's Chief of Staff to Step Down"? The online version clearly says that Brodie leaked Clinton's name....

But the Toronto Star front page article refers to Brodie leaking 'information' only ..

If someone else has today's Toronto Star please check, maybe I need new glasses since my tin hat is pinching now.......thanks..

[applegrove]

9. I can't remember whether Broadie was involved with the Clinton or the Obama portion

of naftagate. The online article mentioned clinton too.