Angry in the Great White North

The relationship between Karlheinz Schreiber and his allies, particularly in the Liberal Party, is starting to look distinctly twisted and unhealthy.

The only thing missing is the latex and the whips.

Karlheinz Schreiber was in Toronto facing imminent extradition to Germany. But having suddenly revealed that a $300,000 deal with former prime minister Brian Mulroney was actually sealed while Mulroney was still in office got the opposition parties all excited. Hoping to somehow tarnish the Conservatives (a different party from Mulroney's Progressive Conservatives, and led by Stephen Harper, who came from the Reform side), the opposition screamed for an inquiry.

They got one, then screamed for the ethics committee to be allowed to question Schreiber. They got that too, though since the committee is a function of parliament, and not of the government the way a ministry is, this required parliament to exercise judicial powers in the form of a Speaker's warrant.

The government, respecting the division of powers, did nothing to help the parliamentary committee. But after some histrionics from the Liberals and the NDP, the warrant was issued by the Speaker and the committee showed how important it was by dragging Schreiber out of jail and having him appear before them.

At which point, Schreiber promptly shut his mouth:

German-Canadian businessman Karlheinz Schreiber has refused to testify before the Commons ethics committee until he is told how long he can stay in Canada.

Schreiber made the comments during his opening remarks before the committee on Parliament Hill Thursday morning.

His case, he said, will go before the Ontario Court of Appeal on Friday where a decision will be made regarding his extradition to Germany where he is wanted on tax and corruption charges.

At the beginning of his remarks, Schreiber said he would be "delighted" to co-operate with the committee, but not until he has been told how long he will be allowed to stay in the country.

In other words, his testimony is not a function of his desire to be truthful, or a function of the power of parliament to compel his testimony.

His testimony is a function of how willing the government of Canada is willing to thwart the German government's attempt to make him face justice in Germany. If he is going back, he won't say a thing. If he is likely to go back soon, he might say a bit but not much. If he is told he will stay indefinitely, then he'll talk.

Or say what he thinks people want to hear.

Actually, he's already provided a tease. You could almost imagine the orgasmic joy that shot through the Liberals when Karlheinz Schreiber revealed for the first time that the payment to Mulroney was in fact supposed to be $500,000:

The ethics committee is specifically interested in $300,000 in cash Schreiber gave to former prime minister Brian Mulroney shortly after he left office.

But in a statement that seemed to catch the committee by surprise, Schreiber said "it was supposed to be $500,000 but he received only $300,000 because he did nothing."

However, he would not say what work Mulroney was allegedly supposed to have done to earn the money.

If they want to know more, he'll have to get a promise that extradition will be put off. If Karlheinz Schreiber is pleased, perhaps he'll testify that the payment was supposed to be $1,000,000.

Much of this was predicted. Many people, including myself, figured Schreiber would tease out a bit, just enough to keep the Liberals and the NDP firmly on the hook, while everyone else rolled their eyes at the silliness of it all.

The dynamic was that of Schreiber and the Liberal Party bartering, though. I think the dynamic has shifted to something far more twisted.

Schreiber gives the Liberals the $500,000 surprise. But even as they are smiling, Schreiber spanks them:

Schreiber also said Thursday he was not properly prepared to defend himself before the committee.

"I was not given an opportunity to go to my home, I was not given any opportunity to retrieve any necessary documents and I have not been given any opportunity to review what I have available to me in order to properly prepare myself to testify," he said.

"Mr. Greenspan (Schreiber's lawyer) believes that the Speaker's warrant therefore is unlawful and unenforceable and that I should be immediately returned to Toronto."

When those issues are resolved, Schreiber said, he will "voluntarily" testify before the committee.

A slap in the face of the committee, and in particular, of the the Liberals. So will the committee send him back to Germany to show Schreiber who is boss? Don't bet on it. Expect the Liberals and the NDP to work hard to make sure that Karlheinz Schreiber is sufficiently mollified so that he won't say any more harsh things about the legitimacy of the warrant again.

Sorry Mr Schreiber. Are you pleased now, Mr Schreiber? Please don't be angry with us, Mr Schreiber.

This whole thing is really starting to creep me out. I mean it. Schreiber is like some sort of dominatrix, doling out pleasure and pain to the Liberals and the NDP, who have shown every indication that they intend to keep coming back for more.

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