News reports: “Liberal Strategist Warren Kinsella made little attempt to control his anger on CTV News Channel’s Power Play, calling the leaflets a “goddamn disgrace.” Federal Liberals are furious and are accusing the Conservatives of distributing taxpayer-funded leaflets that suggest the Grits are anti-Semitic.”
How can the media be sure Mr. Kinsella’s statements are in fact on behalf of the Liberal Party. History suggests that this assumption should require a double source. On previous occasions, the Liberal Party has distanced itself from Mr. Kinsella’s on Canada-Isreal matters.
Who can forget this little recent nugget from the Spring of 2009, as reported in Maclean’s Magazine:
“Shimon Fogel witnessed Kinsella’s tactics first-hand. Fogel, who is CEO of the Canada-Israel Committee, says he received an email from Kinsella in February [2009] in which the self-styled political ass-kicker said he would effectively reduce the CIC’s influence within the Liberal Party if the organization didn’t do his bidding. In an email obtained by Maclean’s from a source in the organization, Kinsella said the CIC “would be making a huge mistake” that it “will regret profoundly” if it proceeded with inviting two right-wing bloggers, who are in the midst of a protracted war of words with Kinsella, on one of its “study missions” to Israel. (These missions, which aim to educate members of the public and the media on issues facing Israel, are often, though not always, paid for by the CIC.)
“As far as the LPC [Liberal Party of Canada] goes, if [I’m] asked for my advice–and I am all the time–I will say that the CIC has utterly marginalized itself, and that it is not a voice we need to necessarily heed going forward,” Kinsella wrote to Fogel. “[I]f the media contacts me about this, I will not observe silence.” Kinsella further promised to “contact friends in Israel to suggest they not be permitted entry.” Fogel later characterized Kinsella’s emails as “threats” and “blackmail” and suggested to the CIC that it not give in to the Liberal strategist.
When contacted by Maclean’s, Kinsella would neither confirm nor deny the authenticity of the emails. … And Kinsella’s lawyer served Maclean’s with a notice indicating that Kinsella had resigned from the Canadian Jewish Congress, where he had served as a volunteer–although Maclean’s hadn’t asked about Kinsella’s relationship with the CJC, which is wholly independent from the CIC. For the Liberal Party’s part, spokesperson Daniel Lauzon said Kinsella “was speaking in his own name, and not for the Liberal Party of Canada” in the emails to the CIC. The Liberal Party, Lauzon later added, was never involved in Kinsella’s attempt to block the two bloggers from travelling to Israel.
I voted for you, Jay. It’s an up and comer, anyway, while some of the others are already up there and you never know when they might come back down.
We have to huddle together against these harsh Pacific winds. This is, of course, the best place on earth, at least El Gordo says it is, and he spends about half his time here.
The Advark has another good recap of the Catsella’s earlier statements expressing displeasure with Liberal position on Israel, including positions by Iggy.
November 19th, 2009 at 7:19 am
What is old is new again
News reports: “Liberal Strategist Warren Kinsella made little attempt to control his anger on CTV News Channel’s Power Play, calling the leaflets a “goddamn disgrace.” Federal Liberals are furious and are accusing the Conservatives of distributing taxpayer-funded leaflets that suggest the Grits are anti-Semitic.”
How can the media be sure Mr. Kinsella’s statements are in fact on behalf of the Liberal Party. History suggests that this assumption should require a double source. On previous occasions, the Liberal Party has distanced itself from Mr. Kinsella’s on Canada-Isreal matters.
Who can forget this little recent nugget from the Spring of 2009, as reported in Maclean’s Magazine:
“Shimon Fogel witnessed Kinsella’s tactics first-hand. Fogel, who is CEO of the Canada-Israel Committee, says he received an email from Kinsella in February [2009] in which the self-styled political ass-kicker said he would effectively reduce the CIC’s influence within the Liberal Party if the organization didn’t do his bidding. In an email obtained by Maclean’s from a source in the organization, Kinsella said the CIC “would be making a huge mistake” that it “will regret profoundly” if it proceeded with inviting two right-wing bloggers, who are in the midst of a protracted war of words with Kinsella, on one of its “study missions” to Israel. (These missions, which aim to educate members of the public and the media on issues facing Israel, are often, though not always, paid for by the CIC.)
“As far as the LPC [Liberal Party of Canada] goes, if [I’m] asked for my advice–and I am all the time–I will say that the CIC has utterly marginalized itself, and that it is not a voice we need to necessarily heed going forward,” Kinsella wrote to Fogel. “[I]f the media contacts me about this, I will not observe silence.” Kinsella further promised to “contact friends in Israel to suggest they not be permitted entry.” Fogel later characterized Kinsella’s emails as “threats” and “blackmail” and suggested to the CIC that it not give in to the Liberal strategist.
When contacted by Maclean’s, Kinsella would neither confirm nor deny the authenticity of the emails. … And Kinsella’s lawyer served Maclean’s with a notice indicating that Kinsella had resigned from the Canadian Jewish Congress, where he had served as a volunteer–although Maclean’s hadn’t asked about Kinsella’s relationship with the CJC, which is wholly independent from the CIC. For the Liberal Party’s part, spokesperson Daniel Lauzon said Kinsella “was speaking in his own name, and not for the Liberal Party of Canada” in the emails to the CIC. The Liberal Party, Lauzon later added, was never involved in Kinsella’s attempt to block the two bloggers from travelling to Israel.
Source: The “Prince of Darkness” is back in the Liberal fold And where there is Warren Kinsella, there is drama… by Martin Patriquin on Friday, April 10, 2009
http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/04/10/the-prince-of-darkness-is-back-in-the-liberal-fold/
Other interesting online background here:
http://blazingcatfur.blogspot.com/2009/04/jackal-issues-bizarre-warning-ignatieff.html
November 19th, 2009 at 11:59 am
I voted for you, Jay. It’s an up and comer, anyway, while some of the others are already up there and you never know when they might come back down.
We have to huddle together against these harsh Pacific winds. This is, of course, the best place on earth, at least El Gordo says it is, and he spends about half his time here.
November 19th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
The Advark has another good recap of the Catsella’s earlier statements expressing displeasure with Liberal position on Israel, including positions by Iggy.
http://thealbertaardvark.blogspot.com/2009/11/i-agree-with-this-big-time.html
November 20th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Great comments ON THAT OTHER STORY guys.