Tory MP, NRI Gurmant Grewal
in airport package mystery
Ottawa, June 06
Candian Press
Air Canada is investigating an incident
at Vancouver airport involving a Tory MP embroiled
in a taping scandal.
Gurmant Grewal was spotted in a waiting area Saturday
trying to get passengers to transport a package to
Ottawa.
Airport sources won't confirm if there was a tape
in the envelope the B.C. MP was trying to pass along.
"We can confirm that we are currently investigating
an incident involving Mr. Grewal," said Air Canada
spokeswoman Laura Cooke.
I have no additional information to provide on this
matter at this point."
Security regulations require any passenger must be
on a plane carrying that person's luggage.
A source says Mr. Grewal was booked on a flight to
Ottawa and passed through security to a waiting area,
where he was overheard asking "a number of"
passengers to transport the package.
NRI, Mr. Grewal turned over tapes last week to the
RCMP from secret recordings he made in meetings with
two top Liberals.
Several audio experts have agreed the tapes were
altered, prompting the Conservatives to issue a statement
admitting that small changes had been made to the
recordings.
On the tapes, Mr. Grewal is overheard negotiating
possible job opportunities with the Liberal party
in exchange for his vote in a crucial confidence showdown
last month.
Conservative spokesman Geoff Norquay said he was
aware of Air Canada's allegation against Mr. Grewal
and planned to make a statement later Monday.
Mr. Grewal did not respond to an e-mail request for
an interview.
Also Monday, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper announced
that Mr. Grewal had informed him that he would step
down as co-chairman of the Standing Joint Committee
for the Scrutiny of Regulations, while the current
investigation into the taping incident occurs.
"I look forward to Gurmant reassuming these
responsibilities when these matters are resolved,"
Mr. Harper said, acknowledging that his MP has been
under "significant personal pressure."
