Dying MP offered $1M to topple grits: book
Cadman rejected life insurance deal, author says
Canwest News Service Published: Thursday, February 28, 2008
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OTTAWA - An upcoming biography about the late Chuck Cadman, an independent MP from B.C. who, in 2005, became pivotal in keeping the minority Liberals alive, claims two people representing the Tories offered him a $1-million life insurance policy to bring down the government.
According to an excerpt of the book Like A Rock, obtained by the Vancouver Sun, author Tom Zytaruk quotes Mr. Cadman's wife, Dona, as saying that Conservative party reps visited her husband's office two days before a confidence vote that could have triggered an election.
Mr. Cadman's was the deciding vote.
"The Tories actually walked in with a list of offers written down on a piece of paper," says an excerpt from the book. "Included in their proposal was a million-dollar life insurance policy -- no small carrot for a man with advanced cancer."
The book says Ms. Cadman told the author the offer "pissed him right off," and her husband threw the pair out of his office.
"He just said that he was insulted and that he was ashamed to have been part of the Conservative party."
The Conservative party reps took the list with them when they were ushered out the door, the book says.
Mr. Cadman, who turned down the offer, died two months later of skin cancer.
A statement from the Prime Minister's office released last night said Stephen Harper "at no time directed any party official to make any kind of financial arrangement with Chuck Cadman."
On Sept. 9, 2005,Mr. Harper visited Dona at her home. During that visit, Dona asked him about the story, said the statement.
On the same day, Mr. Zytaruk also asked Mr. Harper about the same story.
"The then leader of the Opposition looked into the matter with party officials and could find no confirmation," said the statement from the Prime Minister's Office. "And that is the last time he heard anything regarding this matter."
The book says Mr. Harper told Mr. Zytaruk that a financial offer made to Mr. Cadman by Tory reps "was only to replace financial considerations he might lose due to an election ... That's my understanding of what they were talking about."
It says Mr. Harper also confirmed to the author that the two visitors to Mr. Cadman's office were "legitimately representing the party."
Ryan Sparrow, Conservative party spokesman, refused to comment on the allegations, referring a reporter to the PMO statement.
Treasury Board chairman Vic Toews, a Manitoba Conservative MP who knew Mr. Cadman well, said, "He would never take money to sacrifice his legislative principles, I'd bet my life on it.
"He cared about legislation, not money. We've heard this story for years. It's bulls--t."
