"Lies, smears and falsehoods?"

Scott Reid, what rock have you been living under? He calls Mr. Harper's "organized crime" comments "Lies, smears, and falsehoods", and that his comments in the House went too far. I don't think Mr. Harper's comments went to far at all. I'll admit, when I first heard it (I was watching live) I wondered what he was talking about... but then, based on the RCMP definition of a "criminal organization", it looks like the shoe fits! Now, the Federal Liberals don't want to wear it, but that's their problem.

This whole thing reminded of the "Open Mic" episode of the West Wing. (CTV, PLEASE BRING IT BACK!) The President was doing a series of remote interviews by camera. After each news station got their turn, the news anchors, while off air, would try to get him to comment on something or other. After the last interview, President Bartlet was asked to comment on a challenger, and used a gun metaphor to describe his opponent. (it was something like "He's like a BB gun trying to compete in a 57 Magnum world") His staff noticed at the last second that the line was still live. The episode then takes us through the world of spin, as the White House goes into damage control mode. At the end of the episode, the President's communications chief asked him, "Mr. President, we've managed to dodge this bullet, but because of it, the entire country is now questioning the capability of your opponent." Then, with a sly smile, she asks, "Is it just possible that you knew that your mic was still live?" The President does not reply, but there is a distinct gleam in his eye. CJ, the Communications Chief, smiles and says to him, "That was old school sir."

Yes indeed, Mr. Harper, that was old school. Yes, the Liberals are trying the lawyer route, but if Mr. Harper holds his ground and enough people start talking about what defines a "criminal organization", then this could end up being an old school shot that starts the Conservatives out on good footing.