According to CBC’s The Fifth Estate, the relationship between Brian Mulroney and Karlheinz Schreiber began in the early 1980s when Mulroney was rising in power within the Tory party. However, their perceptions of this relationship differed. Mr. Schreiber considered himself and Mr. Mulroney to be close friends, whereas Mr. Mulroney did not share this view, as stated by Honorable Jeffrey J Oliphant. The Commission report provides evidence of multiple meetings between Mr. Schreiber and Mr. Mulroney, including two meetings in June 1993 during Mr. Mulroney’s last month as Prime Minister of Canada – on June 3rd and again on June 23rd.
Throughout their association, Schreiber allegedly gave money to Mulroney that came from illicit profits linked to the Airbus agreement with Air Canada – referred to as ‘dirty’ money. This scandalous connection eventually triggered a lengthy investigation into their relationship which spanned over fifteen years, making it one of the longest scandals in Canadian history.
After the official inquiries concluded, it remains intriguing why Mr. Mulroney chose not to reveal his association with Mr. Schreiber, even when faced with a lawsuit in March 2007 claiming $300,000 and various accusations. Despite eventual scrutiny of this connection, including examination of letters of request (LOR) and phone call records that incriminated Mulroney’s dishonesty about the relationship, the question still remains. What could he possibly have to gain by withholding this information, especially considering his family’s tarnished reputation and loss of public trust? During the initial press conference addressing the allegations, Mulroney explicitly denied any involvement with Air Canada’s decision to buy planes from Airbus or receiving any financial compensation, adamantly asserting his complete detachment from any conspiracy. Nevertheless, as detailed in the Oliphant Commission report, every tax year from 1993 to 1999 presented ample opportunities for Mulroney to disclose and report on his interactions and payments from Schreiber.
It is puzzling that Mulroney denies factual evidence and insists on denying his connection with Schreiber and verified allegations. This uncertainty raises questions about the Government of Canada’s decision to allocate 2.1 million dollars from taxpayer funds for Mulroney’s legal and public relations expenses without conducting a more thorough investigation.
In a 2008 article by the Globe and Mail, it was reported that the RCMP did not thoroughly investigate the Airbus scandal and prematurely closed the case without discovering the truth. Despite inquiries being completed, it was important for the government to examine the allegations to prevent further erosion of public trust and rush into judgments.
Interestingly, even after proof emerged of Mulroney receiving $300,000 from Schreiber and his involvement in the scandal being exposed, efforts were made to hide this information. Mulroney tried to cover his tracks by making a Voluntary Tax Declaration for the undeclared $300,000.
The Fifth Estate by CBC revealed that initially Mulroney denied receiving money from Schreiber but later claimed it was for vaguely described services such as monitoring, economic development, new markets, and Canadian peacekeeping – all in an attempt to justify receiving $300,000 in cash five years prior.
Due to its complexity and progression over time, the Airbus Scandal still holds numerous unanswered questions.
