OTTAWA — Canadian Alliance Leader Stockwell Day faced ridicule and criticism Monday as he contradicted his earlier admission that he had met and hired a detective with a questionable past.
The former undercover agent, known only as James, told a handful of newspapers that he had been contracted by the Alliance to “dig up dirt” on Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
James said he had met with Day, along with Alliance MPs Myron Thompson and Darrell Stinson and chief of staff Ian Todd. Stinson corroborated the story and said the man had been offered $6,500 for research.
On Saturday, Day acknowledged he had met the man, but said there was no offer of money and he had not been hired. On Sunday, Day flip-flopped and said he never actually met the man, but assumed he had after reading the newspaper story.
Liberal Government House Leader Don Boudria said Mr. Day’s explanation Monday clarified the situation to some degree. “Of course we have to take him at his word,” Mr. Boudria said. “What’s a little confusing is that his word keeps changing, so we have to figure out what word.” Mr. Boudria also questioned how Mr. Day could get confused about whether he met with the man.
At a news conference on Monday, Day blamed a reporter from the Globe and Mail for not checking closely enough whether Day was at the meeting.
“I mistakenly assumed the reporter had done the due diligence and actually had confirmation from a member of Parliament that I had, in fact, met this particular individual,” Day said.
Day added that he has asked for a retraction from the Globe, but wasn’t considering legal action.
The Globe And Mail reporter who initially broke the story said he stands by what he wrote.
