A new poll suggests 67 per cent of Canadians want to know why Brian Mulroney accepted $300,000 from Karlheinz Schreiber, while 51 per cent approve of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's appointment of an independent investigator.
"People want this investigated in more detail," said Peter Donolo of the Strategic Counsel, which conducted the survey for CTV and The Globe and Mail.
Schreiber, a German-Canadian businessman facing extradition to his native country where he faces fraud allegations, has said in court documents that he paid Mulroney $300,000 shortly after Mulroney left office.
Schreiber has also alleged the two met to discuss business matters while Mulroney was still prime minister. The allegations have not been proven in court and Mulroney has denied the accusations.
When respondents were asked whether they supported examining the allegations, 67 per cent said yes and 22 per cent no.
Among Conservative members, 57 per cent wanted the matter investigated, while 32 per cent were against the idea. Liberals were slightly higher than the national average, with 74 per cent in support and 17 per cent against.
Harper has named David Lloyd Johnston, the president of the University of Waterloo, to probe the Mulroney-Schreiber affair and decide on a mandate for a full public inquiry.
The poll suggests a total of 51 per cent of Canadians believe Harper has done a "good job" of handling the matter:
- Total good job: 51 per cent
- Very good job: 8 per cent
- Good job: 43 per cent
- Poor job: 23 per cent
- Very poor job: 8 per cent
- Total poor job: 30 per cent
However, slightly more than half of respondents believe Harper may have covered up what he knew about the Schreiber's claims:
- Total believe: 51 per cent
- Strongly believe: 17 per cent
- Somewhat believe: 34 per cent
- Somewhat disbelieve: 19 per cent
- Strongly disbelieve: 14 per cent
- Total disbelieve: 34 per cent
Donolo said the results show Harper has not fully succeeded in distancing himself from the affair, despite repeated statements he has never personally dealt with Schreiber. The prime minister has also said he never received a copy of a letter addressed to Mulroney that Schreiber sent him.
"It means he hasn't got an infinite amount of rope on this issue," said Donolo. "Canadians are willing to trust him but only so far on this issue."
During question period Wednesday, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion asked if Harper would "commit to a full public inquiry that includes himself, his government and his minister of justice."
Harper shot back that "sooner or later it will dawn on even the leader of the Liberal party that the events didn't occur under this government."
Mulroney called for a full public inquiry. On Tuesday, he told an audience in Toronto: "In any fight for your reputation, the truth is always your greatest protection and defence. Twelve years ago I was falsely accused. I fought and won. Now it seems I'm going to have to fight again."
In 1997, Mulroney received a $2.1-million settlement from Jean Chretien's government after he was connected publicly in police documents to an investigation looking into the sale of Airbus jets to Air Canada.
According to the poll, 57 per cent of Canadians think he should return that money in light of the new allegations, while 26 per cent think he should keep the settlement.
Among Conservative members, 49 per cent think he should repay the money, with 37 per cent opposed.
The so-called Airbus scandal concerned secret commissions Schreiber allegedly handed out to ensure Air Canada -- a Crown corporation at the time -- bought Airbus aircraft.
The RCMP closed its Airbus investigation in 2003.
Technical notes:
- The poll was conducted between Nov. 12 and 13 by The Strategic Counsel for CTV and The Globe and Mail.
- 1,000 respondents were sampled nationally, and the margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
- Results are based on tracking among a proportionate national sample of Canadians 18 years of age or older.
With a report by CTV Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife in Ottawa
