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Canada PM faces plagiarism claim Canada PM faces plagiarism claim
(about 1 hour later)
A Canadian Conservative Party speech-writer has resigned after Prime Minister Stephen Harper was accused of plagiarising a speech he made in 2003.A Canadian Conservative Party speech-writer has resigned after Prime Minister Stephen Harper was accused of plagiarising a speech he made in 2003.
Owen Lippert admitted he had been "overzealous in copying segments" of a speech in support of the invasion of Iraq by then Australian PM John Howard.Owen Lippert admitted he had been "overzealous in copying segments" of a speech in support of the invasion of Iraq by then Australian PM John Howard.
Mr Lippert said neither his superiors nor Mr Harper, who was opposition leader at the time, had been aware.Mr Lippert said neither his superiors nor Mr Harper, who was opposition leader at the time, had been aware.
The accusation comes half-way through a general election campaign.The accusation comes half-way through a general election campaign.
Mr Harper called the snap election for 14 October last month, hoping to either bolster his minority, or obtain a majority government, for which he would need to win 28 more seats in parliament. Mr Harper, who has led a minority government since January 2006, called the snap election for 14 October last month, hoping to obtain a parliamentary majority, for which he needs to win 28 more seats.
Opinion polls suggest he is within striking distance of doing so. Opinion polls suggest the conservatives are within striking distance of doing so, having maintained a near 10-point lead over the Liberals.
'Pressed for time' Context 'even worse'
The speech by Mr Harper was originally made on 20 March 2003 as the House of Commons in Ottawa held an emergency debate at the beginning of the US-led war in Iraq.The speech by Mr Harper was originally made on 20 March 2003 as the House of Commons in Ottawa held an emergency debate at the beginning of the US-led war in Iraq.
In the debate, Mr Harper urged Canada and the Liberal government to join the so-called "coalition of the willing".In the debate, Mr Harper urged Canada and the Liberal government to join the so-called "coalition of the willing".
COMPARE THE SPEECHES 2003 speeches by John Howard and Stephen Harper [120KB]Source: Liberal Party of Canada Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader hereCOMPARE THE SPEECHES 2003 speeches by John Howard and Stephen Harper [120KB]Source: Liberal Party of Canada Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here
Five years later at a campaign stop on Tuesday, during an increasingly bitter election campaign, Liberal MP Bob Rae made an incendiary accusation. Five years later at a campaign stop on Tuesday, a Liberal MP for Toronto, Bob Rae, made accused the prime minister of plagiarism.
Mr Harper's 2003 speech had been made almost word-for-word two days before in Canberra by his former Australian counterpart, John Howard, he said.Mr Harper's 2003 speech had been made almost word-for-word two days before in Canberra by his former Australian counterpart, John Howard, he said.
And just to prove it, portions of the speech were played side by side. To prove the allegation, portions of the speeches were played side by side.
"In the interests of world peace and regional security... The community of nations required Iraq to surrender," Mr Howard said in his speech."In the interests of world peace and regional security... The community of nations required Iraq to surrender," Mr Howard said in his speech.
"In the interests of peace and regional security... The community of nations required Iraq to surrender," Mr Harper said days later. "In the interests of peace and regional security... The community of nations required Iraq to surrender," Mr Harper said two days later.
Conservative campaign officials initially refused to discuss the matter, but eventually Mr Lippert announced his resignation. Mr Rae said the discovery was made by accident almost two months ago by Liberal strategists who were looking for similarities between Mr Harper's government and that of US President George W Bush.
The Liberals said they did not release the information until Tuesday because they had been waiting to receive a videotape of Mr Howard's speech from Australia.
Liberal leader Stephane Dion said Mr Harper ought to be "expelled" by his party, and that the context in which the plagiarism had occurred made it "even worse".
"It's about Stephen Harper saying that Canada should go with the war in Iraq," he said.
"He's unable to choose his own words," he added. "Canadians want their country [to] speak with its own voice on the world stage."
'Pressed for time'
Conservative campaign spokesman Kory Teneycke initially refused to discuss the allegations of plagiarism.
Mr Harper has been depicting himself as honest ahead of the election
"I'm not going to get into a debate about a five-year-old speech that was delivered three parliaments ago, two elections ago," he told the CBC.
But eventually Mr Lippert, who describes himself as an expert in intellectual property, apologised and announced his resignation.
"Pressed for time, I was overzealous in copying segments of another world leader's speech," he said in a statement."Pressed for time, I was overzealous in copying segments of another world leader's speech," he said in a statement.
"Neither my superiors in the office of the leader of the opposition nor the leader of the opposition was aware that I had done so.""Neither my superiors in the office of the leader of the opposition nor the leader of the opposition was aware that I had done so."
The revelation comes during an election campaign that has focussed heavily on leadership, with Prime Minister Harper depicting himself as honest and dependable, contrasting himself to the main opposition Liberal leader, Stephane Dion. The BBC's Lee Carter in Toronto says the revelation comes during an election campaign that has focused heavily on leadership, with Mr Harper depicting himself as honest and dependable, contrasting himself to Mr Dion, who has been criticised for poor leadership and communication skills.
Mr Dion is behind in the polls and has been criticised for poor leadership and communication skills. The two men are to face each other shortly in two vital televised debates - one in French on Wednesday and another in English on Thursday.