Paul from Nova Scotia (or three versions of a knock-knock joke)

The Conservative re-releases of the tapes introduces a complexity that makes our work more difficult (grewaling?) The Tim Murphy meeting was released first in an 8-minute version on the 18th of May. Then, on May 31, another version was released that was 3 minutes long along with an 11-page transcript of the conversation. Sometime yesterday (or possibly the evening before) a third version was mounted that is 26 minutes long.

All three versions include a soliquay of Tim Murphy on the importance of honesty. His speech was interrupted when an aide brought tea. In all three versions, there is a tell-tale knock-knock. But each of the three is slightly different. Here they are, side by side:

Tape of May 18, 2:30	Transcript of May 31, 2:52	Tape of June 3, 7:52
TM: I think it's a bad idea, truthfully, to have any kind of commitment that involves an explicit trade. (knock, knock)	TM: I think it is a bad idea truthfully to have any kind of commitment that involves an explicit trade. (knock, knock)	TM: I think it is a bad idea truthfully to have any kind of commitment that involves an explicit trade. (knock, knock)
	GG: Yeah, TM: Right. Here let me get the door for you. GG: Yes please. Sorry about that. TM (to tea server): Are you from BC too?	GG: Yeah, TM: Right. Here let me get the door for you. GG: Yes please. Sorry about that. TM (to tea server): Are you from BC too?
		Tea server: Nova Scotia
	We were just talking about the BC election.	We were just talking about the BC election.
	Alright. Thank you. (Tea server leaves?) That, um,	Alright. Thank you. (Tea server leaves?) That, um,
Because I think anything that [unintelligible]. I don't think it's good if anybody lies. So if anybody asks the question well, was there a deal, you say, 'No.' You want that to be the truth…	because I think anything that, I don’t think it is good if anybody lies so if anybody is asked the question was there a deal and you say no, you want that to be the truth…	because I think anything that, I don’t think it is good if anybody lies so if anybody is asked the question was there a deal and you say no, you want that to be the truth…

Now, lest I be accused of being a conspiracy theorist, it is very difficult to see what was gained by either the first edited tape (which deleted the interruption), except perhaps to let the narrative run a little smoother. Nor why the tea server would be left out of the tape, except perhaps to save poor Paul from Nova Scotia (it is Paul who is sent for tea slightly earlier) from being hounded by the press about what he may or may not have heard.

But given that Mark of Section 15 has suggested that someone saw Murphy in Grewal's office--that Grewal was 'caught'--I wonder whether Paul from Nova Scotia might be a candidate.