The Western Standard asks Grewal about the tapes

Several of you sent me a heads up about the Western Standard having an 'interview' with Gurmant Grewal. Here is the second part of it.

Question Period: Gurmant Grewal
Duncan McMurdo - August 22, 2005

GG: The individual who [originally] said that they were altered--he has given us a clean sheet, saying the tapes are unaltered. We have a letter from Mr. Randy Dash, who is an [audio] expert, which has been given to the RCMP and posted on the web, [that says the tapes] are unaltered. What else do we need? It was the Liberals who were saying that the translation [of the discussions with Dosanjh, in Punjabi] was not good. The Globe and Mail conducted an independent translation, and they found out the translation done on the Punjabi portions was absolutely correct. The Liberals change their story nine times on this issue. And they are saying the tapes are edited or spliced or whatever--that is not the case.

WS: How has this series of attacks and investigations affected you and your family?

GG: It is tough on the family, as well as friends, as well as my constituents. But I am very confident that I will come out clean out of all these investigations, because these investigations are baseless. Even on the taping incident: they are investigating the whistle-blower and forgetting what the message is. Why would you shoot the messenger? Focus on the message and not on the messenger. The tapes speak for themselves. I will be vindicated from this investigation as well, as I have from the other two or three.

Several points.

1. Mr. Dash did not say that the tapes were unaltered. He said that three of the 'clips' that he examined seemed unaltered and the fourth was too poor in quality for him to form a judgement. (see here)
2. The recordings that Dash examined, I am told by a reporter who asked Norquay this exact question, were those that are on Grewal's site now. But those were not the recordings that had been put up on May 31st. (Indeed, even Harper has admitted that "the incorrect tape was posted on our website": here.) Those first tapes were clearly edited, as has been amply demonstrated in this blog, you can start here.
3. My understanding is that the Globe and Mail did not do an independent translation--I suggested it to one of their reporters who interviewed me and was told it was decided it was too expensive.