Today, the Prime Minister served notice to Liberal leader Stephane Dion, Michael Ignatieff, Ralph Goodale and the Liberal Party of Canada indicating that they have libeled him with regards to the Chuck Cadman affair.

Harper’s lawyer insists that the Liberals preserve email and phone records surrounding this topic. If the Liberals are to maintain their position that Stephen Harper was somehow involved with a plan to bribe Chuck Cadman, they will have to go through a discovery phase where those records will become public. Harper likely hopes that this would put the Liberals in a difficult position and probably suspects that information surrounding leaks, potential collaboration and planning will emerge. The Prime Minister is insisting that the Liberals show their cards and we’ll see if the Liberals fold. If records are not provided, obstructionism has legal consequences too.

Many Ottawa-based observers expected the Prime Minister to make a statement or fire a strong salvo at the Liberals this morning. It appears that he’s done both.

The notice of libel is below:

stephen-harper-stephane-dio… by staylor