CBCnews

Memory test

Posted in Political Bytes Posted on April 17, 2009 03:47 PM |

It has become a fad of late to sell video games and computer games to keep the aging brain functioning well and memory from fading.

Well, here's a free way to keep the brain limber.

Tune into the Oliphant Commission examining the business and financial dealings between Karlheinz Schreiber and former prime minister Brian Mulroney.

The majority of the events being covered took place at least 20 years ago.

There are hundreds of people who are talked about, some of whom who have since passed on.

There are dozens of abbreviations for company names and hundreds of key dates.

Each day is a new test of memory.

Not surprising then that it may take its toll on one of the key witnesses. Schreiber is 75 and no matter how many documents and diaries he has kept, it's hard to keep it all straight.

By mid-afternoon, he is usually fading a bit and admitted yesterday he was "missing his nap."

Justice Jeffrey Oliphant joked that sometimes when the testimony gets boring he "doesn't miss his nap."

Even with all the jokes, testimony ended early yesterday to accomodate Schreiber. No one wants a tired witness, afterall, given that he is the one who must answer all the questions.

And don't forget the other key witness in this inquiry - Brian Mulroney - recently had his 70th birthday.

Rosemary Barton