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Still, if it were to deter him, or others like him, that might be no bad thing. There is something a little disquieting about senior military commanders borrowing the prestige of their office to advance themselves in politics.

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The former Canadian Army commander has not denied the charge, instead coyly describing his discussions with “a variety of political parties” since he retired more than two years ago as being “much akin to a dance.”

But the assertion threatens to dirty one of the Liberal party’s star candidates, who is already struggling with controversy following revelations taxpayers footed $72,000 in relocation costs and real estate fees when he left the military.

News of Leslie’s moving expenses was leaked just days before the start of the Liberal national convention.

During a highly anticipated speech to Liberal faithful at the convention Friday, Leslie said he had talked to a variety of political parties upon his retirement before joining Trudeau’s team as a foreign and military affairs adviser in September 2013.

“I don’t know if any of you have noticed but one of the other political parties doesn’t seem to be taking the news too well,” he joked, casting the Tories as spurned lovers.

“I want to tell them, ’Look, it wasn’t you, it was me.’ But do you know what? After this last week, let’s be honest, it was really them.”