This week may mean back to school for kids and parents, but things in Ottawa and the provincial capitals remain mostly quiet – except for Quebec, that is.
All that’s happening in Ottawa is a brewing battle over access to the e-mails of political staffers. This little fight started with a revelation about a Tory staffer interfering in an Access to Information Act request for no good reason, which in turn further raised concerns about political interference in a process that is supposed to be independent. It isn’t, of course, and never will be until the function is entirely independent of departments and headed by an agency which doesn’t depend on the government of the day for its budget or executive appointments.
In Quebec, meanwhile, the revelations of former Justice Minister Marc Bellemare about a corrupt provincial judicial appointments process continue to heavy seas. I expect to see a lot more about this over the next few months. I also believe that it’s going to cost Jean Charest his government.
In Alberta, a new study has found toxic chemicals in river water near the oilsands. This contradicts the provincial government’s and oil companies’ line that the oilsands production is not very polluting. I follow this story because a physician and whistleblower, Dr. John O’Connor, alleged high cancer rates in the area and was put through the reprisal process. Now more evidence seems to be accumulating to suggest he was right.
Finally, there are two excellent pieces from the Montreal Gazette on the future of whistleblowing and the sad state of affairs for whistleblowers in Canada. FAIR’s David Hutton is quoted extensively.
See you Thursday.
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Fight Brewing over Access to E-mails of Political Staffers
Former Quebec Minister Gives Explosive Testimony on Judicial Appointments
On Wikileaks and Whistleblowing in Canada
Another Study Finds Toxic Chemicals near Oilsands
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Fight Brewing Over Access to E-mails of Political Staffers
Opposition undeterred by Tory refusal to hand over emails
Globe and Mail, August 29, 2010
Summary: The federal government’s refusal to give a Commons committee the e-mail records of a Conservative staff member has not deterred opposition members who say they will fight to get the documents into their hands.
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Former Quebec Minister Gives Explosive Testimony on Judicial Appointments
Le témoignage de Marc Bellemare mis à mal
La presse, August 30, 2010
Summary: Après quatre jours de pause, le procureur de la commission Bastarache, Giuseppe Battista, s’est affairé ce matin à relever les contradictions dans le témoignage dévastateur de Marc Bellemare. Il en a notamment relevé une, et de taille: alors qu’il affirme avoir reçu l’ordre dès le 2 septembre 2003 de nommer Marc Bisson juge à la Chambre criminelle de Longueuil, Marc Bellemare et son chef de cabinet oeuvraient toujours deux mois plus tard à la sélection des candidats.
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On Wikileaks and Whistleblowing in Canada
Who dares to speak…
The Gazette (Montreal), August 28, 2010
Summary: An in-depth article on whistleblowing in Canada and the uncertain and unpromising outlook for Canadian whistleblowers.
Wikileaks: Hitting ‘send’ to expose a dirty secret
The Gazette (Montreal), August 28, 2010
Summary: Faced with mounting secrecy and the failure of official channels of complaint, whistle-blowers seem to be turning increasingly to the Internet and websites pledged to expose government and corporate secrets, in the public interest.
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Another Study Finds Toxic Chemicals Near Oilsands
Oilsands increase toxic metals downstream: study
National Post, August 30, 2010
Summary: A study released on Monday shows that the oilsands industry increases the concentrations of dangerous metals, such as mercury, in locations downstream of development.
