Uh oh ... did not think that one through:
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson: I have no had an official request from the PM to investigate anything relating to Ms. Guergis.
Anna Maria Tremonti, The Current: Who has requested then, if he hasn't?
MD: I haven't had any request.
AMT: From anyone?
MD: No. Um..
AMT: So when you say you decided not to...
MD: I have also got the power to self-initiate if I feel I've got reasonable grounds, but I have very little information at this time.
AMT: So you're saying you don't have enough information to decide to go ahead. Where would you get that information that you need to decide.
MD: Well I'm monitoring the situation by watching news reports and whatnot, but I have a responsibility, basically... the reason why that notice, that press release went out is that it was in the public domain and I have to consider the person that a complaint is made about. Once it was out in the public domain, I had to let her know what the situation was. Umm. So.
AMT: But you're telling me you're getting the information the way the rest of us are?
MD: Uh, well, I've had one referral from the PM, but it wasn't an official request.
AMT: What's the difference?
MD: The difference is I have to have reasonable grounds and I have to have a section of the Act or the Code - and it could be either - indicated, with respect to what it is I'm to investigate. And I don't have either of those things.
Just read the whole thing. It gets better.
4 comments:
That's a pretty large load of unadulterated crap...
From King Stevie to the RCMP and the ethics commissioner--"Here's some information regarding the alleged illegal activities of one of my cabinet ministers..."
And that's it?
Now they're parsing language to say, "Well Stevie didn't tell us what to do with this information so we'll just sit on our hands"???
Is that what this comes down to??
"Hey cops--here's some information about some illegal wrongdoings--no I don't want you to do anything with that info--it's more of an FYI..."
Great, the 5 year olds are in charge.
Start your stopwatches! Harper moves to fire / replace Mary Dawson in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...
Can't be having that there truthiness in government, now can we?
Noni
27.(1) A Member who has reasonable grounds to believe that another Member has not complied with his or her obligations under this Code may request that the Commissioner conduct an inquiry into the matter.
(2) The request shall be in writing, signed, and shall identify the alleged non-compliance and set out the reasonable grounds for that belief.
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/standingorders/appa1-e.htm
Dear Prime Minister;
According to the evul liberal media, you have asked me to investigate Helena Guergis. The only message I have received from the PMO was somebody on the telephone snarling "I WANT YOU TO TAKE GUERGIS DOWN NOW!"
I am forced to assume that your formal letter has been misdirected; you know, the letter which explains what part of the Act or the Code you believe has been violated, and which provides supporting evidence. Please send it again.
Yours in confusion
Mary Dawson
Ethics Commissioner.
P.S. I'm not the Governor General, Prime Minister; a phone call does not suffice.
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