Where is the accountability?
It is, indeed, a great relief to know that the Prime Minister of Canada cherishes an outspoken and independent Fourth Estate. Why, just the other day, in a speech to the National Ethnic Press and Media Council, he said so.
“We believe strongly that Canadians’ freedom is enhanced when journalists are free to pursue the truth, to shine light into dark corners, to assist the process of holding governments accountable,” he declared at a dinner in Toronto. “Our government does not tell journalists what to say.”
How marvellously comforting to realize that the principles of openness, transparency and accountability are robustly pursued at the highest elective office in the land – that dissembling, deflection and routine prevarication so lamentably common in other countries do not offend our moral sensibilities here in the Great White North.
Oh sure, our ministers and their minions occasionally trip up.
There is, of course, the widespread failure to adhere to the much-discussed Accountability Act, a piece of legislation crafted in the stormy aftermath of the sponsorship scandal whose precepts comprised the essence of a demonstrably successful campaign during the last federal election.
And there have been times when government officials have punished those in their employ who have publicly disagreed with the party line. One recalls the utterly preventable medical isotope shortage, and the incident, a couple of years ago, in which a Department of Environment scientist lost his job for refusing to endorse his boss’s somewhat rosy report on the effects of global warming.
But in the larger scheme of things, who really cares about such piffle?
In fact, does it matter to anyone outside Canada’s “free” press that Kevin Page, the Parliamentary Budget Officer (a position that did not exist until Stephan Harper created it), has been regularly vilified by his political masters for telling Canadians the emperor’s clothes are less substantial than they appear?
Page caused a stir a year ago when he released a report suggesting the Afghan war could cost $18 billion by the time the troops depart in 2011. Department of Defence and Foreign Affairs staff practically fell over themselves to bluntly contradict his research even though none, at the time, had actually read it.
Then, last February, the good fellow landed himself in hot water when he demurred about the federal government’s happy budgetary projections, insisting, instead, that the recession would be longer and harder than predicted, and that the Tories’ Economic Action Plan would be largely insufficient to stem the tide of brutal consequences. Department of Finance officials blasted him for his temerity. Since then, his funding has dwindled.
Oh well, no one likes a snitch.
Just ask Richard Colvin.
He’s the former Canadian diplomat assigned to Afghanistan who testified before a Parliamentary Committee last week that Ottawa ignored and attempted to suppress his reports that Afghan detainees transferred by Canadian troops to the country’s intelligence service in 2006 and 2007 were likely tortured.
The federal government has expended enormous effort and political capital vigorously denying such allegations (which first appeared two years ago thanks, in part, to an investigation by the Globe and Mail which was determined to, among other things, “shine light into dark corners”), and undermining the credibility of those who have made them. Said Defence Minister Peter McKay on Monday: “Not a single Taliban prisoner turned over by Canadian Forces can be proven to have been abused.”
Still, as yesterday’s Globe editorial asks, “How widespread is the culture of secrecy? . .If Canada knew about the torture, and allowed it to continue, the government needs to say so, and say why. Instead of more attacks on public servants, Canadians deserve unconditioned and complete answers.”
I, for one, have no doubt these answers will be forthcoming in due time. The prime minister believes in “the process of holding governments accountable.”
After all, he said so.
Didn’t he?
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November 26th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Were you quoting Stephen Harper talking about Journalists? Are you not talking from one of those dark corners the Prime Minister spoke about? Additionally, anyone that writes a book, as Graeme Smith of the Globe and Mail did, about Afghanistan, is always in doubt. If you consider yourself a Journalist you should realize that these people that write books about their experience embellish the truth in order to help sell their books. This is nothing new. If one could look a little deeper into Mr Colvin’s background I suspect he has an “axe to grind.” The testimony he gave to the Commons Committee has been refuted by three Generals and now today the Senior Diplomat in Afghanistan at the time, has also refuted his testimony in front of a Commons Committee. This might just be “sour grapes”. on the part of Mr Colvin. I think he expected a big diplomatic job after Afghanistan but was sent back to his intelligence job.
You ask, through an editorial in the Globe and Mail, “How wide spread is the culture of secrecy”? I would like to remind both you and the Editor of the Globe and Mail that all classified documents are on a need to know basis. Just because two people, that do not work at the same job, but have the same security clearance, doesn’t mean they can have access to the same documents. But then again Mr Bruce you should know that. As I said a need to know basis. The Prime Minister and his staff have no choice but to hold back correspondence that is in the interests of National Security. As a matter of fact they have no choice, by law they must hold back these documents.
It appears to me Mr Bruce, your prayers have now been answered. The prime minister believes in “the process of holding governments accountable.” and diplomats in Afghanistan as well.
After all, he said so.
Didn’t he?
December 10th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Oh well, no one likes a snitch.
But they love to squeeze every last ounce of info out of them until the well runs dry.
December 11th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Great comments! Thanks for putting it out there.