I realize the tradition is to support a minister at a time like this, but traditions can be broken. The document altering is a joke, something one would see in junior school. The Conservative caucus has a number of bright and well rounded MP's who deserve a shot.
Perhaps we need to wait until the actual facts come out - what Kady says, or Bob says or Evan says shouldn't be taken as what really happened.
ReplyDeleteI'm just basing my opinion on the picture I saw of the actual document. I like Oda, but she deserves a demotion for this.
ReplyDeleteAlberta Girl, how about what Bev, herself says? She admitted to it...
ReplyDeletehttp://searchingforliberty.blogspot.com/2011/02/todays-menu-from-conservative-caucus.html
Well CK, I am sure that you have read up on the backstory here, right???? This was done to signify disagreement. But, then, it makes such a better scandal to suggest something was underhanded.
ReplyDeletePlease read Prairie Tory and A Few Figs, they have a different take on this. Instead of taking the document as gospel, they went and read the committees reports and discovered that Bev had said NO. But she was presented with a document without that word in it and she added it.
ReplyDeleteWho left out the NOT, was it on purpose or a deliberate attempt to get funding she had denied.
I saw and heard the Speaker give his ruling in this and there were very few members there and he did not say the minister had overstepped her bounds.
He quoted several sections and cases that set precedent.
At least it proves she read documents before signing them.
I've read the committee reports as well now, and there are two problems as I see it.
ReplyDelete1. Oda didn't own up to her authoring of the "not" in the memo, which was explained easily enough as an oversight in leaving space for ministerial overruling of departmental recommendations.
2. When Oda cut off Kairos she wasn't upfront that the decision was an overruling by her, and not supported by the department.
She's been caught lying twice. Which isn't a huge deal, but it goes to her competence and character.
Just listening to Fife,Travers and Martin on power play squawking about the Oda thing. Talk about the 3 stooges show.
ReplyDeleteRob C
I am not sure she was caught lying; only the media and the opps have said so. Not much of a credible source if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteShe said that CIDA found it wanting (or words to that effect)which I take is what everyone thinks is the lie. As minister responsible, she technically is CIDA. Her department can make all the recommendations they wany, but at the end of the day the decision is hers when it comes to any spending. That is how the Financial Administration Act lays out spending authority. The minister has signing authority.
So when it comes to authorizing expenditures, she is CIDA.
I thought that was a rather disgraceful exhibition on Power Play by Travers and Robert Fife on Wednesday, to celebrate the unflattering and tasteless picture, that Canadian Press captured and circulated to all the news media of Bev Oda and the cigarette, which they guaranteed would be carried and shown all over by their professional ( using term very loosely) brethren – doesn’t say much for our media does it as it sinks to another low?
ReplyDeleteFor Travers and Fife to make light of this disgusting act, and their ensuing guffaws, should raise the ire of women across Canada, for this juvenile treatment and intrusion of a private moment. To think that 24 hours earlier, both Travis and Fife were lecturing politicians about tasteless and vulgar personal attacks, and that they had no place in a civilized society( do we recall the picture of Chretien that was condemned by these same two individuals), yet in this case they applauded, if not cherished, this disgraceful act. They can not deny that they were amused and relished this offensive photo and its’ resulting publicity, which they helped contribute to. Are we to assume that journalist have a different standard and code of ethics which may be even worse than that of politicians – or are these two an exception to the rule? I will believe, they are the exception, when I hear some of their brethren condemn them for their disgraceful actions, or that they sincerely apologize to all Canadians and women in particular, or preferably both.
Any journalist worth his salt would have condemned and despised this act of yellow journalism.
I am reminded of the old saying “I hear the laughter of the vacant minds”
Does CTV and Power Play owe their viewers an apology – you decide?