On The Record.
Ford on Cyclists
Every year we have dozens of people who get hit by cars or trucks. My heart bleeds when someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day. – March 7, 2007
Ford on Asians
Those Oriental people work like dogs. I’m telling you, the Oriental people, they’re slowly taking over. – March 5, 2008
Ford on HIV/AIDS
If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn’t get AIDS probably, that’s bottom line. These are the facts. – June 29, 2006
Ford on Immigration
The situation is out of control. There should be a refugee freeze in Toronto. At some point we have to shut the door…we are the laughingstock of North America. – March 12, 2003
Ford on Conservation Signs
You’d have to be ret#rded if you can’t see frickin’ water in front of you. I don’t really know what we’re trying to accomplish by putting up signs and telling people, yeah, underneath this bridge there’s water. – May 20, 2009
Ford on Homeless Shelters
This is an insult to my constituents to even think about having a homeless shelter in their ward. – April 17, 2002
Rob Ford in Action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgJ8oVsp6bo
Rob Ford on Homeless Shelters
Rob Ford on Cyclists
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled Friday there is no place here for the American Miranda rule
Waiting to have your lawyer present before you speak with police doesn't work in Canada anymore.
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled Friday there is no place here for the American Miranda rule which gives a suspect the right to have a lawyer present during questioning.
The judges rejected that right in three separate rulings, but the justices were sharply divided.
In the main case, they ruled 5-4 that the charter of rights does not confer a right to have a lawyer present during interrogation.
Calgary lawyer Balfour Der says you still have the right to speak with a lawyer before you are questioned, but that lawyer does not have to be in the room when you are questioned by police.
He says you also have the right to diligently look for a lawyer but you can't just sit around with the excuse your lawyer is out of town or you can't find one.
Der adds, police can question you all they want, but you can choose not to answer.
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled Friday there is no place here for the American Miranda rule which gives a suspect the right to have a lawyer present during questioning.
The judges rejected that right in three separate rulings, but the justices were sharply divided.
In the main case, they ruled 5-4 that the charter of rights does not confer a right to have a lawyer present during interrogation.
Calgary lawyer Balfour Der says you still have the right to speak with a lawyer before you are questioned, but that lawyer does not have to be in the room when you are questioned by police.
He says you also have the right to diligently look for a lawyer but you can't just sit around with the excuse your lawyer is out of town or you can't find one.
Der adds, police can question you all they want, but you can choose not to answer.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Commissioner finds Veterans Affairs 'seriously mishandled' personal info.!
A Canadian Gulf War veteran is calling for a full public inquiry after the federal privacy commissioner found Veterans Affairs officials broke the law by sharing his sensitive personal and medical information.
An emotional Sean Bruyea said the officials in the department deliberately "crossed the line" in an attempt to discredit him as an outspoken opponent to the 2006 Veteran's Charter by including detailed information about his medical and psychological diagnosis and treatment in minister's briefing notes.
Bruyea, who has brought a $400,000 court action against the federal government, said he felt vindicated by the commissioner's findings but called on the federal government to apologize to all veterans.
"An apology would let us live in peace and start to rebuild the shattered trust between the government of Canada and the disabled soldiers," Bruyea said during an interview on CBC's Power & Politics with Evan Solomon.
He said the actions of department officials left him and his wife in a "humiliating state of powerlessness and vulnerability" and in "constant terror" of what the department, which controlled 100 per cent of his income at the time, would do next.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper placed the blame squarely on the department's bureaucrats, saying "the fact that some in the bureaucracy have been abusing these files and not following appropriate processes is completely unacceptable.
"We will ensure that rules are followed, that the recommendations of the privacy commission are implemented [and] that if this behaviour continues, there will be strong sanctions against it," the prime minister told reporters Thursday at an aerospace announcement in Winnipeg.
But Bruyea said the Prime Minister's Office "completely ignored" hundreds of pages of requests he sent about his case.
Privacy breaches 'alarming': commissioner
Bruyea's personal information ended up in March 2006 briefing notes of the former minister in charge, Greg Thompson, while his medical information, including diagnosis, symptoms and prognosis, were also found in a second ministerial briefing note dating back to 2005 under the former Liberal government and then-minister.
In her report, Stoddart said she found it "alarming" that Bruyea's information was shared "seemingly with no controls" among departmental officials "who had no legitimate need to see it."
Stoddart's office also found that documents containing Bruyea's medical information were sent to a veterans' hospital without his consent. While there were other briefing notes containing personal information, Stoddart found those were prepared for the "purpose of a ministerial response to particular issues raised by the complainant and therefore the content appeared appropriate."
The commissioner added she was also deeply concerned that officials from numerous branches of Veterans Affairs, including program policy, communications and media relations, were involved in discussing and contributing to the briefing notes and also had full access to them.
No apology from Blackburn
Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn says he will immediately start implementing the privacy commissioner's recommendations and 'correct this situation.' (CBC)Stoddart recommended the department immediately revise its protocols for handling personal information to ensure it is shared only on a need-to-know basis, and provide training to employees about appropriate personal information-handling practices.
Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, who took over the portfolio eight months ago after Thompson left politics, says he's now looking at increasing penalties for bureaucrats who break the rules.
Blackburn called what happened in Bruyea's case "grave and unacceptable" and said the department is immediately taking steps to implement her recommendations.
"It's very embarrassing for our department to have that kind of documentation saying we were wrong," Blackburn said. "And I'm telling you, we will implement all those recommendations and it won't be the end of that. We'll go further."
But the minister stopped short of apologizing personally to Bruyea or saying if anyone in Veterans Affairs would be fired as a result of the commissioner's findings.
"This case is before the court," Blackburn told the CBC's Solomon. "It’s for this that I cannot speak on this specific case."
Bruyea said Blackburn spoke with him shortly before his CBC interview and told him he was legally bound not to apologize. He said he told the minister he understood he "has a frustrating job."
"I understand that the bureaucracy in Veterans Affairs doesn't like him," Bruyea said. "I told him that means he's doing a good job if he's actually disagreeing with them."
NDP veterans affairs critic Peter Stoffer said the commissioner's findings show the need for a full public inquiry into the matter.
"These members of the military serve their country, they deserve respect and if their information is being used like confetti through the department, then what these people need is a full inquiry to ascertain exactly who, what, when, where and why," he told CBC News. "Why would they do this?"
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/10/07/veteran-privacy-breach.html#socialcomments#ixzz11k4agTCA
An emotional Sean Bruyea said the officials in the department deliberately "crossed the line" in an attempt to discredit him as an outspoken opponent to the 2006 Veteran's Charter by including detailed information about his medical and psychological diagnosis and treatment in minister's briefing notes.
Bruyea, who has brought a $400,000 court action against the federal government, said he felt vindicated by the commissioner's findings but called on the federal government to apologize to all veterans.
"An apology would let us live in peace and start to rebuild the shattered trust between the government of Canada and the disabled soldiers," Bruyea said during an interview on CBC's Power & Politics with Evan Solomon.
He said the actions of department officials left him and his wife in a "humiliating state of powerlessness and vulnerability" and in "constant terror" of what the department, which controlled 100 per cent of his income at the time, would do next.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper placed the blame squarely on the department's bureaucrats, saying "the fact that some in the bureaucracy have been abusing these files and not following appropriate processes is completely unacceptable.
"We will ensure that rules are followed, that the recommendations of the privacy commission are implemented [and] that if this behaviour continues, there will be strong sanctions against it," the prime minister told reporters Thursday at an aerospace announcement in Winnipeg.
But Bruyea said the Prime Minister's Office "completely ignored" hundreds of pages of requests he sent about his case.
Privacy breaches 'alarming': commissioner
Bruyea's personal information ended up in March 2006 briefing notes of the former minister in charge, Greg Thompson, while his medical information, including diagnosis, symptoms and prognosis, were also found in a second ministerial briefing note dating back to 2005 under the former Liberal government and then-minister.
In her report, Stoddart said she found it "alarming" that Bruyea's information was shared "seemingly with no controls" among departmental officials "who had no legitimate need to see it."
Stoddart's office also found that documents containing Bruyea's medical information were sent to a veterans' hospital without his consent. While there were other briefing notes containing personal information, Stoddart found those were prepared for the "purpose of a ministerial response to particular issues raised by the complainant and therefore the content appeared appropriate."
The commissioner added she was also deeply concerned that officials from numerous branches of Veterans Affairs, including program policy, communications and media relations, were involved in discussing and contributing to the briefing notes and also had full access to them.
No apology from Blackburn
Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn says he will immediately start implementing the privacy commissioner's recommendations and 'correct this situation.' (CBC)Stoddart recommended the department immediately revise its protocols for handling personal information to ensure it is shared only on a need-to-know basis, and provide training to employees about appropriate personal information-handling practices.
Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, who took over the portfolio eight months ago after Thompson left politics, says he's now looking at increasing penalties for bureaucrats who break the rules.
Blackburn called what happened in Bruyea's case "grave and unacceptable" and said the department is immediately taking steps to implement her recommendations.
"It's very embarrassing for our department to have that kind of documentation saying we were wrong," Blackburn said. "And I'm telling you, we will implement all those recommendations and it won't be the end of that. We'll go further."
But the minister stopped short of apologizing personally to Bruyea or saying if anyone in Veterans Affairs would be fired as a result of the commissioner's findings.
"This case is before the court," Blackburn told the CBC's Solomon. "It’s for this that I cannot speak on this specific case."
Bruyea said Blackburn spoke with him shortly before his CBC interview and told him he was legally bound not to apologize. He said he told the minister he understood he "has a frustrating job."
"I understand that the bureaucracy in Veterans Affairs doesn't like him," Bruyea said. "I told him that means he's doing a good job if he's actually disagreeing with them."
NDP veterans affairs critic Peter Stoffer said the commissioner's findings show the need for a full public inquiry into the matter.
"These members of the military serve their country, they deserve respect and if their information is being used like confetti through the department, then what these people need is a full inquiry to ascertain exactly who, what, when, where and why," he told CBC News. "Why would they do this?"
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/10/07/veteran-privacy-breach.html#socialcomments#ixzz11k4agTCA
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Open letter to PMO Stephen Harper regarding mistreatment of our Veterans by himself, the Conservative Party and the Government of Canada
This is the email I sent to the Prime Mininster in August of 2010 explaining my displeasure about how he has handled the Veteran Affairs file. Since that email, there has been an increase in funding for veterns medical needs and long term benefits. That is a good start but not enough. I think he may still lose nearly all the veterans as a political base. At the end of this message I will be placing my email address in case anybody wants to email me. A note to spammers: the email address I will be leaving was specifically started for communication with different groups that may result in a lot of spam being thrown at the account.
pm@pm.gc.ca
To The Right Honourable Prime Minister Harper,
The Privy Council and Veteran's Affairs Minister
I am contacting you regarding the recent termination of the Veteran's Affairs Ombudsman. You appointed the guy. In the job description of this particular gentleman, he is to be independent and at arms length from the Government of Canada as well as the PMO. However, since you don't like what he says, you then decide not to renew his three year term. One is left with the distinct impression that this government, in particular the office of the PMO, cannot handle criticism of any type and will throw anyone who doesn't agree with his thinking under the bus, as you have done to other heads of independent bodies.
For a political party and government that loves to wrap itself in the flag and use the military as a photo op, firing the Veterans advocate is a good way to shoot yourself in the foot and quite possibly commit political suicide. Why do something this stupid. You know there will be a fresh supply of veterans due to the mission if Afghanistan and they will need help. When they don't get the services and benefits they deserve, that will be an outrage. Such an insult is going to make the census controversy look like a picnic.
In closing Mr. Harper, do you enjoy insulting people? If you do let me congratulate you on doing a bang-up job this summer. It appears your new job description is Prime Minister of insults and snafu's. You should schedule a trip to the front and walk the line. At the moment, the Governor General has been to Afghanistan meeting with the troops more than you have. You could have use that month-and-a-half media blackout to go visit the troops. Obviously you didn't because you don't have a suntan. Start respecting people and the opposition more Mr. Harper because if you appear too weak or stubborn you can be replaced sir.
I can be reached at: msdogfood@hotmail.com
pm@pm.gc.ca
To The Right Honourable Prime Minister Harper,
The Privy Council and Veteran's Affairs Minister
I am contacting you regarding the recent termination of the Veteran's Affairs Ombudsman. You appointed the guy. In the job description of this particular gentleman, he is to be independent and at arms length from the Government of Canada as well as the PMO. However, since you don't like what he says, you then decide not to renew his three year term. One is left with the distinct impression that this government, in particular the office of the PMO, cannot handle criticism of any type and will throw anyone who doesn't agree with his thinking under the bus, as you have done to other heads of independent bodies.
For a political party and government that loves to wrap itself in the flag and use the military as a photo op, firing the Veterans advocate is a good way to shoot yourself in the foot and quite possibly commit political suicide. Why do something this stupid. You know there will be a fresh supply of veterans due to the mission if Afghanistan and they will need help. When they don't get the services and benefits they deserve, that will be an outrage. Such an insult is going to make the census controversy look like a picnic.
In closing Mr. Harper, do you enjoy insulting people? If you do let me congratulate you on doing a bang-up job this summer. It appears your new job description is Prime Minister of insults and snafu's. You should schedule a trip to the front and walk the line. At the moment, the Governor General has been to Afghanistan meeting with the troops more than you have. You could have use that month-and-a-half media blackout to go visit the troops. Obviously you didn't because you don't have a suntan. Start respecting people and the opposition more Mr. Harper because if you appear too weak or stubborn you can be replaced sir.
I can be reached at: msdogfood@hotmail.com
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Sun TV no longer chasing must carry licence for Now.
OTTAWA — Quebecor Inc. says it is no longer seeking a controversial special licence that would give the new right-leaning Sun TV 24-hour news channel a three-year boost in seeking out viewers.
Chief executive Pierre Karl Peladeau told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday that he would likely drop his request for a must-carry exemption on his Category II licence application.
Under such a exemption, carriers would have to make the channel available, likely either as a paid add-on service or as part of a speciality package in addition to basic cable
"I would say there's a possibility that we drop our condition and go simply to Cat. II," Peladeau said.
An official with Quebecor later said the decision had been already been made. A letter will be sent to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission within a few days withdrawing the request, which would have been the subject of a public hearing Nov. 19, the official said.
The change of tack likely removes all impediments for Quebecor to receive a licence to broadcast, and almost certainly means the public hearing will not be held.
The request was expected to be hotly contested, with rivals and many civic groups lining up to oppose the application. Last week, the advocacy group Avaaz dropped off 10 boxes to the CRTC containing more than 21,000 letters from Canadians opposed to the special licence.
This is the second time that Quebecor has lowered its sights on what licence it could obtain. Initially, it had wanted a mandatory carriage licence that meant Canadians would have had no choice but to receive the station on their basic cable package, as is currently the case with CBC Newsworld.
This summer, the company said failing to get the same treatment as CBC Newsworld would doom the upstart.
"This would be fatal to our business case ... and would likely result in the cancellation of the Sun TV News project," Quebecor wrote the CRTC.
The CRTC had earlier told Quebecor no such licences would be considered until after Sept. 1, 2011, and that in any case, starting then all cable news and sports shows must negotiate with carriers for inclusion in the lineup of shows offered.
That means Newsworld and CTV Newsnet will find themselves in the same place as Sun TV, competing for attention from the public and carriers.
Still, Peladeau complained that his company was being treated unfairly, since CBC and CTV had been given help in building up their subscriber base.
Asked why he was withdrawing his request if he considered the system "unfair," Peladeau responded: "It's not as simple as that. I think we need to be open-minded and this is the attitude we will (adopt) throughout the whole process."
Sun TV, often dubbed as "Fox News North" by critics, has courted controversy since Quebecor hired Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former communications director, Kory Teneycke, to run the news operations.
Teneycke resigned abruptly in mid-September at about the same time Avaaz called in the RCMP to investigate interference with its online petition drive against the station.
Peladeau gave every indication he believed the sometimes harsh media spotlight was unwelcome and at best distracting.
"There's a lot of noise taking place in the media about this. This is disturbing the real thing, which is providing more choice to Canadians," he said.
Earlier, in a speech to the Canadian Club, the Quebec-based media baron said some of the criticism of his proposed station slated to begin airing in the new year has been "shocking" and "off the wall."
Pointing to 60 years in the media, particularly in Quebec, he said there was never an instance of his outlets publishing or broadcasting hate propaganda, and said Sun TV has no connection with the right-wing Fox News in the U.S..
Nor has there been a "secret deal" with Prime Minister Harper to offer favourable coverage on Sun TV to the government in exchange for federal funding for a NHL-ready hockey arena in Quebec City, he said.
If Canadians want to know what Sun media will be like, he said, they need only look at the Toronto Sun and other newspapers in the chain, which he conceded are on "the right of the political spectrum."
"But it would be an oversimplification to say they are on the right, period," he added. "The Sun papers could also be described as populist, irreverent, sometimes provocative."
Chief executive Pierre Karl Peladeau told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday that he would likely drop his request for a must-carry exemption on his Category II licence application.
Under such a exemption, carriers would have to make the channel available, likely either as a paid add-on service or as part of a speciality package in addition to basic cable
"I would say there's a possibility that we drop our condition and go simply to Cat. II," Peladeau said.
An official with Quebecor later said the decision had been already been made. A letter will be sent to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission within a few days withdrawing the request, which would have been the subject of a public hearing Nov. 19, the official said.
The change of tack likely removes all impediments for Quebecor to receive a licence to broadcast, and almost certainly means the public hearing will not be held.
The request was expected to be hotly contested, with rivals and many civic groups lining up to oppose the application. Last week, the advocacy group Avaaz dropped off 10 boxes to the CRTC containing more than 21,000 letters from Canadians opposed to the special licence.
This is the second time that Quebecor has lowered its sights on what licence it could obtain. Initially, it had wanted a mandatory carriage licence that meant Canadians would have had no choice but to receive the station on their basic cable package, as is currently the case with CBC Newsworld.
This summer, the company said failing to get the same treatment as CBC Newsworld would doom the upstart.
"This would be fatal to our business case ... and would likely result in the cancellation of the Sun TV News project," Quebecor wrote the CRTC.
The CRTC had earlier told Quebecor no such licences would be considered until after Sept. 1, 2011, and that in any case, starting then all cable news and sports shows must negotiate with carriers for inclusion in the lineup of shows offered.
That means Newsworld and CTV Newsnet will find themselves in the same place as Sun TV, competing for attention from the public and carriers.
Still, Peladeau complained that his company was being treated unfairly, since CBC and CTV had been given help in building up their subscriber base.
Asked why he was withdrawing his request if he considered the system "unfair," Peladeau responded: "It's not as simple as that. I think we need to be open-minded and this is the attitude we will (adopt) throughout the whole process."
Sun TV, often dubbed as "Fox News North" by critics, has courted controversy since Quebecor hired Prime Minister Stephen Harper's former communications director, Kory Teneycke, to run the news operations.
Teneycke resigned abruptly in mid-September at about the same time Avaaz called in the RCMP to investigate interference with its online petition drive against the station.
Peladeau gave every indication he believed the sometimes harsh media spotlight was unwelcome and at best distracting.
"There's a lot of noise taking place in the media about this. This is disturbing the real thing, which is providing more choice to Canadians," he said.
Earlier, in a speech to the Canadian Club, the Quebec-based media baron said some of the criticism of his proposed station slated to begin airing in the new year has been "shocking" and "off the wall."
Pointing to 60 years in the media, particularly in Quebec, he said there was never an instance of his outlets publishing or broadcasting hate propaganda, and said Sun TV has no connection with the right-wing Fox News in the U.S..
Nor has there been a "secret deal" with Prime Minister Harper to offer favourable coverage on Sun TV to the government in exchange for federal funding for a NHL-ready hockey arena in Quebec City, he said.
If Canadians want to know what Sun media will be like, he said, they need only look at the Toronto Sun and other newspapers in the chain, which he conceded are on "the right of the political spectrum."
"But it would be an oversimplification to say they are on the right, period," he added. "The Sun papers could also be described as populist, irreverent, sometimes provocative."
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
An Industry Canada employee questioned Conservative MP Maxime Bernier's claims
Industry Canada queried Bernier census claims
An Industry Canada employee questioned Conservative MP Maxime Bernier's claims in July that as minister he received about 1,000 complaints a day about the mandatory long-form census, internal documents obtained by CBC News show.
Maxime Bernier said in July his office received about 1,000 complaints a day about the mandatory long-form census when he oversaw it in 2006 as industry minister. (Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)The former industry minister, now a Conservative backbencher, said in July of this year that he was blitzed by complaints when he oversaw the 2006 census as minister.
However, in a July 18 email found among documents obtained by CBC News through an access-to-information request, ministry employee Paul Halucha asked a high-ranking official at Statistics Canada whether the agency had any numbers to back up Bernier's statement.
Industry Canada's "internal survey of correspondence did not show anything close to a thousand a day," he wrote to Statistics Canada's Connie Graziadei, adding in brackets "we got a standard 25-30 a year."
The documents suggest officials inside the ministry responsible for the census were themselves caught flat-footed by Bernier's contention that the government had been inundated with complaints over the 2006 survey.
According to the documents, Graziadei replied with a breakdown of the 882 complaints Statistics Canada received for the 2006 short- and long-form census, which included 332 complaints about a contract the agency awarded to Lockheed-Martin for census data collection.
In her email, she said Statistics Canada received 22 complaints about the "intrusiveness of the questions." There were also 116 about the "subject matter" of the questions.
Industry Minister Tony Clement, who will oversee the 2011 census next spring, has said the government received too many complaints from citizens who said the mandatory long-form census is intrusive and they don't want to feel forced to file.
Clement told the industry committee in July that a census-taker told him about how people "were in tears, absolutely terrified of being deported" if they didn't fill out the long-form census.
But nowhere in the documents does Statistics Canada list anyone complaining about the long-form census being mandatory, despite numerous Conservative MPs saying they've heard an earful from constituents about having to fill out the 40-page form.
No evidence of complaints: opposition
Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett, who has introduced a private member's bill calling for the government to reinstate the mandatory long-form census, said the documents show the government made the decision on a "totally ideological basis," while NDP MP Brian Masse said the Conservatives are "just making it up."
"There's no evidence," Bennett said Monday during a panel discussion on CBC's Power & Politics with Evan Solomon. "I think as members of Parliament, we haven't had any complaints to our offices, and that's the easiest place for somebody to complain."
Conservative MP Mike Lake said he couldn't speak to the specific access-to-information request, but noted Statistics Canada's own enumerator's manual for non-response follow-up lists contingencies for "frequently asked questions," including a section dealing with "invasion of privacy."
"I assume when people are going to bring up a concern they would bring it up specifically with the person working on the census," Lake told Solomon.
He said his own experience as an enumerator for the 1991 census showed him people had specific problems with the mandatory long-form census. However, Masse said, enumerators are specifically trained to respond to such concerns.
"That’s why they actually have a low level of complaints," Masse said.
When asked by CBC News on Monday whether MPs are either required to send or normally report complaints about the census to Statistics Canada, a spokesman for the agency replied: “Whenever Statistics Canada is contacted by an MP's office on the census, we conduct research and act upon findings to address the respondent's concern.”
For months, opposition parties have been pushing the government to reverse its decision and reinstate the mandatory long-form census, citing an outcry from statisticians, various social, language and religious groups, as well as some provinces and municipalities that the quality of data from a voluntary survey will be lowered.
The Conservatives have said the move to a voluntary long-form survey is a "balanced" approach that weighs the need for data with the concerns of Canadians who feel they shouldn't be threatened with fines or jail time to divulge personal information to representatives of the state.
Bernier resigned from the cabinet in 2008 after he admitted to having left NATO briefing documents at his ex-girlfriend's home.
(Industry Canada, Sept. 27, 2010) Release of Docs Re Long-Form Census From Canadians_A-2010-190
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/10/04/census-bernier-complaints-documents.html#socialcomments#ixzz11SBPcLwY
An Industry Canada employee questioned Conservative MP Maxime Bernier's claims in July that as minister he received about 1,000 complaints a day about the mandatory long-form census, internal documents obtained by CBC News show.
Maxime Bernier said in July his office received about 1,000 complaints a day about the mandatory long-form census when he oversaw it in 2006 as industry minister. (Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)The former industry minister, now a Conservative backbencher, said in July of this year that he was blitzed by complaints when he oversaw the 2006 census as minister.
However, in a July 18 email found among documents obtained by CBC News through an access-to-information request, ministry employee Paul Halucha asked a high-ranking official at Statistics Canada whether the agency had any numbers to back up Bernier's statement.
Industry Canada's "internal survey of correspondence did not show anything close to a thousand a day," he wrote to Statistics Canada's Connie Graziadei, adding in brackets "we got a standard 25-30 a year."
The documents suggest officials inside the ministry responsible for the census were themselves caught flat-footed by Bernier's contention that the government had been inundated with complaints over the 2006 survey.
According to the documents, Graziadei replied with a breakdown of the 882 complaints Statistics Canada received for the 2006 short- and long-form census, which included 332 complaints about a contract the agency awarded to Lockheed-Martin for census data collection.
In her email, she said Statistics Canada received 22 complaints about the "intrusiveness of the questions." There were also 116 about the "subject matter" of the questions.
Industry Minister Tony Clement, who will oversee the 2011 census next spring, has said the government received too many complaints from citizens who said the mandatory long-form census is intrusive and they don't want to feel forced to file.
Clement told the industry committee in July that a census-taker told him about how people "were in tears, absolutely terrified of being deported" if they didn't fill out the long-form census.
But nowhere in the documents does Statistics Canada list anyone complaining about the long-form census being mandatory, despite numerous Conservative MPs saying they've heard an earful from constituents about having to fill out the 40-page form.
No evidence of complaints: opposition
Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett, who has introduced a private member's bill calling for the government to reinstate the mandatory long-form census, said the documents show the government made the decision on a "totally ideological basis," while NDP MP Brian Masse said the Conservatives are "just making it up."
"There's no evidence," Bennett said Monday during a panel discussion on CBC's Power & Politics with Evan Solomon. "I think as members of Parliament, we haven't had any complaints to our offices, and that's the easiest place for somebody to complain."
Conservative MP Mike Lake said he couldn't speak to the specific access-to-information request, but noted Statistics Canada's own enumerator's manual for non-response follow-up lists contingencies for "frequently asked questions," including a section dealing with "invasion of privacy."
"I assume when people are going to bring up a concern they would bring it up specifically with the person working on the census," Lake told Solomon.
He said his own experience as an enumerator for the 1991 census showed him people had specific problems with the mandatory long-form census. However, Masse said, enumerators are specifically trained to respond to such concerns.
"That’s why they actually have a low level of complaints," Masse said.
When asked by CBC News on Monday whether MPs are either required to send or normally report complaints about the census to Statistics Canada, a spokesman for the agency replied: “Whenever Statistics Canada is contacted by an MP's office on the census, we conduct research and act upon findings to address the respondent's concern.”
For months, opposition parties have been pushing the government to reverse its decision and reinstate the mandatory long-form census, citing an outcry from statisticians, various social, language and religious groups, as well as some provinces and municipalities that the quality of data from a voluntary survey will be lowered.
The Conservatives have said the move to a voluntary long-form survey is a "balanced" approach that weighs the need for data with the concerns of Canadians who feel they shouldn't be threatened with fines or jail time to divulge personal information to representatives of the state.
Bernier resigned from the cabinet in 2008 after he admitted to having left NATO briefing documents at his ex-girlfriend's home.
(Industry Canada, Sept. 27, 2010) Release of Docs Re Long-Form Census From Canadians_A-2010-190
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/10/04/census-bernier-complaints-documents.html#socialcomments#ixzz11SBPcLwY
SCC Case Information 33203 Summary Vernon Joseph Smith v. Alliance Pipeline Ltd.
Scheduled Hearing 2010-10-05
SCC Case Information
Summary
33203
Vernon Joseph Smith v. Alliance Pipeline Ltd.
(Federal Court) (Civil) (By Leave)
Keywords
Administrative Law.
Summary
Case summaries are prepared by the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (Law Branch) for information purposes only.
Administrative law - Boards and tribunals - Standard of review - Arbitration - Civil procedure - Costs - Federal Court of Appeal determining that the Appellant was not entitled to compensation for the unrecovered portion of his legal costs incurred in defending the injunctive action and was not entitled to be compensated for the costs of the arbitration proceedings commenced before the first panel - Cost orders in the context of energy-related projects such as pipelines that adversely and directly affect farmland - Whether the Federal Court of Appeal erred in straying from the proper role of a secondary level of appellate review when it failed to limit its decision to an assessment of the Federal Court`s selection and application of the correct standard of review - Whether the Federal Court of Appeal erred in applying the standard of correctness in analyzing the second Pipeline Arbitration Committee’s interpretation of Part V of the National Energy Board Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-7.
In 1999, the Respondent, Alliance, constructed a pipeline across a portion of Mr. Smith’s farmland located in Alberta. Despite a series of agreements between the parties with respect to the construction of the pipeline, a dispute arose regarding the reclamation of a portion of the land used for the pipeline. Mr. Smith began the reclamation work and sought compensation. The matter proceeded to arbitration. The first arbitration committee lost its quorum. Mr. Smith was largely successful in the second arbitration. Alliance appealed under s. 101 of the National Energy Board Act, claiming that the second panel had exceeded its jurisdiction and that it had erred in law by awarding Mr. Smith his costs incurred in the Alberta Queen’s Bench litigation and in those proceedings commenced before the first panel. The appeal was dismissed. The appeal was allowed by the Federal Court of Appeal.
SCC Case Information
Summary
33203
Vernon Joseph Smith v. Alliance Pipeline Ltd.
(Federal Court) (Civil) (By Leave)
Keywords
Administrative Law.
Summary
Case summaries are prepared by the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (Law Branch) for information purposes only.
Administrative law - Boards and tribunals - Standard of review - Arbitration - Civil procedure - Costs - Federal Court of Appeal determining that the Appellant was not entitled to compensation for the unrecovered portion of his legal costs incurred in defending the injunctive action and was not entitled to be compensated for the costs of the arbitration proceedings commenced before the first panel - Cost orders in the context of energy-related projects such as pipelines that adversely and directly affect farmland - Whether the Federal Court of Appeal erred in straying from the proper role of a secondary level of appellate review when it failed to limit its decision to an assessment of the Federal Court`s selection and application of the correct standard of review - Whether the Federal Court of Appeal erred in applying the standard of correctness in analyzing the second Pipeline Arbitration Committee’s interpretation of Part V of the National Energy Board Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-7.
In 1999, the Respondent, Alliance, constructed a pipeline across a portion of Mr. Smith’s farmland located in Alberta. Despite a series of agreements between the parties with respect to the construction of the pipeline, a dispute arose regarding the reclamation of a portion of the land used for the pipeline. Mr. Smith began the reclamation work and sought compensation. The matter proceeded to arbitration. The first arbitration committee lost its quorum. Mr. Smith was largely successful in the second arbitration. Alliance appealed under s. 101 of the National Energy Board Act, claiming that the second panel had exceeded its jurisdiction and that it had erred in law by awarding Mr. Smith his costs incurred in the Alberta Queen’s Bench litigation and in those proceedings commenced before the first panel. The appeal was dismissed. The appeal was allowed by the Federal Court of Appeal.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)