A bureaucrat with ties to the NDP government is convicted of assault, a senior department official orders a hard drive erased and Lorne Calvert approves a $275,000 “wrongful dismissal” out of court settlement.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say someone didn’t want somebody taking the witness stand in open court.
More from “Mark”, in the
comments;
http://www.mlt.com/people/profiles/kenny.htm
Remember him from the Channel Lake fiasco? The author of a legal opinion that purported to exonerate the NDP government from misconduct, and justify the $300,000 severance package then paid to Jack Messer?
Now, as “general counsel to members of the Public Service Commission”, he is likely the one dispensing nonsense ‘legal’ advice concerning Murdoch Carriere.
Is it any coincidence, also, that John Nilson, Minister of the Environment, also hails from the same law firm?
A bunch of coincidences, eh? This is obviously a case where the NDP is using their favourite ‘yes man’ to justify their own political goals (sinister as they are) under the guise of ‘legal advice’.
Oh heavens, corruption in government!
You don’t say.
CYA is the order of the day. Cover Your As*.
CYA; isn’t that standard operating procedure?
Accountability? Nah, thats just for those ordinary rubes.
Accountability in government, priceless.
I am shocked, no make that appalled that this convicted simple servant did not get the “speaking tour” sentence in addition to his reward… err settlement.
Smarmy, smarmy, smarmy.
There is no doubt that Carriere knew something the government didn’t want released to the public. I heard Calvert on the radio the other day–I honestly don’t think he even knows how the case was really handled–he was just told by one of his people what to say and what he did say was very vague.
I was also disappointed with Brad Wall–I am going to take some time this weekend and read the Sask Partys 24 point plan he spoke about and see what they have to offer, not just constantly dissing the NDP.
What really irks me about both these men and about politicians in general is the repetition of what they have deemed a catch phrase.
Sask Party “tired and old”–it may be true but can’t you come up with anything original to say about the NDP?
NDP–same old jokes at every public meeting–I had the “opportunity” to attend a couple of meetings that Calvert was at and he regurgitated the same jokes, same speech. It is unfortunate these men/women have lost the ability to either think on their feet or have their people come up with fresh comments.
There has to be a change in government but I don’t know if the Sask Party is it.
As for Calvert, I think what most people feel about him is that they like him as a person, they have respect for the office of Premier but they have a growing problem with Calvert AS Premier. We need a Premier that is more dynamic and that doesn’t look like he is hanging on to avoid retirement.
Like everyone else, I’m simply shocked and appalled that such a… okay, no one’s buying that. But I do detect the slightly sulphurous smell of election, or rather election positioning, wafting out of all this. Anyone have a spare gas mask they want to sell?
Political intrigue in the Backward Province. About the only thing they’re good at.
Blessed with more resources than Alberta, and still can’t make a go of it.
A fine example of socialist incompetence.
him:
I’m sorry, but you sound like another former NDP who is realizing how crappy the NDP is yet is unwilling to admit to the competence of the SaskParty.
We, as Saskatchewanian’s, need the NDP to make a complete exit – I mean completely. Get their (NDPs) entire ideology off the face of Saskatchewan and replace it with a Party that works – and right now that Party is most assuredly the SaskParty.
I’m not sure of who you talk to that ‘likes’ Calvert as a person? He’s a weasel both off camera and on. How that guy ever became a ‘minister of the cloth’ I will never know.
Postscript:
Hmmmmmm…..interesting how you have interpreted my comments. I am simply saying that my interactions with Calvert and Wall have been unimpressive. Do you really think Wall and the SaskParty will be that much better when/if they are in government?
I am also being realistic. There is a very good chance the NDP will get back in if they get the urban and First Nation vote. Sad but true.
We are agreed on the point that change is needed–I would like to see the SaskParty given the opportunity. What the hell? They can’t get any worse.
him:
Do you actually think that the Sask Party can do a worst job??? The way they have squanderd my hard earned tax dollars over the years is ridiculos,my bet is any thing is better than the dippers.give em 4 years and then judge !!!
Agreed on all of the above, except the term for locals.
The modern new term is us *Sasks*. Other versions are too long and unspellable.
It is the Sask Party, after all. = TG
http://www.mlt.com/people/profiles/kenny.htm
Remember him from the Channel Lake fiasco? The author of a legal opinion that purported to exonerate the NDP government from misconduct, and justify the $300,000 severance package then paid to Jack Messer?
Now, as “general counsel to members of the Public Service Commission”, he is likely the one dispensing nonsense ‘legal’ advice concerning Murdoch Carriere.
Is it any coincidence, also, that John Nilson, Minister of the Environment, also hails from the same law firm?
A bunch of coincidences, eh? This is obviously a case where the NDP is using their favourite ‘yes man’ to justify their own political goals (sinister as they are) under the guise of ‘legal advice’.
The Ol’ Sask Dippers must have been taking some lessons from the Federal Libranos wrt the notoriously notorious being entitled to their entitlements. 🙂
And we elect these people for …. WHAT?!
Oh, I know: dark sado-masochistic humor.
Not much else.
What has clearly emerged here, from the comments of Minister Atkinson, is that the public service is accountable to nobody.
That’s right. Untouchable. Politicians are not allowed to do anything with respect to the civil service aside from set ‘policy direction’.
Dare a politician actually ‘fire’ a civil servant, that’s apparently an actionable tort.
So what exactly do cabinet ministers do anyways? According to Minister Atkinson, they are not involved in the operations of their department. So do they just sit there, twiddle their thumbs, and collect their extra pay? Sure sounds like it.
Something is seriously wrong here if the legislature and legislators cannot hold their servants, recipients of taxpayers dollars, to account.
Either that, or Ms. Atkinson is entirely stuck in a delusion, and hasn’t a clue of the role of accountability, and more importantly, the principle that any entity that receives public monies is ultimately accountable to the legislature and its legislators.