Tory Environmental Program Leaked

[jdobbin]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Conservatives may be dealing with an embarrassing breach in secrecy after the opposition Liberals said a showcase section of their environmental plan was faxed to their offices.

The Liberals summoned reporters to their parliamentary offices on short notice late Tuesday to announce what they said was the leak, but refused to release details from a government speech that was supposed to be delivered on Thursday.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Environment Minister John Baird were scheduled to travel to Thornhill, Ont., that day to announce emissions targets for heavy industry, including the oil patch.

Liberal MP David McGuinty said he would not reveal the contents of the speech, reportedly to be delivered by Baird, after receiving a warning that releasing the information would constitute a possible breach of securities laws.

If industry people have information on this, it could lead to insider trading.

[August1991]

To which Conservative environment programme are you referring?

There have been several and I'm now confused.

[madmax]

Was this a mistake or a plant? It would appear that no one has done anything wrong with the information, from what I have read.

[jdobbin]

Was this a mistake or a plant? It would appear that no one has done anything wrong with the information, from what I have read.

No one knows who else got the fax with the information. Perhaps the only way to know will be unusual trading tomorrow.

[jdobbin]

To which Conservative environment programme are you referring?

There have been several and I'm now confused.

They said on radio that it is the industry emissions program. A news conference had been set up for Thursday to announce the details.

[M.Dancer]

If industry people have information on this, it could lead to insider trading.

Oh there is a line waiting for a punch line.....

[geoffrey]

Let us pause a minute. Why did McGuinty read the fax? People know much better than to read a fax not addressed to them, it's very unethical. It's common business practice to destroy the fax and notify the person privately.

I am impressed that McGuinty didn't disclose it to the rest of the party or to the media. Good on him. But he shouldn't have read it himself. Just my thoughts on the matter.

Whoever leaked the fax should be charged, whether or not the CPC admits it, that is market sensitive data. If I knew they were going to go as hard as they are going to go tomorrow (from what the media is saying), I'd be shorting a ton of oil sands stocks right now.

[jdobbin]

Let us pause a minute. Why did McGuinty read the fax? People know much better than to read a fax not addressed to them, it's very unethical. It's common business practice to destroy the fax and notify the person privately.

I am impressed that McGuinty didn't disclose it to the rest of the party or to the media. Good on him. But he shouldn't have read it himself. Just my thoughts on the matter.

Whoever leaked the fax should be charged, whether or not the CPC admits it, that is market sensitive data. If I knew they were going to go as hard as they are going to go tomorrow (from what the media is saying), I'd be shorting a ton of oil sands stocks right now.

This is the first I've heard that McGuinty was in the wrong. He acted in a pretty restrained manner all things considering.

Every time the Tories spring a leak, we have someone here suggest the Liberals were in the wrong for finding it.

[geoffrey]

McGuinty shouldn't have read the fax, the ethical thing to do is to destroy it and notify the sender.

That's what people do. I don't read faxes not addressed to be, it's extremely unethical.

[Michael Bluth]

McGuinty shouldn't have read the fax, the ethical thing to do is to destroy it and notify the sender.

You aren't shocked a Liberal MP did the unethical thing in the situation, are you?

[jdobbin]

McGuinty shouldn't have read the fax, the ethical thing to do is to destroy it and notify the sender.

That's what people do. I don't read faxes not addressed to be, it's extremely unethical.

Is this the latest Tory strategy? That anytime Conservative policy is leaked, the recipient of the leak is unethical?

[geoffrey]

McGuinty shouldn't have read the fax, the ethical thing to do is to destroy it and notify the sender.

That's what people do. I don't read faxes not addressed to be, it's extremely unethical.

Is this the latest Tory strategy? That anytime Conservative policy is leaked, the recipient of the leak is unethical?

I'm not a Tory supporter, I'm saying that McGuinty was unethical in looking at the document, which he was. Ask anyone in the business world if they think it's ethical to look at a fax not intended for you, and you'll get 100% saying it's absolutely not ethical.

Do you open people's mail when it get's incorrectly delivered to your house, just to see if there might be something to set off a neighbourhood scandal.

[Michael Bluth]

I'm not a Tory supporter, I'm saying that McGuinty was unethical in looking at the document, which he was. Ask anyone in the business world if they think it's ethical to look at a fax not intended for you, and you'll get 100% saying it's absolutely not ethical.

Do you open people's mail when it get's incorrectly delivered to your house, just to see if there might be something to set off a neighbourhood scandal.

Or do you open a moving box left in your office with the shipping address clearly marked?

[geoffrey]

I think that Holland is slightly more justified than McGuinty. I can see someone opening the box, reading the documents, now that was unethical.

McGuinty opened the neighbours incorrectly delivered health care rebate. He did take the next correct step though, he shut up and respected the privacy intended by whoever was delivering the document. Holland didn't.

[jdobbin]

I'm not a Tory supporter, I'm saying that McGuinty was unethical in looking at the document, which he was. Ask anyone in the business world if they think it's ethical to look at a fax not intended for you, and you'll get 100% saying it's absolutely not ethical.

Do you open people's mail when it get's incorrectly delivered to your house, just to see if there might be something to set off a neighbourhood scandal.

I don't equate the office environment you describe with the politics in Ottawa.

[Martin Chriton]

I don't equate the office environment you describe with the politics in Ottawa.

You should hold your elected representatives to the same ethical standards that you do of anyone else.

Just because they're politicians doesn't mean we have to let them get away acting unethically.

[daniel]

...

Is this the latest Tory strategy? That anytime Conservative policy is leaked, the recipient of the leak is unethical?

Why should you be surprised the strategy is to shift from the leak to the Liberals? As you know, someone in another thread even pointed the finger at the Liberals for the confusion over the early Daylight Savings Time.

[jdobbin]

You should hold your elected representatives to the same ethical standards that you do of anyone else.

Just because they're politicians doesn't mean we have to let them get away acting unethically.

You see I think this is all just spin to divert the fact that the Tories in the last week have been leaking like a sieve. I tend to think this would come under Harper's "whistle blowing" legislation. When the government is found to have done something wrong (such as in this case faxing information outside their office), the whistle should be blown. In the past, governments would accuse such a person of doing unethical or illegal activity.

[stignasty]

emails obtained by PoliticsWatch show that within minutes Liberal senators and staffers used the "Reply to All" button to send sarcastic comments back to Baird and everyone on the mailing list about the briefing.

At 3:41 p.m., an unidentified staffer replied:

"I can't make it. Can you fax it to me?"

At 3:42 p.m. a Liberal from the Senate replied:

"We have a new government?

When did this happen?"

At 3:49 p.m., Liberal Senator Larry Campbell responded with:

"Dear Minister Baird;

Thank you for the invitation. I believe we already have a copy of your

announcement. I am sure there must be someone who hasn't read it.

Regards

Senator Larry Campbell"

And at 4:08 p.m. Liberal Senator Jim Munson wrote:

"Dear Minister Baird.

I already received my briefing from (CTV News') Robert Fife last night.

Thanks anyway for being so thoughtful

Cheers.

Senator Jim Munson"

Baird and his staff most likely had a good laugh about the responses since the minister himself made fun of the accidental fax incident before delivering the speech on Wednesday.

"As I left the office earlier this morning I said to one of my staff, 'Do you have my speech?' He told me, 'John, everyone has your speech.'" Baird quipped.

http://www.politicswatch.com/baird-april26-2007.htm