Joe Kuchta over at the "Owls and Roosters Blog" has recently posted an interesting entry entitled: Sask. Party gov’t denies access to records for Ministers Norris & Gantefoer and DMs Young & Matthies; Stewart & Botting meet with contributors. The entry raises some very intriguing questions such as - Why is the government refusing to release the Minister of Labour's calendar and the calendar of his Deputy Minister, under an Access to Information request?Could it be because doing so would reveal/confirm that the Minister and his officials have been consulting extensively with business representatives, anti-union bosses, employer associations, union busters, and corporate lawyers while avoiding and outright refusing to meet with workers and their democratic organizations?
You tell me.
And while you're over at the "Owls and Roosters Blog" take some time to read the posting entitled: The ties that bind: Saskatchewan Party & Conservative Party of Canada; MLAs and MPs swap donations. More interesting revelations!
I think it would be to protect from overzealous and possibly violent individuals; to protect them from harm.
ReplyDeleteA lot of union members have been angered by Bills 5&6 partly due to some of the things written in this blog.
It's a prudent move to protect these importnant men.
Hankr said...
ReplyDelete"..... It's a prudent move to protect these importnant men."
Which "important" men? And protect them from whom?
The onus on the government is to protect the Minister of Labour and his Deputy. Information should be withheld as to where they have been and where they are going.
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of nut jobs out there. Personally, people tend to get upset if they feel they are wronged, justly or unjustly and that can lead to terrible actions and outcomes. The example I can think of is the Gainer's strinke in the 90's where a lawyer for the employer was violently assaulted at his home.
It's a prudent move to protect the whereabouts of all government officials. Now that's one job the state should have, not unlike the US.
Only you and that airhead Kutcha would read a political message into it.
Hankr,
ReplyDeleteAs I read the post, the request did not ask for "future schedules" and calendars. Just past ones. (In the case of the Minister of Labour - Dec 1 to Mar 14 information was requested on Mar 18.)
I fail to see how that puts at risk the safety of anybody.
And you still haven't answered my questions - Which "important" men? And protect them from whom?
Re-read my comment, Larry. We've all seen how some overzealous people can become "erratic" in their behaviour if they feel they've been wronged.
ReplyDeleteAs for the past meetings, it's important that the Minister and his Deputy's information (for all departments) not be released, unless it is by court order for very specific purposes.
They are important men...
Is your calendar available to anyone who asks for it? I think not...
Just because you are the head of a lobby group, it doesn't give you or anyone the right to invade anyone's privacy. If a court deems your request worthy, they should be the ones that release the information.
That's all. It's being prudent and mindful of an elected official's safety.
What are you trying to read into the comment?
Hankr,
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should re-read the Owls and Roosters posting.
If you are referring to Rob Norris and Wynne Young when you say "important men" - well Norris is a man, Young is a woman.
And yes, any member of any affiliate who wants a copy of my calendar is welcome to have it. They pay my wages and are entitled to know what I am doing on my job, where I am going, and who I am meeting with. (Our tax dollars pay the wages of Norris and Young).
To set the record straight, I never made the request - and to my knowledge, Mr. Kuchta (who made the access to information request) is not the head of any lobby group. He's an average citizen who is entitled to disclosure of information from people who are elected government officials and civil servants.
There is no invasion of privacy here as you imply. It's a request for disclosure of information related to the work of public (taxpayer funded) officials.
Perhaps you can tell me why the records and calendars of a different Minister (Stewart) and his Deputy (Botting) were released based on a similar request dated the same day from the same individual.
What am I reading into this? I think Norris and Young are refusing to release their calendars because it will confirm that they were meeting with business interests, (and only business interests) to discuss changes to legislation that attack the Charter Rights of others (i.e. workers).
If they didn't have anything to hide they would release the requested information in a heart beat. Just like Stewart and Botting did.
"Perhaps you can tell me why the records and calendars of a different Minister (Stewart) and his Deputy (Botting) were released based on a similar request dated the same day from the same individual."
ReplyDeleteNo idea... but it was wrong.