Politech archive: http://www.politechbot.com/cgi-bin/politech.cgi?name=Radwanski --- From: David Akin <dakinat_private> To: "'declanat_private'" <declanat_private> Subject: Canada's privacy commish resigns -- says he was forced out for be ing too good at his job Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 16:25:38 -0400 Hi Declan -- Canada's privacy commissioner, George Radwanski, resigned today after a political furor over his spending habits. He billed things like $400 lunches for two to the taxpayer. Radwanski says his political overseers were out to get him because he was too good at his job and upset some political applecarts. His resignation letter is online at: http://www.privcom.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2003/02_05_b_030623_e.asp >From that: "I have been forced out. ... For the past nearly three years, I have worked tirelessly to oversee and defend the privacy rights of all Canadians. .... Regrettably the aggressiveness, independence, and perhaps effectiveness of my approach has provoked a powerful political backlash from some who would prefer a less forceful Privacy Commissioner. For the past two weeks, I have been the target of an extraordinary and unprecedented assault on my character, reputation and credibility." ================================= And here are some links with the background on that "unprecedented assault" Radwanski faces staff protest, tax probe Ottawa - On the day he told a Commons committee he was out of town and couldn't appear to defend his office budget, George Radwanski took Prime Minister Jean Chretien's senior policy adviser to lunch in Ottawa, a committee member says. [Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/f29s] June 18: Pressure grows on Radwanski to resign OTTAWA -- The head of a parliamentary committee reviewing the fate of George Radwanski yesterday pressed the privacy commissioner to resign as the panel began drafting a report recommending that he be fired . . . [Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/f2ae] June 17: Radwanski expensed $444 dinner OTTAWA -- Privacy commissioner George Radwanski always requested the table with the best view at the restaurants where he dined, such as at Le Panaché in Gatineau, Que., where the bill was $444.49 for dinner for two, according to evidence before a Commons committee. Over a period of two years, Mr. Radwanski filed expense claims for many lunches and dinners, often at the finest restaurants in Gatineau or across the river in Ottawa, such as a $233 meal for two and another for $256 at the Chateau Laurier's plush restaurant, Zoe's . . . [Full story at: http://tinyurl.com/f2ai] David Akin ----------------- CTV News The Globe and Mail ----------------- Office: 416.313.2503 Mobile: 416.528.3819 ----------------- Complete Contact Information at http://www.davidakin.com --- To: canucksat_private From: "Sonia Arrison" <arrisonat_private> Subject: CANUCKS: Privacy commissioner resigns Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 13:50:10 -0700 (PDT) Canada's privacy Czar has been under fire now for a few weeks over his spending habits and today he resigned. Here's his resignation letter: http://www.privcom.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2003/02_05_b_030623_e.asp Canadian politicians it seems have always spent taxpayer money in questionable ways, so it's odd that it lead to a resignation in this case. Here's a part of Radwanski's letter where he says why he thinks it has been made into such a big deal (and remember, he's been in politics a long time). "Regrettably the aggressiveness, independence, and perhaps effectiveness of my approach has provoked a powerful political backlash from some who would prefer a less forceful Privacy Commissioner. For the past two weeks, I have been the target of an extraordinary and unprecedented assault on my character, reputation and credibility." -Sonia ------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe to Politech: http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ Declan McCullagh's photographs are at http://www.mccullagh.org/ Like Politech? Make a donation here: http://www.politechbot.com/donate/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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