By admin Thursday, 18 September 2008 - 4:28pm. |
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Stephen Harper is standing by embattled Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz.
A sheepish Ritz admitted yesterday to making “tasteless” jokes last month about a listeriosis outbreak linked to processed meats that’s now killed 17 people.
Harper acknowledges the controversy is embarrassing to Ritz, but says he’s done a good job and shouldn’t be punished.
During the call, Ritz called the crisis “a death by a thousand cuts—or should I say cold cuts.”
And when told about a new death in Prince Edward Island: “Please tell me it’s [Liberal agriculture critic] Wayne Easter.”
Both Liberal leader Stephane Dion and NDP leader Jack Layton have urged Harper to fire Ritz.
“We know that PMO staff were in on this conference call in which Mr. Ritz so callously joked about people dying,” Dion noted. “And yet they allowed him to continue in his role as the government spokesman for this crisis. Why?”
So far, Harper has demonstrated an aggressive, merciless attitude toward campaign-trail gaffes and missteps—apologizing quickly and without reservation.
This time, however, a Conservative spokesman already has indicated Ritz won’t face disciplinary action.
“It was clearly inappropriate,” Kory Teneycke said yesterday. “It was intended as a joke, but some things are not appropriate to joke about.”
And later: “A resignation was not offered and none was asked for.”
That wasn’t sitting well with Dion.
“Why does Mr. Harper think that it’s okay to fire a campaign staffer for an inappropriate comment about a dead soldier’s father, but he can ignore an even more offensive remark by one of his senior ministers?” the Liberal leader asked.
During the conference call, Ritz was deeply concerned about the political fallout as listeriosis claimed more victims in the days before the federal election call, according to sources who were listening in.
Others on the call included communications staff from the Prime Minister’s Office, most of Ritz’s staff, Health minister Tony Clement’s policy and communications advisers, and senior public servants, including deputy health minister Morris Rosenberg.
Officials from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency provided updates on the disease during the conversation.
The sources who spoke to The Canadian Press did so on condition of anonymity. Harper’s Conservative government has been relentless, on a number of occasions in the past, in searching for and punishing anyone thought to have provided embarrassing information to reporters.
But as the Tory damage-control effort swung into action yesterday, it was Ritz who offered apologies for his ill-chosen words—three times.
He first expressed regrets in an e-mail, then repeated them in person at a campaign rally in suburban Ottawa. He then apologized yet again, outside his parliamentary office building at 10:30 p.m. for the benefit of television cameras that had missed him earlier in the evening.
“It was a highly-stressful time,” Ritz said in his original prepared statement. “Many people were working countless hours and attending countless meetings to keep on top of the situation.
“In that context, I made a couple of spur-of-moment offhand comments. In particular, one about my official opposition critic, whom I have already called to apologize.
“My comments were tasteless and completely inappropriate. I apologize unreservedly.”
Ritz later added some remarks directly addressed to those who suffered personal losses in the listeriosis outbreak.
“I want to offer my most humble and heartfelt regrets to the families of those affected by this tragedy,” he said. “I did not intend to add to their suffering, and I very deeply apologize for that.”
The words failed to satisfy Layton, who called on Harper to take disciplinary action.
“I think the prime minister has to fire Gerry Ritz as minister immediately, and he has to fire him as a candidate in this election,” Layton said.
“I don’t see anything funny about what Mr. Ritz said.”
No wonder that "the street" reacted in next way:
Listeriosis deaths are real funny, eh Minister Ritz?
September 17th, 2008 |
Posted by Scott Tribe
Published in Canadian Politics
Apparently, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz thought that the Listeriosis outbreak and subsequent deaths due to it was absolutely hysterical:
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz unnerved some public servants at the height of the listeriosis crisis by resorting to gallows humour during a conference call about a public health scare that has now killed 17 people…Sources who took notes during the call said Ritz fretted about the political dangers of the crisis, before quipping: “This is like a death by a thousand cuts. Or should I say cold cuts.” . The disease was linked to cold cuts from Maple Leaf Meats. …when told about a new death in Prince Edward Island, Ritz said: “Please tell me it’s (Liberal MP) Wayne Easter.”
You’re a real riot, Ritz. I’m sure the families of the 17 people who’ve died from this outbreak really find your humour to be a balm for their losses. Let’s also not forget what I posted earlier - a Canadian Medical Association Journal editorial holds the Conservatives and their practises of removing the inspections from government inspections and letting the industry police/inspect its own meat to be partly responsible for this national tragedy, and criticizes the government for praising “the success of our infectious disease surveillance system — as if, with 16 dead, there were cause to celebrate — while food safety standards remain as low as ever.”
This isn’t the first Cabinet Minister to think Listeriosis is a joking matter - Health Minister Tony Clement decided to try his comedy out in Denver at the height of this outbreak, while he was meeting with oil executives, but Ritz is over the top.. and he should be fired (or his riding should fire him themselves, since Harper won’t bother to do so).
Hat tip to nottawa, who is on blogging fire today.
UPDATE @ 8:26 pm: Hoo boy. Harper goes nasty again when responding to the CMAJ editorial. There were multiple contributors to this article, and CBC kindly lists them for us:
The editorial was written by Amir Attaran, Canada Research Chair in Law, Population Health and Global Development Policy at the University of Ottawa, and journal editors Dr. Noni MacDonald, Dr. Matthew Stanbrook, Barbara Sibbald, Dr. Ken Flegel, Dr. Rajendra Kale and Dr. Paul He'bert.
Yet here is Harper’s response:
As he defended his government’s record on food and product safety, Harper also dismissed criticism in an editorial of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, of his government’s approach to food inspection in the listeriosis crisis. He said it was one author who said it, not the position of the medical association. “This author is in our opinion not someone who is credible.”
Putting aside the fact that Harper can’t count, as Montreal Simon says, Harper has now apparently added doctors to their growing list of people Conservatives consider to be enemies.
[5]
CALGARY
-- The family of Jason Doan, who died after he was shot with a Taser in
Red Deer, Alta., is suing three Mounties, the health region and
hospital and the firm that makes the weapon for wrongful death. The suit seeks $1.7 million for loss of income, love, care and guidance. Doan,
28, was apparently smashing vehicle windows when police were called on
Aug. 10, 2006. After a short chase, officers subdued Doan and a Taser
was used. Doan went into a coma and died Aug. 30. Named
as defendants are Const. Chris Kosack, Const. Bea Kiziak, Const. Jason
Vedder, Tony Makowski -- a civilian who the suit alleges was involved
in the incident -- along with the David Thompson Health Region, the Red
Deer Regional Hospital, Dr. Regina Donnelly, Dr. Sepehr Javaheri
and paramedics Adam Erickson and Everette Wendy. Also being sued is
Taser International Inc., the company that makes the conducted-energy
weapon. The suit, filed Aug. 26, alleges that during the arrest,
Doan was also kicked, hit and punched multiple times in the head and
ribs before the Taser was used. "After the third hit with the [Taser], Jason Wayne Doan was handcuffed and non-responsive," say the documents. A public inquiry into Doan's death has been scheduled for December. Statement of defence
papers have not yet been filed. [6]
TASER KILLERS!!!!!
= READ MY ESSAY ABOUT BRUTAL ROBERT DZIEKANSKI's MURDER =
Plus, read our short anthology:
OTTAWA — The RCMP requires its officers to file a written report each time a Taser is fired, or even removed from its holster. The Canadian Press and CBC obtained more than 4,000 such reports for the period from 2001 to 2007. Some statistics on the number of reports filed, by year and by region:
2001: 2; 2002: 84; 2003: 559; 2004: 240; 2005: 597; 2006: 1,119; 2007: 1,414
(Note: The RCMP suspended mandatory reporting in 2004, reinstating the requirement in 2005.)
———
2007 reports
Newfoundland and Labrador: 24
Nova Scotia: 53
Prince Edward Island: 16
New Brunswick: 81
Quebec: 0
Ontario (including Ottawa HQ): 2
Manitoba: 129
Saskatchewan: 108
Alberta: 371
British Columbia: 496
Yukon: 36
Northwest Territories: 53
Nunavut: 45
(Note: The RCMP does minimal front-line policing in Ontario and Quebec.)
Source: RCMP
another taser victim dies
* Posted in the Canada Forum
Friday Sep 19
While there are clearly safety issues with the Tasers currently in use it's not very smart to fight with the cops. It never ends well.
There was a guy south of Ottawa a year or so ago, the cops raided his farm because they had received reports he had a ton of weapons. He came home after they arrived, was told to get on the ground and instead of doing that he reached into his pocket for keys. They warned him again and then tasered him. He lived and of course whined he was jolted. A few years ago they would have shot him. In theory it's a good weapon but there are too many human variables involved. The only upside is that you're more likely to survive a Taser than a gunshot....
--------------------
Saturday Sep 20
Ottawa Gal wrote:
While there are clearly safety issues with the Tasers currently in use it's not very smart to fight with the cops. It never ends well.
There was a guy south of Ottawa a year or so ago, the cops raided his farm because they had received reports he had a ton of weapons. He came home after they arrived, was told to get on the ground and instead of doing that he reached into his pocket for keys. They warned him again and then tasered him. He lived and of course whined he was jolted. A few years ago they would have shot him. In theory it's a good weapon but there are too many human variables involved. The only upside is that you're more likely to survive a Taser than a gunshot....
Lots of people have been tasered and didn't need to be. It is an over used and abused weapon nowadays by our police. There are times when it may be justified but there's times it isn't.
What happened to the tough cops of years gone by? You started fighting years ago and you got a good punch in the face then wrestled to the ground, maybe a good kick too.
What about the 80 yr old man who was tasered in a hospital bed in Edmonton? Yeah that's right...he was arguementative with the nurses and the cop tasered this old man in a hospital bed for godsakes!!
No one will ever convince me that getting jolted by thousands of volts is good for your heart, kidneys, liver etc..
=====================
Taser victim's family suing cops, hospital, Taser maker over death
Canwest News Service
Published: Friday, September 12, 2008
The Vancouver Province 2008
Tasers are Torture
After a series of shocking reports of police torture using the taser I can no longer remain silent about this issue and neither should you.
by Michael McDonnough
(Libertarian)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
A nation that endorses torture deserves to receive no better than they give. That is the law of return and it is one that I firmly believe in. We as citizens of this nation must make it clear that we do not accept the use of torture by our government. If it means that we are more vulnerable to terrorist or criminals I submit that torture is a form of terrorism itself and if we stand by and say nothing about it we defacto endorse it as well. That is one of the reasons for this article.
It was prompted by the recent taser torture of a critically injured child by police officers in Ozark Missouri. I am sure you have all read this but it will help frame my article.
--------------------------------
Tasers a form of torture, says UN
Australia Daily Telegraph
Sunday November 25, 2007
TASER electronic stun guns are a form of torture that can kill, a UN committee has declared after several recent deaths in North America. "The use of these weapons causes acute pain, constituting a form of torture,'' the UN's Committee against Torture said.
"In certain cases, they can even cause death, as has been shown by reliable studies and recent real-life events,'' the committee of 10 experts said. Three men, all in their early 20s, were reported to have died in the United States this week, days after a Polish man died at Vancouver airport after being Tasered by Canadian police.
The man, Robert Dziekanski, 40, fell to the ground and died after the police officers piled on top of him. There have been three deaths in Canada after the use of Tasers over the past five weeks. The company that makes the weapons has said that similar deaths have been shown by "medical science and forensic analysis'' to be "attributable to other factors and not the low-energy electrical discharge of the Taser". The UN committee made its comments in recommendations to Portugal, which has bought the newest Taser X26 stun gun for use by police.
Portugal "should consider giving up the use of the Taser X26,'' as its use can have a grave physical and mental impact on those targeted, which violates the UN's Convention against Torture, the experts said.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
{Author's Note: "Perhaps it is time that the USA should consider giving up the use of the Taser as well."}
There are many good sites out there that are tracking these abusive incidents of police cruelty and torture. Their victims are not all criminals that somehow deserve to be tortured as many believe. Many are like this 16 year old boy that did nothing to deserve to suffer this outragous abuse of authority.
http://nomoretasers.com/
taseroftheday
truthnottasers
taserwatch
taserwhileblack
http://stoptasers.org/
I would like to set up a site like these and get an activist organization going that works on the local level to get people flyering and posting in areas where police officers have used tasers as torture devices as with this recent 16 year old critically injured child. Download a copy of this UN Convention on Torture. Print out and mark up the description of torture and see if this device does not qualify in your mind.
Taser Torture Victim in the Hospital
Raw Story Video Clip
Injured, Tasered Teen: "At Least I’m Alive."
We need to bring public shame and attention to bear on these offenders of human dignity. They should suffer the most harsh light of critical awareness the public can bring to bear on them.
I am so disgusted with this situation. If we do not start to act to stamp out this cruelty it could be any of our children or friends next. This abuse must stop. People of conscious need to stand up and act not sit like docile dogs waiting to be kicked by their cruel masters. Enough is enough. Tasers are torture plain and simple when they are used in this manner. Comply or Fry. This is not a situation I can sit by any longer and say nothing about it. Let me know how you feel about it. I can be reached privately using pidgin plugin. My AIM username is tetragramion.
More of my notes will be added below.
Taser Death Chart of the US
Notes from a great article from 2005 by Jenny Brown Tasers: police torture weapons In March, Orange County police used a taser electrical shock gun on an 18 year old Orlando man who was tied to a hospital bed. The reason given was that the man refused to give a urine sample.
According to an exhaustively documented November 30, 2004 report by Amnesty International on taser use in the U.S. and Canada, electro-shock weapons are now used by police departments to enforce compliance with police orders, to retaliate against handcuffed suspects who are talking back or refusing to follow police instructions, and as punishment in prisons.
Amnesty has also identified over 70 deaths associated with tasers, and called for a complete suspension of their use until objective studies of their effects have been done. Amnesty's full report is available
A lawsuit filed on behalf of a Washington woman shows how quickly tasers have become the weapons of choice for any situation. An officer with the Washougal, Washington police department went to the house of Russian immigrant Olga Rybak with a dog citation because her dog had allegedly bitten another officer the day before. Amnesty reports on the lawsuit:
Rybak, who spoke little English, at first refused to sign [the citation], asking for a translator. While attempting to arrest her, the officer shocked her at least 12 times in 91 seconds in front of her two young sons - first using the weapon as a stun gun, then stepping back to insert a cartridge and twice firing darts at Rybak who was writhing around on the front porch. When the boys (aged 11 and 12) tried to help their mother, the officer reportedly threatened to taser them as well. Rybak's attorney has informed Amnesty International that the boys have been receiving psychiatric treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of the incident. The officer was the Taser Training officer for the department. (figures doesn't it)
Police officers who train with tasers and their taser torture victims may be brain damaged according to a recent study. Here is the article.
Stun guns may cause brain injury
New research finds that stun guns—also known as Tasers and used by two-thirds of the nation's law enforcement agencies—may impair people's cognitive functioning.
In a study of 62 police officers, researchers at Rosalind Franklin University of Medical Science in Chicago and the University of Illinois found that police officers who had been "tased" during training drills fared worse than a control group in attention, processing speed and memory. The results, though preliminary, suggest that law enforcement agencies should reconsider their use of Tasers in training exercises and that researchers need to further investigate the potential long-term effects, says study co-author Neil Pliskin, PhD, a University of Illinois psychology professor.
"It's a provocative finding because the kinds of difficulties that were observed ... are the same kinds of changes we see in people who have suffered electrical shocks from accidents involving domestic power sources," Pliskin says.
Are PM Stephen Harper and Hon Gary Lunn above the Law & Science?
Jan 16th, 2008 Update:
"Nuclear-gate: Head of Canada Nuclear Safety Watchdog fired in the dark of night"
*******
Quoting Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's website,
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is an independent federal government agency that regulates the use of nuclear energy and material to protect health, safety, security and the environment and to respect Canada's international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
I am very troubled by Prime Minister Harper's lack of basic understanding of the meaning of an "independent federal government agency".
Allow me to also quote the Guide Book for Heads of Agencies (Section II, Point #2) for the record and completeness (emphasis mine),
Maintaining an arm's length relationship to Ministers is particularly important for those organizations whose mandate is to make decisions that determine or regulate the privileges, rights or benefits of Canadians. Governments delegate decision-making powers to these bodies, in part, to preserve public confidence in the fairness of the decision-making process. In turn, the exercise of these powers requires careful attention to ensure that the appropriate degree of independence is maintained.
The independence of Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), a Quasi-Judicial Administrative Tribunal, is very important.
In the early morning (2:02 am MST) of Friday Jan 11th, 2008, I finally finished reading all 41 pages of the key "Correspondence between Minister Gary Lunn and CNSC President Linda Keen",
* Letter from Minister Gary Lunn to President Linda Keen - December 27, 2007 (a 3 pages PDF)
* Letter from President Linda Keen to Minister Gary Lunn - January 8, 2008 (a 35 pages PDF)
* Letter from AECL to the CNSC - December 23, 2005 (a 3 pages PDF)
The first 8 pages of Letter from President Linda Keen to Minister Gary Lunn is a must read for everyone interested in this controversy (and it is an easy read). And then the remaining pages are the shocking details. In particular, take a look of the seven safety upgrades including Emergency Power to Two Heavy Water Pumps (see pg 16-17 of the Letter PDF file) explained that the Chalk River nuclear reactor was commissioned in 1957 and this reactor was decided in 1996 that it would **not** continue to operate after **Dec 31, 2005**!
In PDF pg 15 of Letter from President Linda Keen (emphasis mine),
"A comparison of the NRU [National Research Universal reactor] design and new research reactors showed that the NRU design fell below current standards and practices, particularly in the design of defense-in-depth barriers such as shutdowns, emergency core cooling and confinement."
These are important safety concerns. And in PDF pg 16 of the Letter from President Linda Keen (emphasis mine),
"The upgrades were designed to improve the safety of the reactor by providing systems aimed at preventing accidents or, in the event of an accident, mitigating its consequences."
Sections 7, 8, and 9 of the Letter from President Linda Keen (pg 23-29 of the PDF file) are important sections. In fact, I think section 9 (pg 28 of PDF) "Withdrawal of Legal Services from the CNSC" in the Letter from President Linda Keen indicated to me that the Canadian government has crossed the ethical line completely.
I am wondering out loud that should some one in the government or Justice department be held accountable (in fact, for criminal obstruction, or at least obstruction in the operation of a Quasi-Judicial Administrative Tribunal)? I couldn't believe my eyes when I read that legal services for CNSC were pulled by the Justice Department on Dec 10, 2007, without notice, just the day before the government tabled and passed Bill C-38 on Dec 11, 2007. Did this pull of legal service happen by pure chance? I doubt it. Should the government know the potential impact on the tabling of an upcoming (in 24 hours) piece of critical legislation while CNSC is not served by adequate legal advices? This has critical importance in the normal functioning of a Quasi-Judicial Administrative Tribunal, such as CNSC. In this case, on the surface, it was as if the government became a dictator and took away the needed legal services at the most critical time and then hush in a piece of legislation that may not serve Canadians long term interest (while solving the immediate problem of medical isotope supply).
After reading and evaluating the 41-page of materials from the above freely downloadable PDF files, I've drawn the following partial conclusions. Ultimately, PM Harper and Hon. Lunn are both humans and they are not above the Law nor Science.
1) Hon. Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, should be fired or he should resign. Hon. Lunn has definitely crossed the line of pressuring, intimidating an **independent** federal government agency that Hon. Lunn should have known better.
A careless conversation by Hon Andy Scott cost him his position as Solicitor General. What Hon. Lunn had done was much worst as he actively pressured and threated to fire Ms. Keen, an officer of an independent federal government agency, without cause. And that had lead to a serious erosion of the public confidence of CNSC.
2) Minister of Health, to me, only played a side role and I don't think the Minister of Health is responsible for the problem or the tactics related to Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL). I might be wrong, if I am wrong, then the Minister of Health should be reprimanded as well.
3) An investigation of the Justice Department should be launched with respect to the allegation in section 9 (pg 28 of PDF) "Withdrawal of Legal Services from the CNSC" in the Letter from President Linda Keen. This can be a serious offense where the Minister of Justice may be ultimately be held responsible. It is too early to say if the Minister of Justice should resign too.
4) Prime Minister Harper has continuted to defend his ministers. So it is time for PM Harper to come clean that he doesn't know much about Nuclear reactors and their safe operations. He should fire Hon. Lunn from his position as Minister of Natural Resources for his mishandling of the whole issue.
PM Harper should apologize to Canadians that he had made a mistake when he told Canadians something to the effect that only" paperworks" were missing.
If PM Harper reminds defiant and ignorant of the implication of ministers and as prime minister dictating to a "independent federal government agency", then the PM should himself resign as well because no one, not even the PM himself, is above the Law of Canada and the Law of Science. Just ask the families of people who died when medical equipment malfunctions. Or the families of the crew of the NASA Challenger Space Shuttle Mission. Well thought out safety measures in the arena of science are usually designed/created for a specific scientific reason. And those scientific reasons/decisions are best left in the hands of scientists and not politicians or managers.
P.S. In my 17th December, 2007 posting "When Politicians go Nuclear Active", I made the mistake of trusting the House and Senate members' judgment in taking a calculated risk against the view of Ms. Keen, a scientist by training.
In hindsight, knowing what I know now, the risk of reopening was much more serious than I had originally been aware of (e.g. all these public documents were not available then) and the decision to force open the facility will remain a case of politics trumping science when the politicians from all parties were clueless of the science! I strive to make this the last time I let politicians overrule independent and well-respected scientists on scientifically justified decisions.
My deepest apologies to Ms. Keen, President of Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), for not supporting you earlier.
Science Canada
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Ex-nuclear safety chief resigns from 'demoted' role
Sep 23, 2008
CTV News
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080923/keen_CNSC_AM_070923/20080923?hub=CanadaAM
Former Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission boss Linda Keen has stepped down from her role on the CNSC's board of directors, complaining she has been demoted by the government to a position that is an "artificial creation."
Keen was president and CEO of the CNSC when the Chalk River nuclear reactor was shut down last year over safety concerns.
The shutdown led to a worldwide shortage of medical isotopes until Parliament issued an emergency order to restart the Atomic Energy of Canada reactor, overriding Keen's objections.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Keen said her term as president and CEO had earlier been extended until November 2010, but she was removed from the role on January 15 by an Order-in-Council "without reason or cause."
"I was demoted to a full-time Commission member position of the CNSC. This full-time Commission member position is an artificial creation. Despite my repeated requests, it does not have a job description nor any identified tasks beyond those of a part-time Commission member," she wrote.
In the letter, Keen acknowledges she has launched legal proceedings to have her dismissal overturned, and said it wouldn't be appropriate to continue as a member of the CNSC's board of directors until a court ruling was issued.
Any decisions she made as a board member would be constantly suspected of bias and second-guessed by government officials and applicants before the panel, she said.
"I believe that actually sitting, and making regulatory decisions, as a demoted Commission member when the Government questions my competence and claims to have lost confidence in me, and with my legal case pending against the Attorney General of Canada, would be inappropriate and would place both the CNSC and myself in an untenable position," Keen wrote.
She said the purpose of the letter was to provide notice to the government that she will not be available to sit on any hearing, meeting or panel during its fall hearings.