The Canadian Forces is defending its decision to use officers to collect information on one of Defence Minister Peter MacKay's political opponents, saying the process is no different than its efforts to gather facts for the public and news media.
But former military officers say such activities, which prompted allegations about Canadian Forces personnel "digging up dirt" on the minister's political enemies, cross the line and jeopardize the longstanding political neutrality of the military.
Air force officers recently found themselves in the spotlight after it was revealed they quietly gathered information on Liberal MP Scott Simms, a member of Parliament who criticized the decision by MacKay's office to order up a Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopter to retrieve the minister from a private fishing lodge. That flight cost taxpayers $16,000, according to reports.
But the Defence Department and the head of the Royal Canadian Air Force say there's nothing wrong with providing such information. "We provide information when it is requested of us by anyone requesting it, as long as it is not classified or does not cross the boundaries of protected information," air force commander Lt.-Gen. André Deschamps told senators at a recent meeting.
Military documents show that air force officers swung into action the morning after a news report in September about MacKay's use of a Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopter while on his vacation.
They poured over flight logs to try to find out if opposition MPs had taken rides aboard military aircraft. Military emails obtained by the Toronto Star indicate the air force focused their attention on Simms, who had been critical of MacKay in the television report the night before.
They quickly found information that Simms, whose Newfoundland and Labrador riding is home to a search-and-rescue unit, had flown on a helicopter to get a better understanding of how the military does its job. A Canadian Forces officer in MacKay's office then demanded to know who invited Simms for the ride and whether the MP had paid any money to reimburse the military for the flight.
It later turned out Simms went on the flight at the behest of MacKay's office. That, however, didn't stop MacKay from using the information gathered by the military to attack the MP in the Commons for his flight on a helicopter.
But the actions of the Canadian Forces personnel were out of line, say former military officers. They argue that it is important for the military to remain independent from the political process.
"This is going on a fishing expedition to find information that could be used for political purposes," retired colonel Michel Drapeau, now an Ottawa lawyer, said of the military's actions. "They ought to have known better."
Drapeau pointed out the military documents outlining the search for information on Simms showed a "level of enthusiasm" among officers that the public should find disconcerting.
University of Ottawa professor Paul Jackson said close relationships between government ministers and the military has been an ongoing problem in Canada. "It's not the job of the military to protect ministers," said Jackson, who has served in both the British and Canadian forces. "The military is to serve the Canadian public, not the minister."
Jackson said he believes the officers should not have collected the information on Simms.
The Defence Department, however, doesn't see it like that.
It issued an email to the Citizen stating "Departmental officials and members of the Canadian Forces are regularly tasked with providing information relevant to questions posed by members of Parliament, parliamentary committees, members of the public, members of the media and through the access to information process."
"In each case, the Department and the CF provide factual, available and comprehensive information to satisfy these requests," the email added.
The Citizen made two requests to DND for a list of parliamentarians on whom the Canadian Forces has gathered information, but no response was received.
Jay Paxton, MacKay's spokesman, stated in an email that his office engages "the department in order to provide facts and context to an issue of public interest" and citing examples of MPs who take military flights is relevant.
But Drapeau said it is ridiculous to compare the actions of the RCAF officers speedily working on MacKay's behalf to gather information on political opponents to the answers the military provides to standard requests for information from the public, media or MPs.
Simms said he was taken aback by the efforts of the military officer in MacKay's office to collect information on him. "The fact that this military officer is using military resources to back up Peter MacKay is incredibly disturbing," he added.
Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: David Pugliese
But former military officers say such activities, which prompted allegations about Canadian Forces personnel "digging up dirt" on the minister's political enemies, cross the line and jeopardize the longstanding political neutrality of the military.
Air force officers recently found themselves in the spotlight after it was revealed they quietly gathered information on Liberal MP Scott Simms, a member of Parliament who criticized the decision by MacKay's office to order up a Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopter to retrieve the minister from a private fishing lodge. That flight cost taxpayers $16,000, according to reports.
But the Defence Department and the head of the Royal Canadian Air Force say there's nothing wrong with providing such information. "We provide information when it is requested of us by anyone requesting it, as long as it is not classified or does not cross the boundaries of protected information," air force commander Lt.-Gen. André Deschamps told senators at a recent meeting.
Military documents show that air force officers swung into action the morning after a news report in September about MacKay's use of a Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopter while on his vacation.
They poured over flight logs to try to find out if opposition MPs had taken rides aboard military aircraft. Military emails obtained by the Toronto Star indicate the air force focused their attention on Simms, who had been critical of MacKay in the television report the night before.
They quickly found information that Simms, whose Newfoundland and Labrador riding is home to a search-and-rescue unit, had flown on a helicopter to get a better understanding of how the military does its job. A Canadian Forces officer in MacKay's office then demanded to know who invited Simms for the ride and whether the MP had paid any money to reimburse the military for the flight.
It later turned out Simms went on the flight at the behest of MacKay's office. That, however, didn't stop MacKay from using the information gathered by the military to attack the MP in the Commons for his flight on a helicopter.
But the actions of the Canadian Forces personnel were out of line, say former military officers. They argue that it is important for the military to remain independent from the political process.
"This is going on a fishing expedition to find information that could be used for political purposes," retired colonel Michel Drapeau, now an Ottawa lawyer, said of the military's actions. "They ought to have known better."
Drapeau pointed out the military documents outlining the search for information on Simms showed a "level of enthusiasm" among officers that the public should find disconcerting.
University of Ottawa professor Paul Jackson said close relationships between government ministers and the military has been an ongoing problem in Canada. "It's not the job of the military to protect ministers," said Jackson, who has served in both the British and Canadian forces. "The military is to serve the Canadian public, not the minister."
Jackson said he believes the officers should not have collected the information on Simms.
The Defence Department, however, doesn't see it like that.
It issued an email to the Citizen stating "Departmental officials and members of the Canadian Forces are regularly tasked with providing information relevant to questions posed by members of Parliament, parliamentary committees, members of the public, members of the media and through the access to information process."
"In each case, the Department and the CF provide factual, available and comprehensive information to satisfy these requests," the email added.
The Citizen made two requests to DND for a list of parliamentarians on whom the Canadian Forces has gathered information, but no response was received.
Jay Paxton, MacKay's spokesman, stated in an email that his office engages "the department in order to provide facts and context to an issue of public interest" and citing examples of MPs who take military flights is relevant.
But Drapeau said it is ridiculous to compare the actions of the RCAF officers speedily working on MacKay's behalf to gather information on political opponents to the answers the military provides to standard requests for information from the public, media or MPs.
Simms said he was taken aback by the efforts of the military officer in MacKay's office to collect information on him. "The fact that this military officer is using military resources to back up Peter MacKay is incredibly disturbing," he added.
Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: David Pugliese
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