This story is absolutely shocking. The Conservatives have fired Linda Keen a mere week or so after she thoroughly refuted the government’s main talking points on the isotopes issue and noted the degree of completely improper attempts by the government to meddle in an independent agency (Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission).
I really hope the opposition parties demand clear answers from the Conservatives at committee tomorrow on why they took such drastic action. I think they’re trying to send a message: Criticize us and you’ll be fired even if you are supposed to be completely independent from the government.
This seems to be yet another complete disgrace orchestrated by Stephen Harper.
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3 comments:
I think she may have been fired for leaking the Lunn letter.
I think she may have been fired for incompetence. The Parliament of Canada met in an extraordinary committee of the whole to discuss this women's decision to close down the reactor and decided unanimously it was not the correct decision; it was not in the best interest of the people needing medical isotopes; it was an over reaction. They corrected her decision and ordered the reactor be re-activated (unanimously). This women made a terrible decision and must be held to account for her failure to perform up to standards. When was the last time a civil servant made such a grevious error in judgement that the Parliament had to step in to correct it? Why are you defending this person?
Linda Keen was essentially fired for doing her job and not doing exactly as the Minister told her to (even though she's supposed to be fully independent from Parliament).
This government had ample warning about Chalk River and steps they could have taken to help bring it up to standards and they did nothing. Now the Conservatives are desperate to lay blame anywhere else but on themselves and they've decided Linda Keen would be the best scapegoat. Meanwhile, they've had no respect for any independent bodies that don't do exactly as they are told.
Parliament may have decided to open back up the reactor but that's because this government left it with no choice by refusing to do anything about Chalk River for months. Linda Keen did her job, this government did not and they are the ones to blame.
BC'er in Toronto also had a good post on this issue: http://bcinto.blogspot.com/2008/01/why-linda-keen-was-right-even-if-hoc.html
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