[DrCaleb]

Quote:

The CBC’s Charles Rusnell is today reporting that Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership candidate Ted Morton “used a covert email for his internal communications while he was a government minister to evade potential public scrutiny.

“Emails leaked to CBC News show Morton used the name Frederick Lee – his actual first and middle names – as an official government email address while he was minister of Sustainable Resource Development (SRD).”

“Some of the leaked emails discussed land use issues and were either authored by, or sent to, Frederick Lee. CBC News sought to determine if Morton’s use of Frederick Lee would thwart a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Using two specific dates from the leaked emails, CBC News made an FOI request for emails related to land use between Ted Morton and his staff. The request yielded nothing.”

All of Morton’s cabinet emails have been shredded, Rusnell also reports.

Question for Rusnell: Did he call himself “Frederick Lee Morton” or just “Frederick Lee”?

The Minister's dirty little secret revealed.

Quote:

At a July 2007 meeting, the ministry’s communications director gave SRD staff an explanation as to why Morton used the email address.

“She informed us that if you see an email with the moniker Frederick Lee, not to worry about it, it was just the minister using that email when he didn’t want people to know it was him doing the writing,” former staff member Derrick Forsythe says.

. . .

CBC News filed a second FOI request that sought to determine why none of the Frederick Lee emails were produced.

The request produced emails from Eric Taylor, Morton’s former executive assistant, to one of the department’s FOI co-ordinators. They showed that when Morton moved from SRD to become the minister of finance, they deleted their email archives. Another email showed staff still remaining at SRD also had no email records. There were also no paper records retained.

“No luck with paper,” Taylor wrote in an April 3, 2011, email. “Our office staff shredded all our documents when Dr. Morton resigned from cabinet.”

Morton resigned in January to seek the Conservative leadership.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/ ... mails.html

[Dragon-Dancer]

I can't say I'm too surprised... unfortunately.

[DrCaleb]

Dragon-Dancer wrote:

I can't say I'm too surprised... unfortunately.

Me either. He brushed it off like it was of little concern.

But the opposition is hopping mad. As Minister of Sustainable Resource and Development, he was privvy to and made decisons about; new powerline project, land use near aboriginal lands, oilsands development, agricultural development etc. All things the opposition needs information about in order to do thie jobs.

And I was pissed too that he was so flippant about "how does one shred an email?" Well, Mr. Minister, one tells the IT department to not back up those mail folders, then to destroy backups if they exist.

[bootlegga]

Yeah, just another shady check mark beside Morton's name if you ask me. His political views were already scary enough, and then actions like this make him even more worrying if chosen as premier.

It looks like between Gary Mar, Doug Horner and Alison Redford, and the defection of most of his supporters to Wild Rose, Morton stands little chance of becoming premier though.

[DrCaleb]

bootlegga wrote:

Yeah, just another shady check mark beside Morton's name if you ask me. His political views were already scary enough, and then actions like this make him even more worrying if chosen as premier.

It looks like between Gary Mar, Doug Horner and Alison Redford, and the defection of most of his supporters to Wild Rose, Morton stands little chance of becoming premier though.

If Mar or Morton wins the PC leadership, I think you can kiss them good bye after 40 years.

[bootlegga]

I'm personally hoping for Redford, as her policy platform sounds the best so far, but it'll be an uphill battle for her.

[Dragon-Dancer]

I haven't read any of their platforms since I can't vote for any of them anyway. I just remember Morton from the last leadership race. He was the one I wanted in power the least. I was happy with Eddie, he was an idiot but at least he wasn't a scary idiot.

[bootlegga]

Dragon-Dancer wrote:

I haven't read any of their platforms since I can't vote for any of them anyway. I just remember Morton from the last leadership race. He was the one I wanted in power the least. I was happy with Eddie, he was an idiot but at least he wasn't a scary idiot.

Well, I'm not a regular PC supporter, but if you spend $5, you can join and vote, which is exactly what I'm going to do.

http://www.albertapc.ab.ca/admin/conten ... ageId=9244

[bootlegga]

Quote:

Former health minister Gary Mar is leading the race to be the next Tory leader and appears to have the momentum heading into Saturday's vote, according to a new poll of PC party members that also indicates a second ballot will be necessary to decide a winner.

As Progressive Conservative party faithful prepare to vote for Ed Stelmach's successor, an Environics Research Group poll of 800 Tory rank and file - conducted for the Calgary Herald and Edmonton Journal - shows Mar is the front-runner with the support of 31 per cent of decided and leaning members.

Calgary MLA and former justice minister Alison Redford is a strong second at 20 per cent, with Doug Horner (12 per cent) and Ted Morton (10 per cent) in a virtual tie for third place - the position Stelmach famously held in 2006 after the first ballot, only to catapult to the premiership on the second vote.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Gary+ ... story.html