Maxime Bernier resigns

At 7pm this evening, the Prime Minister announced that he received an offer of resignation of Foreign Affairs minister Maxime Bernier this afternoon and accepted it. Bernier informed the Prime Minister that he had been careless in keeping classified documents secure while he was in a relationship with Julie Couillard. The Prime Minister has emphasized that the personal relationship of Mr. Bernier wasn’t the business of the state – or of the public.

Indeed, close relations of cabinet ministers including spouses, other romantic interests or family are neither cleared for such information (rated at Top Secret or even TS:SA), and they are not vetted by those that protect the government. Essentially, keeping of department and state secrets is the role of each and every minister and Bernier has admitted an inexcusable lapse in judgment regarding the security of classified information.

The Prime Minister is to board a Challenger jet within the hour for an extended multinational European trip and the settling of this business was urgent prior to his departure. Ms. Couilliard’s interview this evening with French-language network TVA would have heightened the opposition’s tone to fever pitch and it’s no secret that all three opposition parties were to focus on asking for Mr. Bernier’s resignation over the next week and up until Parliament rises for the summer break. In resolving this matter, the government gets somewhat of a reprieve from a scandal-obsessed opposition, still hungry despite recent setbacks in their narrative as the RCMP cited no evidence in the Cadman affair and the recent absolution of the Prime Minister’s outgoing chief Ian Brodie in the NAFTA-related leak which now seems to be refocused on the Canadian embassy and consulates in the US rather than upon PMO. By clearing the deck of the Bernier issue, the Prime Minister’s office will construct a narrative of promptly dealing with issues of substance and holding the line on fabrications from the opposition.

The opposition gets a trophy today in Bernier’s resignation. The context of failed fishing trips by the Liberals will be sadly neglected by the Press Gallery; the vicious mood among a number of scribes in this town is not that Cadman and Brodie were simply fish tales, but rather the ones that got away.

Today was a bad day for Conservatives, but it represents an opportunity for the government move forward on its agenda without this distraction.

UPDATE: Here is Maxime Bernier’s letter of resignation.

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister
Room 313-S, Centre Block
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Prime Minister,

This is to inform you that I am resigning my post as Minister of Foreign Affairs, effective immediately.

I informed you late this afternoon that last night I became aware that I had left behind classified government documents at a private residence.

Prime Minister, the security breach that occurred was my fault and my fault alone and I take full responsibility for my actions.

I have asked the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to conduct a thorough review of the situation.

Thank you for the trust you have shown in me. I will do everything I can to serve the government well in my capacity as Member of Parliament.

Yours truly,

Maxime Bernier

Liberal boulevard lined by glass houses

while a boy named Iggy throws stones.

CTV (May 25th, 2008):

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier has embarrassed this country and it should be for the last time, says Deputy Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.

The House of Commons resumes Monday after a week-long break. The official opposition is expected to ask Bernier to resign from his cabinet post after the minister made an empty-handed promise to an aid agency.

How soon Michael Ignatieff forgets.

National Post (October 11th, 2006):

MONTREAL – Michael Ignatieff, the front-runner in the race for the federal Liberal leadership, has accused Israel of committing “a war crime” during its conflict with Hezbollah last summer.In an interview on a widely watched Quebec talk show, Mr. Ignatieff apologized for comments in August when he told a newspaper he was “not losing sleep” over an Israeli bombing that killed dozens of civilians in the Lebanese village of Qana.

“It was a mistake. I showed a lack of compassion. It was a mistake and when you make a mistake like that, you have to admit it,” he told the French-language Radio-Canada program Tout le monde en parle.

The brightest bulb in energy conservation

As a follow-up to my earlier David Suzuki post, here’s a picture that was taken on a trip to Kingston last fall. I’ve been looking for a reason to post it since. My friend Rob told me he had spotted something interesting on Highway 15 South and that I’d get a laugh out of it. So, we packed the camera equipment and set out sometime after midnight. A short drive just outside of the city we spotted it, but only first after doubling back; though monstrous, it was difficult to locate due to partial obstruction from some small trees and brush and to its government-mandated minimum distance from the road lest anyone be so captivated by its message that it could cause harm on our highways. Thankfully, we have regulations on road-side advertising in this country.

David Suzuki Billboard – Click to enlarge

There it was, shining like a beacon over the city. Long after the destruction of our civilization by tidal waves and mass flooding, future archaeologists may discover this among the ruins and may only speculate as to its significance. Was this man their god, or perhaps a king that ruled over the land? Previous civilizations have worshiped the sun, but what was this object that hovered supernaturally in this figure’s hand? Was it iconic of that which they revered? The archaeologists may speculate that our civilization fought wars over much of the same that ancient history has taught befell previous peoples; they will wonder whether if it was war over resources, or perhaps adherence to an ancient and mystic religion that destroyed us or whether it was a mix of both. Did we perish due to battles fought between those that adhered to the mysticism dictated to us by our elder shamans and the agnostics and atheists that dared to disagree with their dogma? Past civilizations have fallen due to rogue invaders and barbarians outside of their borders. Future historians may question why we may have perished due to the same while we were distracted by the bright and so-called illuminated.

You’ve got the power, Dave. And your slightly obstructed billboard situated about 500 feet from a rural road does too.