Canada's online magazine: Politics, entertainment, technology, media, arts, books: backofthebook.ca

Politics, tech, media, culture and more, from a Canadian point-of-view

  • Politics
  • Media
  • Culture
  • Science and Tech
  • Living
  • Arts and Books
  • Features
  • The Video
You are here: Home / Politics / The Colvin e-mails: so unimportant we can’t see them

The Colvin e-mails: so unimportant we can’t see them

04/16/2010 by backofthebook.ca Leave a Comment

By Alison@Creekside

Richard-ColvinOver at the Military Police Complaints Commission, Department of Justice lawyer Alain Préfontaine is trying to prove that diplomat Richard Colvin’s emails flagging abuse of Afghan prisoners were so vaguely worded that the government could not possibly be held responsible for failing to understand what he was talking about.

Colvin and MPCC chair Glenn Stannard have the blacked out versions to work from. Colvin is not allowed to divulge what he remembers is under all that black ink.

If we could just all see the unredacted versions, says Colvin, they would reveal the crucial information.

Well, says Préfontaine, representing the government that blacked out the emails, I have seen the unredacted versions, and I can tell you there’s nothing of importance there.

Then why can’t we see them? asks MPCC chair Stannard, who apparently doesn’t have the clearance to see the very emails he’s holding hearings about.

“Because,” Préfontaine answered, “disclosure would be injurious to either national defence, international relations, or national security.”

I do hope you’re keeping up here. Colvin’s emails are apparently so sensitive they must be blacked out while simultaneously being so unimportant there’s no need to see them.

Filed Under: Politics Tagged With: Afghanistan, Canada, Canadian military, Conservatives, Richard Colvin, torture

Subscribe to BoB by e-mail or RSS

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Google+
  • Living
  • Politics
  • Media
  • Culture
  • Arts and Books
  • Features
  • The Video
Fire sale sign

Fort McMurray: Shopping time!

By Brady Tighe We’re now officially in the aftermath phase of the northern Alberta wildfire crisis. The fire is long gone, and everyone with a home to return to is back in its … [Read More...]

Nathan Cullen

Electoral reform: Hashtag fresh thinking

By Alison@Creekside The most interesting and innovative idea to come out of the first meeting of the all-party Special Committee on Electoral Reform, or ERRE, was Nathan Cullen's suggestion, … [Read More...]

Trudeau on quantum computing

The Trudeau gush fest is getting old

By Jim Henshaw There have been several bewildered as well as angry accounts coming out of the USA lately about how little media time has been spent covering the Democratic Presidential Primary … [Read More...]

Rick Meyers in Nanaimo Pride Parade

My friend, Rick, at the Pride Parade

By Frank Moher On this dreadful day, I don't want to write about the shootings in Orlando. I want to write about my friend, Rick. Rick lives just outside of Nanaimo, a city of about 80,000, … [Read More...]

Stephen Colbert on Late Night set

Triumph of the drama nerds

By Frank Moher Two drama nerds have recently moved into high profile positions. Before I name them (or perhaps you’ve already guessed who they are; or perhaps you’d like to scroll down and look at … [Read More...]

From “Our Rape Blog”: Shooting the Moon

Originally published on Our Rape Blog, the author's account of the aftermath of a violent sexual assault. By Mary Fraughton Have you ever played Hearts? It’s a card game. For our purposes, … [Read More...]

First Nations defending Lelu Island

The video: Lelu Island: “They will come.”

From Creekside: The B.C. provincial government is trying to green light the construction of a massive LNG terminal on Lelu Island in the Skeena Estuary -- Pacific Northwest LNG, backed by Malaysian … [Read More...]

Google

Follow Us!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • RSS
  • Twitter

RSS CBC News

  • How criminals are using the low-interest credit card scam to steal your identity
  • Clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernick: What's his job description? How much power does he hold?
  • Could this off-the-grid technology be the future of electricity?
  • NEB to release new Trans Mountain report on possible marine impacts
  • Nunavut priest sex abuse case stirs up criticism of 'least fair law in Canada'
  • How Gerald Butts's combative use of Twitter brought him out of the shadows
  • Victims and families of Danforth shooting to call for gun violence action in 1st public remarks
  • Grey Cup going to Regina in 2020, Hamilton in 2021
  • HBC shutting all 37 Home Outfitters stores across Canada
  • 'Somebody is going to be shot': Top bureaucrat says partisan mudslinging has gone too far
  • Canada could delay ratification of new NAFTA until U.S. metals tariffs are lifted: Garneau
  • Two Quebec NDP MPs rule out running for re-election
  • Something strange in the neighbourhood? Next Ghostbusters to be filmed in Calgary
  • Alberta to end use of photo radar as 'cash cow'
  • PBO finds benefits overhaul will shortchange recently and severely wounded vets



Recent Posts

  • Fort McMurray: Shopping time!
  • From “Our Rape Blog”: Shooting the Moon
  • Electoral reform: Hashtag fresh thinking
  • The fish hotel
  • Hatred on an Alberta golf course
  • The video: Lelu Island: “They will come.”
  • My friend, Rick, at the Pride Parade
  • Our selective sympathy
  • The Water Bomber, The Frogman and The Great Canadian Novelist
  • Komagata Maru: The story behind the apology

Tags

9/11 Afghanistan Alberta bad behaviour books British Columbia business Canada Canadian military Canadian politics CBC celebrity computers Conservatives crime environment family film G20 Globe and Mail internet Jason Kenney journalism Justin Trudeau law Liberals Maclean's music National Post NDP newspapers oil sands online media Ontario Quebec RCMP religion sports Stephen Harper television theatre Toronto U.S. Vancouver women

Archives

The Video: Lelu Island: “They will come.”

Pages

  • About
  • Privacy

Copyright © 2019 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in