Imagine. Newspapers will suggest any wild idea just to sell newspapers!
Just tell the truth
Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Mockery might be the first response to news that the RCMP paid a consultant $25,000 to coach commissioner Giulano Zaccardelli for two appearances before a parliamentary committee.
Taxpayers should get a refund. Despite 60 hours of preparation, Zaccardelli bombed. He first told the committee he knew as soon as Maher Arar was sent to Syria by U.S. authorities that the detention was based on false information provided by the RCMP.
Less than three months later, he said he hadn't found about the RCMP's role in Arar's imprisonment and torture until years later. His explanations were baffling.
**But the case raises broader questions. How many senior government employees are spending huge amounts of time and money on such coaching? What happened to the idea of simply telling the truth?
It's perfectly reasonable for Zaccardelli and others to get basic communications training. But $25,000 worth of preparation for two meetings isn't just a waste of money. It shows an unwillingness to be straight with Canadians and their representatives.
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2007
Showing posts with label RCMP. Coaching costs for Zaccardelli.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RCMP. Coaching costs for Zaccardelli.. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
Costs for coaching Zaccardelli: 25,000
Coaching Zaccardelli for hearings cost $25,000
Maybe the RCMP should ask for its money back! Zaccardelli did a poor job of defending himself and his force. In effect he ended up perjuring himself and having to resign on that account. On the other hand perhaps Zaccardelli is just a slow learner.
Last Updated: Monday, March 12, 2007 | 9:25 A
The Canadian Press
The RCMP paid a communications consultant almost $25,000 in taxpayers' money to help Giuliano Zaccardelli prepare for parliamentary hearings that ultimately led to the commissioner's resignation.
Documents obtained by the Canadian Press show the Mounties hired Ottawa firm McLoughlin Media at a cost of more than $400 an hour in advance of the former RCMP commissioner's ill-fated autumn testimony on the Arar inquiry report.
The company trains executives and politicians to communicate in media interviews, presentations and crises.
"We just wanted to ensure that he was prepared fully for his appearance," said RCMP assistant commissioner Bernie Corrigan.
McLoughlin's services were needed because the force's communication services directorate lacks expertise in dealing with parliamentary committees, Corrigan added.
Maher Arar, a Syrian-born Canadian, was detained in New York in September 2002 and deported soon after by American authorities, winding up in a Damascus prison cell. Under torture, he gave false confessions to Syrian military intelligence officers about involvement with al-Qaeda.
Continue Article
After spending more than two years looking into the case, Justice Dennis O'Connor concluded in a hefty Sept. 18 report that erroneous information the RCMP passed to the United States — painting Arar as an Islamic extremist — very likely led to the Ottawa engineer's deportation.
The Mounties remained silent on the report until 10 days later when Zaccardelli indicated in testimony to the Commons public safety committee he knew of the mistake shortly after Arar was sent to Syria.
But in December, Zaccardelli told the same committee he was wrong in his original explanation — that in fact he didn't know until years later the national police force had incorrectly labelled Arar a terrorist. The government accepted the commissioner's resignation the next day amid questions about his competence.
The government published a notice Saturday seeking a permanent replacement for Zaccardelli.
Among the qualities sought in a new commissioner is the ability "to act as the spokesperson for the RCMP, often in highly controversial and difficult situations."
"The chosen candidate will be an individual with integrity, judgment, tact, discretion and resilience."
Maybe the RCMP should ask for its money back! Zaccardelli did a poor job of defending himself and his force. In effect he ended up perjuring himself and having to resign on that account. On the other hand perhaps Zaccardelli is just a slow learner.
Last Updated: Monday, March 12, 2007 | 9:25 A
The Canadian Press
The RCMP paid a communications consultant almost $25,000 in taxpayers' money to help Giuliano Zaccardelli prepare for parliamentary hearings that ultimately led to the commissioner's resignation.
Documents obtained by the Canadian Press show the Mounties hired Ottawa firm McLoughlin Media at a cost of more than $400 an hour in advance of the former RCMP commissioner's ill-fated autumn testimony on the Arar inquiry report.
The company trains executives and politicians to communicate in media interviews, presentations and crises.
"We just wanted to ensure that he was prepared fully for his appearance," said RCMP assistant commissioner Bernie Corrigan.
McLoughlin's services were needed because the force's communication services directorate lacks expertise in dealing with parliamentary committees, Corrigan added.
Maher Arar, a Syrian-born Canadian, was detained in New York in September 2002 and deported soon after by American authorities, winding up in a Damascus prison cell. Under torture, he gave false confessions to Syrian military intelligence officers about involvement with al-Qaeda.
Continue Article
After spending more than two years looking into the case, Justice Dennis O'Connor concluded in a hefty Sept. 18 report that erroneous information the RCMP passed to the United States — painting Arar as an Islamic extremist — very likely led to the Ottawa engineer's deportation.
The Mounties remained silent on the report until 10 days later when Zaccardelli indicated in testimony to the Commons public safety committee he knew of the mistake shortly after Arar was sent to Syria.
But in December, Zaccardelli told the same committee he was wrong in his original explanation — that in fact he didn't know until years later the national police force had incorrectly labelled Arar a terrorist. The government accepted the commissioner's resignation the next day amid questions about his competence.
The government published a notice Saturday seeking a permanent replacement for Zaccardelli.
Among the qualities sought in a new commissioner is the ability "to act as the spokesperson for the RCMP, often in highly controversial and difficult situations."
"The chosen candidate will be an individual with integrity, judgment, tact, discretion and resilience."
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