Agreed. In addition, I’d add this to the OC’s comments:
It would be like if you were at a pro Palestinian protest and were asked to sign a document saying you’re free to protest but only if you remain quiet about certain things the isralie government is doing
Well, no. It’s more like, the Israeli gov’t promises that you can get secret information from them about what they are doing, but you can’t mention it publicly until they’ve made it public. But worst case you’re still free to protest anything and everything that’s already public.
top intelligence officials have said that secrecy rules would not prevent leaders from acting on the information they receive. On Tuesday, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May held a lengthy news conference detailing what she learned from the classified report.
Former Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole says the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) found an “active campaign of voter suppression” by China against him and his party in the 2021 election. O’Toole made the comments Tuesday from the floor of the House of Commons
So this excuse rings hollow.
not because of anything you did but because you refused to sign the document.
A refusal to perform a certain action is a choice. And choices have consequences…
If you refuse to sign, a crowd of people all start shouting that
I haven’t seen anyone call PP a Nazi specifically because of this, yet. So I think the analogy breaks down here.
Also, signing the document is just a step, it’s not all there is. Even though PP had a security clearance in the past that has since expired, presumably he’d have to be rechecked before getting a new one. Unlike just signing a doc, there are some concerns here that PP might actually have something in his background that would cause him to fail this check, resulting in a denial even after he agrees to sign.
As an MP He’s a representative not a member of the federal government.
No, the government is the party that governs
Parliament is the legislative branch of government. Its main purpose is to make laws and hold the government to account.
Government is a broader term with different meanings. Inside the House of Commons, it usually refers to the Prime Minister, Cabinet and other members of the governing party.
I can’t find confirmation but I imagine the last time that the Liberals were the Opposition, their leader, Michael Ignatieff, would have held this clearance as well. So PP is very much the odd one out here.
Agreed. In addition, I’d add this to the OC’s comments:
Well, no. It’s more like, the Israeli gov’t promises that you can get secret information from them about what they are doing, but you can’t mention it publicly until they’ve made it public. But worst case you’re still free to protest anything and everything that’s already public.
I’m not sure if even that premise is correct, though. From https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-poilievre-is-the-sole-party-leader-foregoing-access-to-classified/ (archive https://archive.is/QEbVP)
Likewise, the previous opposition leader did have the clearance, and was able to speak publicly about what he learned, as per https://globalnews.ca/news/9732593/erin-otoole-chinese-interference/
So this excuse rings hollow.
A refusal to perform a certain action is a choice. And choices have consequences…
I haven’t seen anyone call PP a Nazi specifically because of this, yet. So I think the analogy breaks down here.
Also, signing the document is just a step, it’s not all there is. Even though PP had a security clearance in the past that has since expired, presumably he’d have to be rechecked before getting a new one. Unlike just signing a doc, there are some concerns here that PP might actually have something in his background that would cause him to fail this check, resulting in a denial even after he agrees to sign.
As per https://learn.parl.ca/understanding-comprendre/en/canada-system-of-government/the-branches-of-government/
So that is accurate.
How come only PP didn’t get a clearance? Every other party leader has one. Think of all the times Bloc Quebecois clashed with the Liberals (e.g. https://globalnews.ca/news/10791235/bloc-quebecois-pension-payments-possible-election/ and https://globalnews.ca/news/10791235/bloc-quebecois-pension-payments-possible-election/ ) but their leader still has the clearance. Doesn’t seem like having a clearance hurt that much.
I can’t find confirmation but I imagine the last time that the Liberals were the Opposition, their leader, Michael Ignatieff, would have held this clearance as well. So PP is very much the odd one out here.