Deputy Attorney General John H. Sims unexpectedly resigns

[HeresyLives]

Yes, according to the Department of Justice, earlier this week, Deputy Minister John H. Sims -- a three-plus-decade veteran of the civil service -- gave notice, via widely-distributed letter, that he would be leaving his post, effective April 1. The news apparently provoked mild-to-middling surprise on the mandarin circuit, since generally speaking, the imminent departure of such a senior official would have been telegraphed months in advance, and not announced in a brief note just two weeks before his last day on the job.

The timing is especially curious given how deeply enmeshed in the Afghan detainee controversy his soon to be former department has become, particularly given yesterday's Questions of Privilege.

-snip-

It's worth noting that Sims himself has, of course, never been cited as a potential target for contempt claims. But it's hard to see how as deputy minister -- and, under the Federal Accountability Act, accounting officer responsible before Parliament and committee -- he wouldn't have wound up played a key role in crafting the department's response to the argument that one of its senior officials may have breached parliamentary privilege.

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/insidepolitics/2010/03/farewell-soon-to-be-former-deputy-attorney-general-john-h-sims.html

This is a dilly...must read

[Spazito]

1. Whoa! How did I miss this now 'infamous' letter discussed in the article...

was it ever made public? It certainly sounds like his resignation is tied very much to the letter sent by the "assistant deputy minister of justice" (the 'she' referred to in Mr. Lee's response) and the debacle over the documents.

I hope there is going to be some follow-up on this latest development.

Thanks for posting this, much appreciated!

[HeresyLives]

2. I dunno.

I'm a news junkie, and this is the first I've heard of it too.

I can only hope our media is on the trail...this story is getting hotter by the moment apparently.

[Spazito]

3. The harper cabal has to be breathing a huge sigh of relief that it's Friday, lol...

I suspect there will be no rest for the 'wicked', though, as there will, no doubt, be a lot of activity over the weekend while they try and figure out a way to do damage control over SO many PR diasters.

:rofl:

[HeresyLives]

4. When does Easter break start for them?

Or are they taking one this year?

Sometimes when they're out of Parliament it gets worse than when they're in.

Especially if Harp has to leave the country. Having not spoken for themselves in some years, they panic when a mike is shoved in their face and blurt out great things!

[Spazito]

5. I think it is in two weeks...

a lot of things can happen in two weeks and I think the fireworks are just beginning. Yep, re blurting out very 'inconvenient' things in front of a mic, I am counting on it, lol.

[HeresyLives]

6. Yeah Easter is, but when does their break start?

They have a nasty habit of extending it way before, and way after the actual holiday.

And then Harp wanted them to work overtime to make up for the proroguing and they agreed, so I've lost track of when they'll be around.

At the moment Cons are screaming about Ignatieff 'using children as props' since he's away talking to students, and of course the media follows him around asking for comments. ;)

[Spazito]

7. I took the two week number from Kady's blog..

"Well, it's Friday, which means that a) we've survived another week -- three down and two more to go until the first break of the session, assuming the Hill doesn't mutate into a brutal Lord of the Flies-esque dystopia"

http://www.cbc.ca/politics/insidepolitics/2010/03/orders-of-the-day---privilegewatch-paused----but-not-for-long.html#socialcomments


That's not to say all hell couldn't break out in the interim and change what is expected currently as Kady referenced in her Lord of the Flies snark, lol. Hmmm, I have always had an affinity for the Lord of the Flies and, damn, now I want to see an interpretation as presented by Parliament, my bad!

:rofl:

[daleo]

8. This seems pretty big

I don't know what exactly it means, but given recent developments regarding the Afghanistan detainee file this doesn't seem like someone just wanting to spend more time with the family. I don't know if he is bailing to avoid testifying at some point or if it is because he can't support the government position in good conscience. Either would be significant.

Plus, the news came out on Friday.

[HeresyLives]

9. Yeah, Friday news dump.

Always ominous in itself.