Called to account

The Cons did their best to try to hide Gordon O'Connor's admission that he misled Parliament underneath the news of the budget. But the House of Commons Defence Committee isn't letting O'Connor off the hook that easily:

The issue of enemy detainees captured by Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan just won't stop dogging Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor.

O'Connor has been summoned to appear before the Commons defence committee to account for false statements about the monitoring of detainees in Afghan custody.

The minister is not compelled to show up, but a spokesman from his office said that upon receiving a formal invitation from the committee O'Connor will co-operate on scheduling an appearance date.

I'll note first off that the article wrongly repeats O'Connor's subsequent spin in asserting merely that the ICRC "is only compelled to report such abuses to the country that is holding the detainees", rather than the truth that it's outright prohibited from disclosing abuses to any other country.

But then, the committee hearing should offer plenty of opportunity to clear up that fact both in O'Connor's mind and in the media. And in addition, the committee hearing will help to open up for added public attention an issue which the Cons did their best to bury. Which is why this is one of the rare occasions when calling a Con on the carpet over an inaccuracy (rather than simply highlighting an incident as evidence that the Cons can't be trusted) is actually worth Parliament's time.