Talk:Maria Minna
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography. For more information, visit the project page. | ||
| ??? | This article has not yet received a rating on the Project's quality scale. Please rate the article and then leave a short summary here to explain the ratings and/or to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the article. [FAQ] | ||
Error:
The reference to Hon. Maria Minna, P.C., M.P., Member of Parliament for the Toronto riding of Beaches-East York, incorrectly states that:
She was expelled from the [Cabinet] position after it was discovered she had improperly voted in a municipal by-election, she was thus confined to the backbenches.
Her illegal actions were leaked from within the Liberal Party and it is generally believed that Warren Kinsella an important Liberal advisor who has long wanted to run in Minna's seat was responsible.
Fact:
In a report released on September 27, 2002, Canada’s Office of the Ethics Counsellor stated that:
“On the basis of the information gathered, the Office of the Ethics Counsellor has concluded that Maria Minna was entitled and eligible to vote in the City of Toronto Ward 31 by-election of December, 2001.
“Since she only voted once in the municipality, the provisions of the Municipal Elections Act of Ontario were respected.”
The report also included a document from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, the body responsible for preparing the preliminary voters’ list, which stated that:
“Accordingly, the Preliminary List of Electors provided to the City of Toronto for Ward 31 contained the name of Maria Minna as an eligible voter.”
In an interview on CBC Radio later that day, Federal Ethics Counsellor Howard Wilson said “there’s no question about the legitimacy of her name being on that voting list as a tenant.”
Later in that same interview, Mr. Wilson said, “in my opinion, she did nothing wrong.”
Media coverage:
Ethics watchdog exonerates Minna of voting illegally
No wrongdoing in by-election, Wilson says
Liberal MP Maria Minna received her long-awaited exoneration over charges of voting irregularities yesterday, but the former cabinet minister said she has already paid “a very dear price.”
-- Toronto Star – September 28, 2002
Liberal MP’s vote proper, official rules
The federal ethics counselor has ruled that Toronto Liberal MP Maria Minna did nothing wrong when she voted in a municipal by-election on Dec. 3.
-- Globe and Mail – September 28, 2002
Liberal MP cleared in municipal vote controversy
Maria Minna, a Liberal MP, did nothing wrong when she voted in a municipal by-election in Toronto in December, the Ethics Counsellor has ruled.
-- National Post – September 28, 2002
Background:
Prior to advance polling day for the municipal by-election in November 2000, Maria Minna’s name was on the voter’s list.
She was issued a voter’s card and she was entitled to vote.
To be absolutely sure, her staff contacted the City of Toronto Elections Services Office.
They were advised that a business tenant in Ward 31 could vote in the by-election as long as the name of the voter was on the lease, the voter was on the voters’ list and a voter’s card had been issued.
City of Toronto staff actually faxed copies of relevant legislation to her constituency office confirming the advice that they had provided.
The voters’ list prepared by the City of Toronto for the Ward 31 by-election – without any request from Maria Minna or her staff -- properly listed her name as a “non-resident tenant”.
In fact, she was but one of 1,900 voters listed as “non-resident”.
Many of those non-resident eligible voters live in the City of Toronto and voted in the Ward 31 by-election.
Maria Minna was entitled to be on the Ward 31 voters’ list.
She was properly provided with a voter’s card in accordance with the legislation.
She was entitled to vote in the Ward 31 by-election and she committed no offence by having done so.
However, one of her political opponents made false claims about her in the media about two weeks after the election.
Several months later, she was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Correction:
We would appreciate it very much if you would acknowledge the error and publish the correct information.
Sincerely yours,
Robert MacBain
Chairman Maria Minna Re-election Campaign
- Thank you for your detailed comments. I have updated the article. - SimonP 20:48, May 29, 2005 (UTC)
