Gordon O'Connor
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| Brigadier-General the Honourable Gordon James O'Connor | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2004 Federal Election |
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| Preceded by | Scott Reid |
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| Born | May 18, 1939 Toronto, Ontario |
| Political party | CPC |
| Spouse | Kathy O'Connor |
| Residence | Kanata, Ontario |
| Profession | Soldier, defence consultant |
| Cabinet | Minister of National Revenue |
Gordon James O'Connor, PC, OMM, CD, MP (born May 18, 1939) is a retired Brigadier-General, current Canadian Member of Parliament and the Minister of National Revenue. He was previously the Minister of National Defence and was one of a few defence ministers to have served in the military, the last being Gilles Lamontagne.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, he has a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Physics from Concordia University and a BA in Philosophy from York University.
He served over 30 years in the Canadian Army, starting as a Second Lieutenant in the Armour Branch and retiring with the rank of Brigadier-General.
O'Connor then entered the private sector as Vice-President of Business Development for a large facility management firm, and Vice-President Operations for a vehicle testing centre. He was a Senior Associate with Hill & Knowlton Canada, a world-wide public relations, public affairs and strategic communications company. O'Connor has also been an official lobbyist for several defence industry companies. These companies include: BAE Systems (1996 to 2004), General Dynamics (1996 to 2001), Atlas Elektronik GmbH (1999 to 2004), and Airbus Military (2001 to 2004).[1]
He was elected in the 2004 elections as a Conservative candidate in the Ottawa riding of Carleton—Mississippi Mills with slightly more than 50% of the vote. After winning he became Defence Critic for the Official Opposition. His vote share increased in the 2006 election. He is an honorary member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club, S157.
Gordon O'Connor is married and has two children, both of them are adults. He now lives in Kanata, Ontario where he has lived for over 20 years.
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[edit] Cabinet Selection
Though somewhat muted by the higher profile issues in the naming of David Emerson and Michael Fortier to the cabinet, the posting of O'Connor to the position of Minister of National Defence by Prime Minister Harper was met with controversy. Harkening back to ethics and accountability issues including a promised crackdown on lobbying and reforms to lobbying legislation[2] that Harper raised during the 2006 federal election, O'Connor's employment as a lobbyist for several major defence industry companies including some of the world's largest military contractors, such as General Dynamics, BAE Systems and Airbus as recently as 2004 was seen by many as peculiar. Some feared that with the posting the minister would often be dealing with the very companies for whom he advised for and assisted in soliciting defence contracts; seemingly putting him in constant peril of conflict-of-interest issues.[3] However, the aim of the Accountability Act is to prevent people from moving from government to lobbying, and not the opposite as was the case with O'Connor (at least not this time, although in the past he went from Brigadier General in the Canadian Forces to lobbyist)
There were potential conflict-of-interest issues early in his term as one of the first major issues the Conservatives pledged they would sort out is the replacement of the Forces 'tactical airlift' fleet. One of the most prominent companies bidding for the contract to replace the present fleet of C-130 Hercules Turboprops is Airbus S.A.S. for whom O'Connor worked as a lobbyist until February 2004, lobbying the former Liberal government to purchase the airplane that would become the Airbus A400M for its tactical airlift fleet.[4]
[edit] Tenure As Minister Of Defence
As soon as Gordon O'Connor became Minister of National Defence, the Canadian Government decided to purchase 4 C-17 Globemaster IIIs, manufactured by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems for $3.4 billion,[5] 16 CH-47 Chinook medium lift helicopters, also from Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, for $4.7 billion,[6] 17 C-130Js from Lockheed-Martin for $4.9 billion,[7] 2300 Medium-Sized Logistics Trucks for $1.1 billion,[8] and $2.9 billion for 3 Joint Support Ships,[9] for a total of $17 billion.
O'Connor announced on May 30, 2006 that the Canadian Forces would be suspending usage of the Mercedes G-Wagon combat vehicle to on-base operations only, after a number of Canadian soldiers were killed while travelling in the lightly-armoured vehicle. However, three months later it was revealed that no such order was ever given, and the controversial vehicles were still being used in combat operations.[10]
In a major cabinet shuffle on August 14, 2007, Prime Minster Harper demoted O'Connor to the lower profile position of Minister of National Revenue, replacing him in the defence portfolio with former Foreign Minister Peter MacKay.[11][12]
[edit] Controversy
[edit] Afghanistan
In May 2005, as Canada's policy of detaining people in Afghanistan and transferring them to units of the Afghan police known for torture, O'Connor told Parliament that the International Committee of the Red Cross: "The Red Cross or the Red Crescent is responsible to supervise their treatment once the prisoners are in the hands of the Afghan authorities. If there is something wrong with their treatment, the Red Cross or Red Crescent would inform us and we would take action."
This statement was later denied by the ICRC, which stated that it was "informed of the agreement, but ... not a party to it and ... not monitoring the implementation of it." The ICRC also advised that, in accordance with its normal operating procedure, it would not notify any foreign government (Canada included) of abuse found in Afghan prisons.[13]
On March 13, O'Connor travelled to Kandahar to meet with Abdul Noorzai of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, "look the man in the eyes", and gain assurances that detainees were being supervised.[14]
O'Connor subsequently acknowledged in an official release that his statement in Parliament was not true, and that the ICRC was not monitoring detainees and not informing Canada as he claimed.[15]
Additional controversy was generated in the week of April 23 when The Globe and Mail reported that 30 Afghan men formerly under Canadian custody alleged they had been tortured by their Afghan captors.[16] Two days later, another Globe story ran on a government report from which "negative references to acts such as torture, abuse, and extra judicial killings were blacked out without an explanation."[17][18] The difficulties faced by O'Connor were exacerbated after various government ministers and Stephen Harper himself gave apparently conflicting testimony on the existence and nature of the agreement with Afghan forces to supervise detainees.[19]
Following these revelations, the opposition parties unanimously demanded O'Connor's resignation; a demand echoed by some press commentators such as Andrew Coyne. Stephen Harper has resisted all calls for O'Connor's dismissal.[20]
An anonymous Conservative source was quoted as saying that despite losing Harper's confidence, O'Connor would not be dismissed lest his removal send the wrong message: "If it's interpreted as us wavering, or any weakening of resolve that somehow we're on the wrong course, those questions would get asked... The Taliban would see it as a positive thing."[21]
O'Connor also faced criticism for remarks that Canada was in Afghanistan as an act of retribution for 9/11.[22][23]
[edit] Letter To Donald Rumsfeld
In December 2006, O'Connor wrote to the ousted Donald Rumsfeld praising his "vision", "many achievements", and "significant contribution", adding: "Here we have been privileged to benefit from your leadership" in "the campaign against terror." Critics argued that these rather flattering remarks went well beyond the demands of courtesy and were too conciliatory, expressing a sympathy with Rumsfeld's performance not widely shared in Canada.[24][25]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Lobbyists Registration System. (Search: O'Connor, Gordon.) Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists – Canada. Retrieved on 2007-08-23
- ^ Stand up for accountability – federal election platform 2006, (pdf). Conservative Party of Canada. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Adam Day, "Gordon O'Connor: Minister of National Defence", Legion Magazine, September/October 2006. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Romeo St. Martin, "Military spending puts spotlight on O'Connor", PoliticsWatch, 27 June 2006. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ DND/CF News Release, 29 June 2006, Retrieved on 2007-08-23
- ^ DND/CF News Release, 28 June 2006, Retrieved on 2007-08-23
- ^ DND/CF News Release, 29 June 2006, Retrieved on 2007-08-23
- ^ DND/CF News Release, 27 June 2006, Retrieved on 2007-08-23
- ^ DND/CF News Release, 26 June 2006, Retrieved on 2007-08-23
- ^ "O'Connor misspoke on G-wagons: gov't records", Canadian Press, 14 August 2006. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Alexander Panetta, "Embattled O'Connor loses defence post in cabinet shuffle to MacKay", Canadian Press, 14 August 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Richard Foot, "O'Connor demotion inevitable, but not deserved", CanWest News Service, 14 August 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Paul Koring, "Red Cross contradicts Ottawa on detainees", The Globe and Mail, 8 March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Joe Friesen, "O'Connor meets with Afghan rights chief", The Globe and Mail, 15 March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ "O'Connor sorry for misinforming House on Afghan detainees", CBC News, 19 March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
- ^ Graeme Smith,"From Canadian custody into cruel hands", The Globe and Mail, 23 April 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-22.
- ^ Paul Koring, "What Ottawa doesn't want you to know", The Globe and Mail (subscription required), 25 April 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ "Canada to get access to Afghan detainees: O'Connor", CTV News, 26 April 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ "Cdns. have had access to detainees all along: Day", CTV News, 26 April 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Daniel LeBlanc, "Harper stands by O'Connor as furor grows", The Globe and Mail (subscription required), 25 April 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Brian Laghi, "PM stands by O'Connor – but for the wrong reasons", The Globe and Mail (subscription required), 26 April 2007. Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
- ^ Andrea Sands, "Canadian troops in Afghanistan as 9/11 'retribution'", The Edmonton Journal, 21 January 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Sean Gordon and Les Whittington, "Probe Afghan role, Dion urges", The Toronto Star, 25 January 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Jennifer Ditchburn, "Canada 'privileged' to benefit from Rumsfeld's leadership: O'Connor", Canadian Press, 21 June 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-24.
- ^ Mike Blanchfield, "O'Connor letter praised Rumsfeld even when U.S. official sacked", Ottawa Citizen, 21 June 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-22.
[edit] External links
- Official site
- Political Biography from the Library of Parliament
- How'd They Vote?: Gordon O'Connor's voting history and quotes
| 28th Ministry - Government of Stephen Harper | ||
| Cabinet Posts (2) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Carol Skelton | Minister of National Revenue (from 14-Aug-2007) |
Incumbent |
| Bill Graham | Minister of Defence (2006-2007) |
Peter MacKay |
| Parliament of Canada | ||
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| Preceded by riding created in 2003; see Lanark—Carleton |
Member of Parliament from Carleton—Mississippi Mills 2004 - present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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