Local Stations 
 

Pick your location

All CTV Stations

 

Canada -   

News Sections

Canada

World

Entertainment

Sports

Business

Health

Politics

Weather

News Programs

CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme

Canada AM

W5

Features

Autos

Consumer

Browse:

Video

Galleries

MyNews

1

Home : Canada : Baird stands by Tory MP despite amorous emails

Baird stands by Tory MP despite amorous emails

The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry(left), is shown with Bob Dechert, Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Erindale (centre), and John Saabas, President of Pratt & Whitney Canada, Monday, December 13, 2010. (MARKETWIRE PHOTO/Pratt & Whitney Canada) bob dechert, conservative mp, email scandal
The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry(left), is shown with Bob Dechert, Member of Parliament for Mississauga-Erindale (centre), and John Saabas, President of Pratt & Whitney Canada, Monday, December 13, 2010. (MARKETWIRE PHOTO/Pratt & Whitney Canada)

View Larger Image

A A |  Email ThisEmail  | Print | Comments (14) Facebook   

Date: Tuesday Sep. 13, 2011 3:43 PM ET

OTTAWA — The foreign affairs minister says his confidence in parliamentary secretary Bob Dechert has not been shaken by an embarrassing email exchange with a Chinese journalist.

John Baird says he's worked with the Toronto-area MP for a long time and he still trusts him, despite the flirtations involving Dechert and an employee of a state-run news agency linked to Chinese intelligence.

Baird refused further comment on the matter.

Last week, Dechert acknowledged sending amorous notes to Shi Rong of the Xinhua news agency, linked to China's intelligence agencies.

But he insisted the relationship was "innocent."

The flirtatious emails, distributed anonymously to almost 250 recipients last week, date back to 2010.

Comments are now closed for this story

pete macdonald
said

hay guys what is all the fuss about? everyone does this kind of stuff. the guy was just having fun chill out people and eat a snickers bar.


peter in mb
said

@Sack him!... Sorry I really do see this as a big deal. I mean its not like he publicly called the president of the united states a moron. And if the liberals and NDP think that was okay conduct then this is small potatoes in comparison, nothing wrong with this.


BCDarr
said

Another slap in the face of Canadians by the Harper Government. When will we wake up to the fact that they are simply padding their pockets and making dates at the expense of our future?


robin hood
said

Hello, when Baird was asked if he trusted Dechert—Baird was quick to effectively dodge that question “we’ve worked together a long time”! I’ve worked with certain people a long time too— well golly gee I’m satisfied. When asked of Baird (by reporter Robert Fife) “how can we be sure Dechert didn’t compromise Canadian security (mention Canada’s security and his heads drops to avoiding all eye contact, while anticipates the question and what his possible response will be) with his relationship with somebody from the Chinese state media organization with many people believing it’s a spy organization, how can you be sure of that, just taking his word, surely to goodness we do more than that, we do an investigation?” “Listen, I think the government has spoken on that, Mr. Dechert has spoken on that, I’ve spoken of this I really have?? (inaudible)… nothing to issue on that”? Baird then adapts a smile that never quite touches his eyes while turning to address the next question! This man makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!“No holds bar” I don’t trust any of you—regardless of party, I’ll wait till I see a leader who address the real woes of the Canadian people! This guy (Dechert) is well passed his midlife crisis so are we to assume he’s just a dirty old man in a suit with more power than he has a right to. Question: does Bob Dechert stack the deck?


Paul
said

So David J, you would have us bend over, take what is coming and move on. Sorry but we are in a developed country and need to be held responsible for our actions. Contrary to your beliefs we are not sheep and must voice our concerns when inappropriate behavior and situations happen. That is what makes us who we are. I for one do not believe that Clement is such an honourable minister and Baird is also starting to look like that.


Paul
said

If Dechert was a Liberal or a NDP, this would be non issue and be a non story. The lefties know that too.


Redneck Albertan
said

I would like to know who distributed these emails. Seems to me that person is the criminal in this matter. Conduct like this by any MP does seem rather pathetic, but it's not like the guy was running a dog fighting ring in the back of his office.


C in CR
said

Give it a break, if you've read previous articles on this story, you would know that the journalist's enstranged husband hacked her account and made this public, not a complaint by her. The comments sounded pretty innocent if you ask me, his wife is the only one that has the right to have a problem with this and that belongs in their house not the publics. This isn't even close to news worthy.


cowgirl junkie
said

Anyone remember Gerda Munsinger? Anyone? If you're too young - look it up. There' is your answer about whether or not he should step down.


Paul ~ Kitchener
said

Even the Government of the day can make "Faux Pas's" and this is one for the record. This act of e-mails be amorous, or not ,to a Chinese Reporter, (eyes and ears of the Chinese Secret Police), should all be proofed by our C.I.S.S. before release - no exceptions. Ministers are to easily led to making slips of the lip and we need to protect our national interests. I can just imagine, what the P.R. of C, and other nations, have learded of our internal government matters, over easily sent e-mails. Yes Mr. Prime Minister this member must br moved to the back benchs of the HoC and a new minister appointed. Cover-ups by the Government, to protect loyal members, is still wrong, and must be addressed, with the severity of the error reflected.


robin hood
said

That’s right all us females know that when a man in power targets our person it’s always totally innocent—they’re not looking for anything, we know that!


Sack him!
said

Baird is such a puppy. What else could he say anyway? Of course a Con supports a Con, and a Con is always right. I'm not anti "conservative", just anti "stupid", and this whole affair is another example of this government forgetting their own arguments at the government when they sat in the opposition. Now that they're in, they can do no wrong? This guy should be sacked for conduct unbecoming - he's not fit to be an MP.


Bob,Calgary,Alberta
said

In our modern society where standards of morality are often determined by television and hollywood movies it seems that disloyalty to one's spouse is easily accepted as a simple picadilo rather than a flaw in character. In Canada loyalty to the Prime Minister and the Conservative party is of course of paramount importance. A married man shooting off amorous E-mails to an ermployee of a Chinese company with links to Chinese intelligence seems to me to indicate a character flaw worthy of demotion from one's government position. Of course, Stephen Harper, (and I voted Conservative) often looks one way for some people and another way for others. Politicians are all the same be they Con,Lib or NDP. Service to one's country is just a B.S. punchline. The real service is to one's political success. NO wonder Canadian's distrust and have little respect for politicians.


David J
said

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.


User Tools

Share with your social Network:

Facebook DIGG Newsvine Delicious Twitter StumbeUpon Reddit Yahoo! Buzz

 

Advertisement

Related Stories

Contest

Most Popular

Today's Canada Stories

A Canadian Pacific Railway employee walks along the side of a locomotive in a marshalling yard in Calgary, Wednesday, May 16, 2012. (Jeff McIntosh / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Talks between CP, union stall; Raitt prepared to step in

More   38 Comments 38    2 Video(s) 2

Victoria Shachtay, 23, died in an explosion on Friday, Nov. 25, in an Innisfail townhouse.

Man charged in parcel blast that killed Alta. mother

More  2 Video(s) 2

Nova Scotia, body, Hillside Road, Marion Bridge

Police identify humans remains found in hockey bag

More  1 Video(s) 1

Most Viewed News Stories

View More News Stories

Most Talked about Stories

It is about time - as a grandparent I have watched our kids (who were allowed to fail although I do remember some nagging on our part) learn, I have watched our children now micro-manage their children. A big part of it is the fact that there are predators out there and an extreme reluctance on the parents part to alllow freedom that might result in the children becoming victims.

Harvey

Parents must learn to stop meddling, author urges

Got something to say? Share on CTV News

Related TV Shows

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl