PMO asked staff to supply 'enemy' lists to new ministers

The email, obtained by CBC News and several other media outlets, was sent July 4 by Erica Furtado in the Prime Minister's Office and shows a checklist for what should be in the transition binders.

"Who to avoid: bureaucrats that can't take no (or yes) for an answer" is on the list, as well as "Who to engage or avoid: friend and enemy stakeholders."
...
The person who leaked the emails said that when some staff balked at the idea of coming up with the blacklists, they were cut off from further communications about the matter.

The person also said staff were given examples of stakeholders that could go on the "enemies list" and they included environmental groups, non-profit organizations, and civic and industry associations with views different than the government's.

Kent said “friend and enemy” language is not only “juvenile,” but harkens to former U.S. president Richard Nixon’s so-called “Enemies List,” the existence of which was revealed during the Watergate scandal.

“That was the nomenclature used by Nixon,” he said. “His political horizon was divided very starkly into friends and enemies. The use of the word ‘enemies list,’ for those of us of a certain generation, it evokes nothing less than thoughts of Nixon and Watergate.”

Independent MP Brent Rathgeber, who resigned from the Conservative caucus in June, described the existence of such lists as “inappropriate” and contributing to the “dysfunctional workplace” that Ottawa has become.

"commanderkai" said
I am OUTRAGED! Outraged I tell you! This is Canada! "Enemy" is too harsh and mean of a word, he should have used "not-friend"! Leave terms like "enemy" and "opponent" to our barbarian neighbors!

they included:
environmental groups,
non-profit organizations,
civic and industry associations with views different than the government's

"Curtman" said


I realize it's popular around here to consider people with differing views as enemies. But it's not normal. Conversation with people who agree all the time would be very boring and unproductive. For the government to treat environmental groups as enemies is cause for outrage.

"Curtman" said
I realize it's popular around here to consider people with differing views as enemies. But it's not normal. Conversation with people who agree all the time would be very boring and unproductive. For the government to treat environmental groups as enemies is cause for outrage.

"SprCForr" said
What astounds me is the naivety of some people that think that politicians DON'T ever do that sort of shit.