‘Harperman’ creator retires from civil service

Scientist Tony Turner was suspended for allegedly breaching federal ethics code

OTTAWA— The Environment Canada scientist whose anti-Stephen Harper folksong “Harperman” got him suspended from his job is retiring rather than waiting out an investigation into his behaviour.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, the union that represents Tony Turner, says Turner’s retirement took effect this week.

He was suspended with pay this summer for alleging breaching the Government of Canada’s values and ethics code for public servants by recording and posting on YouTube a song that takes the prime minister’s policies to task and concludes that “Harperman, it’s time for you to go.”

In a release, Turner said he was assured of a quick investigation, but as the weeks have dragged on he has now decided it is better to retire from the civil service. Turner said he continues to believe he acted within his rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and said he did not act contrary to Environment Canada’s values and ethics code.

A spokeswoman for the public service union said Turner’s retirement does not affect the rights of other civil servants to free political speech, a right that was upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada in 1991.

Sympathetic musicians took up the cause at Queen’s Park and dozens of other locations on Sept. 17, belting out the YouTube ditty.

“We know why we’re here,” master of ceremonies Susan Wayne told a gathering of about 120 people, many of them with New Democrat ties, in front of the legislature under the baking noon-hour sun. With files from Rob Ferguson