Clear conflict

Re: No cosiness with Facebook, says minister, Jan. 30

The Liberal government would have us believe that its interactions with Facebook are ethical and defensible when claims of impartiality are belied by the facts.

Facebook can be forgiven its attempt to poach a team member from its prospective regulator for it is a textbook capture play and routine business practice. but for a senior official at the department of Canadian Heritage to promote the job to his own colleagues and reports is a gross violation of his duty of fidelity to the government and goes against the public interest. employment agreements mandate that you cannot induce another employee to leave the employer for any position let alone one where there is such a clear and obvious conflict of interest.

The minister in charge may be “Guilbeault,” but if an election is called let’s hope that voters aren’t.

Simon Dermer, Toronto