Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday July 19, 2007
Strip Conrad of Order of Canada, NDP urges
The reputation of former media baron Conrad Black, who fell from fortune to felon last week, could plummet even further now that the federal New Democrats are asking Rideau Hall to strip away Black’s Order of Canada.
Conrad Black Cartoon Gallery
The NDP has put in an official request to take away Canada’s highest civilian honour from the former head of Hollinger Inc., reasoning Black’s convictions for three counts of fraud and one count of obstruction of justice in Chicago on July 13 undermine the integrity of the award.
NDP heritage critic Charlie Angus told the Canadian Press that the Order of Canada was meant to represent the noblest achievements of Canada’s men and women, but “when someone falls below that standard by being convicted, in the past they’ve been removed from that order.”
Black’s leading defence lawyer, Edward Greenspan, e-mailed a statement to the Canadian Press saying that any move to strip Black of the order should wait until the judicial process is completed.
“Since we have announced that there will be an appeal, the only appropriate thing to do is to await the result of the appeal before any motion about his Order of Canada should be brought,” Greenspan wrote. (Source: CBC News)