U of O professors accuse Tories of witchhunt

Two professors at the University of Ottawa, Errol Mendes and Amir Attaran, are wondering if federal Conservatives are behind access to information requests for their employment, expense, and teaching records. Both Mendes and Attaran have in the past been vocal critics of the Conservative government and have both been accused of being Liberal sympathizers. “I started thinking, my God, this is a McCarthy-like attempt to politically intimidate both of us,” Mendes said of the request for his professional records. Attaran echoed Mendes’ concern, saying “I have a feeling it’s political.” The identity of the party who made the request remains anonymous under Ontario’s freedom-of-information laws, under which anyone can make a request for information from government bodies by paying $5 and filling out a form, without needing to give a reason for the request. Fred DeLorey, a spokesman for the Conservative Party denied any involvement from the government.

SOURCE: Toronto Star