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==Gomery Inquiry== ==Gomery Inquiry==
Kinsella's work as a political aide figured in a ]. In ], while working for ], then ], Kinsella wrote a memo to deputy minister Ran Quail recommending that the government's communications be reorganized under a centralized delivery system and that ] be assigned to head the new agency. However, Ran Quail dismissed the memo as a "mistake by an inexperienced staffer." Dingwall testified that he didn't remember the incident, but assumed that he must have instructed Kinsella to write the memo. Interestingly, the Communications Co-ordination Services Branch that was created in November 1997 consisted of almost exactly the consolidation of functions that had been advocated by Kinsella and was headed Charles Guité. In his report on the scandal, Justice John Gomery noted that the memo was "a highly inappropriate attempt by political staff to interfere in the internal administration" of the department.<ref>Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities (2005). '''' Retrieved July 3, 2006.</ref> Kinsella was a witness at the ]<ref>Gomery.ca (2005).'''' Retrieved July 3, 2006.</ref> and frequently mocked Judge Gomery on his web site. In 2006, Guite was convicted of defrauding the federal government and sentenced to 42 months in prison. Kinsella's work as a political aide figured in a ]. In ], while working for ], then ], Kinsella wrote a memo to deputy minister Ran Quail recommending that the government's communications be reorganized under a centralized delivery system and that ] be assigned to oversee the review. However, Ran Quail dismissed the memo as a "mistake by an inexperienced staffer." Dingwall testified that he didn't remember the incident, but assumed that he must have instructed Kinsella to write the memo. In his report on the scandal, Justice John Gomery - who has referred to Kinsella as a "hot shot" -noted that the memo was "a highly inappropriate attempt by political staff to interfere in the internal administration" of the department.<ref>Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities (2005). '''' Retrieved July 3, 2006.</ref> Kinsella was a witness at the ]<ref>Gomery.ca (2005).'''' Retrieved July 3, 2006.</ref> and frequently mocked Judge Gomery on his web site. In 2006, Guite was convicted of defrauding the federal government and sentenced to 42 months in prison.


==Legal action against bloggers== ==Legal action against bloggers==

Revision as of 15:20, 18 July 2006

File:Kinsella.jpg
Warren Kinsella in his basement
Warren Kinsella should not be confused with Canadian author W. P. Kinsella.

J. Warren Kinsella, (born August 1960 in Montreal, Quebec), is a Toronto-based Canadian non-practicing lawyer, author, musician, political consultant, lobbyist and commentator.

Education and Career History

After receiving a bachelor's degree in journalism from Carleton University, Kinsella worked at the Ottawa Citizen newspaper. He subsequently earned a law degree from the University of Calgary and was a partner at the law firm McMillan Binch. He left McMillan Binch in 2002 to work for the Toronto-based consulting firm Navigator. In April 2006, Kinsella launched his own political consulting firm, the Daisy Consulting Group. Kinsella is also a media columnist for the National Post.

Politics

Kinsella worked as a staffer in opposition leader Jean Chrétien's office, a strategy advisor in the Canadian federal Liberal Party's 1993 election campaign "task force", and chief of staff to federal Public Works minister David Dingwall. In his book Kicking Ass in Canadian Politics, Kinsella describes how his adversaries refer to him as a "Liberal attack dog", and the "James Carville" and "Prince of Darkness" of Canadian politics. Kinsella gained national exposure during the 2000 federal election when, acting on discussion with Liberal campaign staffers Karl Littler and Sophie Galarneau, he appeared on television brandishing a toy Barney dinosaur to highlight Stockwell Day's creationist beliefs. Kinsella ran as a Liberal candidate in the 1997 federal election in the riding of North Vancouver and lost.

While a practicing Roman Catholic, he is a member of the board of the Canada Israel Committee.

Gomery Inquiry

Kinsella's work as a political aide figured in a 2004 Canadian sponsorship scandal. In 1995, while working for David Dingwall, then Minister of Public Works, Kinsella wrote a memo to deputy minister Ran Quail recommending that the government's communications be reorganized under a centralized delivery system and that Charles Guité be assigned to oversee the review. However, Ran Quail dismissed the memo as a "mistake by an inexperienced staffer." Dingwall testified that he didn't remember the incident, but assumed that he must have instructed Kinsella to write the memo. In his report on the scandal, Justice John Gomery - who has referred to Kinsella as a "hot shot" -noted that the memo was "a highly inappropriate attempt by political staff to interfere in the internal administration" of the department. Kinsella was a witness at the Gomery Commission and frequently mocked Judge Gomery on his web site. In 2006, Guite was convicted of defrauding the federal government and sentenced to 42 months in prison.

Legal action against bloggers

In 2004, Kinsella threatened legal action against Canadian bloggers who he alleged libelled him. The matter was eventually settled without litigation when most parties involved came to compromise. The issue aroused controversy in the Canadian blogging community. In January, 2006, he filed a statement of claim for $600,000 against blogger Mark Bourrie over a post by Bourrie regarding Kinsella's role in hiring Chuck Guite in the lead-up to the sponsorship scandal. Bourrie apologized and paid $1000 of Kinsella's costs.

Involvement in Punk Music

In his youth, Kinsella was the bassist of the Canadian punk band, "The Hot Nasties". In 2005, Kinsella wrote Fury's Hour: A (sort-of) Punk-Rock Manifesto (Random House, 2005), a history of the early days of punk. Kinsella wrote the song, Barney Rubble is My Double recorded on The Evaporator's Ripple Rock album.

Personal

He is son of physician and medical ethicist Douglas Kinsella,(C.M.), founder of the National Council on Ethics in Human Research (NCEHR)]. He and his wife have four children. In late 2000, he established a weblog, "Latest Musings".

Works

References

  1. National Post (date of copyright unknown). Warren Kinsella leaving McMillan Binch for Navigator Ltd (Google Cache). Retrieved from Google Cache Apr 30, 2006.
  2. National Post, 2002. . Retrieved July 3, 2006
  3. Globe and Mail (2006). Warren Kinsella and Co. have launched Daisy Consulting Group. Retrieved July 2, 2006.
  4. Wells, Paul (2001-06-26). "Debunking the Cult of Warren". The National Post. p. A6. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. Canada-Israel Committee (2006). Board of Directors. Retrieved June 30, 2006.
  6. Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities (2005). Who is Responsible? Fact Finding Chapter VI - Administration of the Sponsorship Program Retrieved July 3, 2006.
  7. Gomery.ca (2005).Schedule of Witnesses Retrieved July 3, 2006.
  8. Barrera, Jorge (2006-02-15). "'Prince of Darkness Sues Blogger". Ottawa Sun. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. Ottawa Watch (2006). Kinsella v. Bourrie (Google Cache). Retrieved from Google Cache June 30, 2006.
  10. Punk History CanadaThe Hot Nasties Retrieved July 3, 2006.
  11. Warrenkinsella.com (2006). Latest Musings June 2006. Retrieved June 30, 2006.

External links

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