Those Ottawa residents will be familiar with the recent trial of Ottawa mayor Larry O`Brien (who was acquitted). What they may not be familiar with was a ruling regarding the testimony of Conservative MPP Nepean-Centre Lisa MacLeod.

It has come to light that Justice Douglas Cunningham dismissed the testimony of MacLeod, citing "the defence was able to demonstrate that there were a number of rather significant things going on in her life when she gave her statement to the police. She was commuting regularly to Toronto for her work, leaving her husband and child in Ottawa." He then concluded that her testimony did not corroborate with the Crown's main witness.

This kind of attitude is what continues to keep the woman of Canada from seriously pursuing politcs as a career. Women make up just 22% of the MPs in parliament, and according to the Globe and Mail, only 21% of elected officials at the Municipal and Provincial levels.

If the judge believed that MacLeod's testimony was not sufficient on the grounds that it did not support that of the Crown's main witness, then that was ALL that needed to be said. Mentioning her job, which requires her to commute to Toronto to sit and govern, was entirely unneccesary. Of course had this been a man, the subject of travel and leaving a family behind would never have even been mentioned.

This statement was entirely inappropriate, and it upsets me to think that this man is making decisions on behalf of the country. I encourage everyone to contact the Ottawa Superior Court and let them know that this will not tolerated by Canadian citizens.

The Honourable J. Douglas Cunningham
c/o the Ottawa Courthouse
161 Elgin St. 2nd Fl.
Ottawa, ON
K2P 2K1

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