OTTAWA (CP) - A slip of the finger by a Liberal MP has offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at political jockeying in the party.
Leader Stephane Dion hasn't named a deputy leader yet, but an unintentionally public e-mail shows at least one of his MPs is very interested in the job.
Caucus whip Karen Redman mistakenly sent all federal senators an e-mail Friday that had been intended for one of her four children.
She was asking for strategic advice about how best to lobby Dion for the No. 2 job.
It took about half an hour for one of the e-mail recipients to forward it to the national media.
The subject line read: "What comes next...."
"Am not deputy leader," Redman wrote. "Do I make another ask...my predisposition is to wait. Any advice, Mom."
Redman quickly called Dion's office to alert staff about the mistake. She did not respond to an e-mail Friday asking for comment.
The advent of electronic mass-mailing and the proliferation of handheld devices like the Blackberry have created countless examples of embarrassing e-mail slip-ups.
Parliament Hill is no exception.
In the last year, wayward e-mails have left both the Liberal party and the Conservatives red-faced.
It happened twice to ex-Liberal cabinet minister Scott Brison: once in a note where he scolded an employee for criticizing the quality of his French, and another where he told a Bay Street friend he would be pleased with an upcoming announcement on income trusts.
That announcement has become the subject of an RCMP investigation.
It also happened to the Tories during the last election campaign.
Tory staffer Yaroslav Baran mistakenly sent the media an internal e-mail from Sandra Buckler - now Prime Minister Stephen Harper's communications director - saying the party had agreed to keep silent during the election campaign about plans to declare the Tamil Tigers a terrorist group.
Copyright © 2006 Canadian Press
Leader Stephane Dion hasn't named a deputy leader yet, but an unintentionally public e-mail shows at least one of his MPs is very interested in the job.
Caucus whip Karen Redman mistakenly sent all federal senators an e-mail Friday that had been intended for one of her four children.
She was asking for strategic advice about how best to lobby Dion for the No. 2 job.
It took about half an hour for one of the e-mail recipients to forward it to the national media.
The subject line read: "What comes next...."
"Am not deputy leader," Redman wrote. "Do I make another ask...my predisposition is to wait. Any advice, Mom."
Redman quickly called Dion's office to alert staff about the mistake. She did not respond to an e-mail Friday asking for comment.
The advent of electronic mass-mailing and the proliferation of handheld devices like the Blackberry have created countless examples of embarrassing e-mail slip-ups.
Parliament Hill is no exception.
In the last year, wayward e-mails have left both the Liberal party and the Conservatives red-faced.
It happened twice to ex-Liberal cabinet minister Scott Brison: once in a note where he scolded an employee for criticizing the quality of his French, and another where he told a Bay Street friend he would be pleased with an upcoming announcement on income trusts.
That announcement has become the subject of an RCMP investigation.
It also happened to the Tories during the last election campaign.
Tory staffer Yaroslav Baran mistakenly sent the media an internal e-mail from Sandra Buckler - now Prime Minister Stephen Harper's communications director - saying the party had agreed to keep silent during the election campaign about plans to declare the Tamil Tigers a terrorist group.
Copyright © 2006 Canadian Press