THE W.O.R.D.

This month we’re opening up the vault and talking about SEX & POLITICS. One of the more prominent sex scandals in Canada involves Dr. Keon (prominent politician and former heart surgeon in Ottawa). No outside reading is required for this event. All you need to know are the following key facts.

The Issue:

• Wilbert Joseph Keon, is a heart surgeon, researcher and a member of the Senator of Canada. Born in Sheenboro, Quebec, he received a Bachelor of Science from St. Patrick’s College, Carleton University and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Ottawa.

• After a period of studying and teaching at Harvard University in Boston, he returned to Ottawa in the early 1970s, where he founded the University of Ottawa Heart Institute at the Ottawa Civic Hospital and acted as its CEO for more than thirty years until his retirement in 2004.

• In 1986 he was the first Canadian to implant an artificial heart into a human as a bridge to transplant.

• In 1990 he was appointed to the Senate by Brian Mulroney where he sits as a Conservative. In 1960 he married Anne Jennings. They have three children: Claudia, Ryan and Neil. They are still married today.

• In the 1990s Wilbert Keon was arrested for soliciting a woman for prostitution, as part of a police sting. He participated in a program, and was never charged or convicted with any offence stemming from the incident. He offered to remove himself from his position on the board at the “Heart Institute” but he did not offer to remove himself from being a “Senator”.

• After the initial arrest, Doctor Keon was of course publicly humiliated and subsequently apologized for his actions. Although the issue was hotly debated in newsrooms and daily newspapers, a good majority of Ottawa citizens were upset that Doctor Keon had even been arrested given the important work he had done in the community and felt that he should have only received a warning for his actions.

Question:

Given the preceding events should a well respected community leader such as Doctor Keon be subjected to a lighter punishment given the relatively minor crime he was involved in?