According to Plan

James Moore, the Minister of Heritage, is often referred to as a really nice guy. He strikes me that way, to be honest and he also strikes me as being pretty bright. Sadly, to hear him bluster and lie about the CBC recently has destroyed any and all credibility he once may have had.

Now, I don't expect a Conservative Minister to suddenly not put forward the Conservative agenda, but somehow I thought this guy at least could avoid some of the deceitful practices that have now become synonymous with the Conservative Party of Canada. Silly me.

It seems with the announcement today that this government is well and truly on their way to dismantling the CBC. Not in a courageous way mind you. No, because not only would that be out of character for this cowardly group of misfits, it would also expose them far to broadly to the backlash they so richly deserve.

Moore of course denies any culpability in this, lying through his teeth by saying that he had no clue, none, that what the CBC was asking for was bridge financing and not a loan. What he leaves unsaid? Canadians are stupid and they will never follow the detail of the story. That's becoming their trademark isn't it? I also think it will be their downfall.

Ignatieff asked about this in the House today and of course received a wooden non-answer from Harper. Harper said something like it's always a terrible thing when someone loses their job. What the...? It's not someONE, it's 800 people and our national broadcaster and it's only terrible because he is sitting on his hands grinning while being in a position to stop it.

I mean, really think about that for a minute. He, as Prime Minister of this country during a recession, would rather see 800 individuals collect EI, (if they qualify), than have them be gainfully employed and contributing to the economy. It's truly mind boggling. There is one person in this country that I cannot wait to see lose his job and that is Stephen Harper.

An interesting little fact about the CBC and the Conservative claim that 'they invented it', from commenter RuralSandi:

Well, in checking it out R.B. Bennett created it’s predecessor BUT:
Fourth term King’s Liberals were returned to power once more in the 1935 election. The worst of the Depression had passed, and King implemented relief programs such as the National Housing Act and National Employment Commission. His government also created the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1936, Trans-Canada Airlines (the precursor to Air Canada) in 1937, and the National Film Board of Canada in 1939. In 1938, he changed the Bank of Canada from a private company to a crown corporation.

I guess there just isn't anything they won't lie about. Even something that in the end Canadians aren't going to think about.

Somehow I don't think we have heard the end of this story. The Conservatives may think they are dismantling things brick by brick, but their track record tells me that they aren't paying attention to how they are piling those bricks. That's always dangerous.