Wednesday, June 03, 2009

It Doesn't Add Up

It's not just Flaherty's numbers that don't add up, it's everything about this government and today just added to that conclusion.

Kory Teneycke on Power Play tonight said something interesting. While stating the protocol concerning sensitive documents, he said that 'you have to know when documents are missing'. So, these doc's were missing for 6 days and given that no one from the Minister's office traced their steps and contacted the CTV, are we to assume that no one knew they were not with the government?

That would be bad right? Here's the thing though. Raitt testified yesterday at committee. Are we to believe that she didn't ask for, didn't look for, didn't require her briefing notes prior to and for that meeting? Of course she knew they were missing and must have known for a while.

Did she panic? Did she get her staff on it right away? When they didn't show up, what did she do? Report it? Fire the person who misplaced them...wait, that may have been her...so, when exactly did the department know and when did the PMO know.

Did she remember that she had them out in the Green Room of CTV? Isn't that in itself bizarre? That's where they were found, so obviously, before the interview she was consulting her briefs. Did she just then throw them on the table? Wouldn't you hand them to your staff? It's not a private room afterall.

All of this to say, what the PMO had Raitt read today, in robotic fashion, was pathetic. It's yet another example of just how incompetent and quite frankly unfit this crew is. They, who govern with their eye to their own gain, sans any vision for this country.

Example after example exist to illustrate their incompetence. Flaherty of course being the poster boy for same. But then you have McKay, Lunn, Poilievre, Clement, Bernier, Baird, Ambrose, Finley, Ritz....must I go on? Oh, I'm not forgetting Harper himself.

His comments today were telling.

Ms. Raitt “was undertaking ministerial activity in the company of her staff,” he said. “They were responsible for these documents, certainly for accounting for these documents later. Certainly I think she had a reasonable expectation that that would be done. This is a serious matter and there will have to be changes. This kind of thing cannot reoccur.”

No. You see Mr. Prime Minister, it has reoccurred...this is not the first time and to put the blame on a staffer is ridiculous. You brought in tough , (cough), rules the last time remember? Bernier. Remember him? He may have been at his girlfriends house, but he still had staffers who were supposed to keep track of his documents. I don't recall them being fired.

Incompetence, Thine name is the Conservative Party of Canada.

9 comments:

Tomm said...

Let me re-phrse your final comment for you:

...Incompetence, Thine name is the one in a hundred staff members or tasks that causes someone to go "aw shit!".

$#it happens.

Karen said...

Perpetually in the case of this government.

This staffer was a hold over from Lunn's group btw. She was scapegoated, no two ways about it.

If Harper loses Raitt, who the hell does he have to put in? Nada...no one.

Tomm said...

I think Raitt is a significant improvement over Lunn. I don't want to see her go.

Karen said...

Neither does Harper. Thus the reaction of govt today.

Lunn really was a joke of a minister. It wasn't tough to improve on him really.

Raitt is no princess though. She's got quite the reputation in TO, not the least of which is a sense of entitlement...big spending at the Port Authority, parachuted into her riding, etc.

Tomm said...

She was an unknown.

She has impressed me with her confidence.

Anonymous said...

Frankly I'm glad this irresponsible act sheds light on this whole sad affair about Chalk River, complete with scribbled notes to "blame the Liberals" and exposing the hidden costs.

Sounds like the clearest light one could shine on the normal Conservative mode of operation.

It's a sad state of affairs.

Karen said...

Agreed Joseph. There is more to be written about here.

RuralSandi said...

Geez Tomm - ever heard of false confidence. There are those who have confidence that aren't exactly competent.

Why wouldn't she have confidence - she's in good favour with Harper, reads off his talking points very well and he'll back her up no matter what.

KNB - wasn't there some scandal or something about $800,000 in expenses when Raitt was at the Toronto Port Authority?

Karen said...

I think it was $80,000 Sandi, but yes, it was a scandal that got brushed aside and she wasn't held accountable, which is unusual...wait! Maybe not so much, lol.