A few statements on the Genie Awards, the tragedy of the downed Polish airplane and tributes to Michel Chartrand later, the grand inquest of the nation began once again to hunt for clues in the Helena Guergis affair. What are the allegations? Who is the third party? What about those stories about her husband using her office, car and BlackBerry? And per usual, John Baird got up to deliver his scripted lines, unless it was the Bloc asking, in which case Christian Paradis got to deliver them.
It was in the Bloc’s second question, from Carole Freeman, that we saw a break in the pattern, asking about the Information Commissioner’s report into the problems with the Access to Information system. (Incidentally, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff was before the Ethics Committee to say that no, his office totally doesn’t interfere with ATI requests. Honest!) But then it was back to Guergis, even if Jack Layton tried to tie the two together.
But the Liberals weren’t done just yet. Anita Neville asked why the firm BMCI didn’t investigate this incident when they investigated every other scandal or leak out of this government. No answer? Could it be that one of its owners is Rahim Jaffer’s business partner? Still no answer? Could it also be because that same owner was the Conservative candidate in Ottawa-Vanier? Baird continued to praise Harper’s correct actions in calling in the RCMP.
From there, things started to get a bit more substantive – more testimony about torture allegations in Afghanistan, more evidence of shenanigans at Rights and Democracy, the position the CRTC has taken with regards to telecom ownership, Nortel Pensions, calls for a criminal investigation into Toyota, and so on. You know, all those other things that Parliament should be looking at, if they weren’t so busy obsessing over Helena Guergis.
Sartorially speaking, Rona Ambrose once again came out on top, successfully combining a light-grey sweater over a white top, paired with a darker grey skirt and a blue-grey jacket, all topped off by strappy gold heels. Ambrose does well when she wears things that are fitted. On the more… courageous side, Nina Grewal wore what appeared to be a jacket and trousers made of purple leather along with a red collared shirt. And the Megan Leslie outfit watch reports a shapeless, boxy light-grey jacket with a ruffled collar at the top and three-quarter sleeves, paired with black trousers and grey shoes. While the shoes may have matched, the jacket itself was a mess.
Elsewhere, Her Excellency hopes to use what is likely to be her final state trip to Africa to plant the seeds of a “new revolution” of gender equality and more progressive social and economic policies in her wake.
Up today – likely more Guergis questions, since Harper should be back in the House and they’ll want to ask him directly.
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