Letting the grownups take over

The auditor general’s report comes out
today, and it’s expected to be exceptionally scathing to the F-35 procurement
process. And rightfully so. Word has it that following the release, the
government will turn over the process to Public Works, like they did the
shipbuilding contracting process. You know, the one that was roundly praised? (Except
we need to remember that said process wasn’t perfect and needs to have an eye
kept closely on it.)

Here are some smart ideas about revamping

the estimates review process by MPs – you know, the very core of their actual
job of holding the government to account – and yet everyone involved is pretty
sure these suggestions will go nowhere, because MPs simply don’t care as the
estimates won’t get them votes. And I’m sure they also have a press conference
on their eleventieth private member’s bill that will never see the light of day
coming up, so they’re just too busy to work about math.

The information commissioner is facing an
involuntary budget cut, despite the fact that she has proven that her
department’s activities are already running tight budgets. She’s also concerned
that government departments might start using budget cuts as excuses for not
responding to access-to-information requests in a timely manner.

With new attempts at thinning the borders
with the States come new concerns from the privacy commissioner about more of
our personal information being shared with the Americans to our detriment.

Among the budget cuts is Assisted Human
Reproduction Canada, which struggled amidst bad legislation and non-existent
regulations. And because assisted reproduction is an issue that affects queer
families, it’s something that you should know more about.

The government quietly released its final
report on the Afghan mission last week. Apparently we achieved 33 of our 44
development goals.

Here’s more from New Brunswick potato
farmer Henk Tepper, his ordeal in a Lebanese jail, and what looks like inaction
from the Canadian government.

Here is the tale of the interesting connection between the Historica-Dominion Institute and RMG, one of the
Conservative-linked call centres that has been part of the whole Robocon saga.

Here’s a bit of a look back at the National
Round Table on Energy and the Economy, which is being scrapped in the budget.
Who was its first chairman? None other than current Governor General David
Johnston, back when the program was created under Mulroney’s government.

And in case you missed it, here’s the April
Fool’s “smackdown” between MPs Megan Leslie and Michelle Rempel.