In my story on Friday about Scott Brison and his time as public works minister, I wrote about the procurement reform packages that he was pushing through. As it turns out, his successor, Conservative Michael Fortier, cancelled those reforms, fired the two people implementing them under dubious circumstances (for which there are ongoing court proceedings), and cost the treasury $2 billion, while still budgeting as though they were saving that very same $2 billion. Because yeah, that shows they were ready for prime time as a government.
Before Friday’s Question Period, Rob Oliphant made a statement to counter attacks made against him by Conservative MPs, while Libby Davies was asking questions about the HST once again.
The government made a huge document dump related to the G8/G20 security costs. The government says they’re under budget – even though all of the bills haven’t come in yet. Something to ponder until the auditor general makes her final report on the spending.
What’s that? Overcrowding in our prisons? Increased reliance on less effective “static security”? Increasingly complex offender issues like addictions and mental health problems? You don’t say! Who would have thought?
What’s that? The much ballyhooed carbon sequestration technology – unproven and costly though it is – is not going to be viable without something like a carbon tax? You don’t say!
Bob Rae calls the closure of Camp Mirage – and the associated $300 million price tag – an “unbelievable act of negligence, of arrogance and of incompetence by this Conservative government.” (Hmm, kind of like Fortier and those procurement contracts?)
It looks like the government is mulling a three-year extension in Afghanistan, but in a training capacity as opposed to being on the front lines.
And finally, others in the evangelical community may not much care for Charles McVety, and yet the government keeps bowing to his demands. It makes you wonder.
Why you can trust Xtra
