Friday, January 18, 2008

Watchdogs of the public purse? Eh ... not so much.


Apparently, it's in your and my best interest to make sure Gary Lunn comes across well:

Imagemaker preps minister

OTTAWA -- Taxpayers shelled out to pay a private image consultant to coach Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn for his televised appearance before a Commons committee in Ottawa yesterday...

"I think that it is a little pathetic that a minister of the Crown needs to turn to an image consultant before going before a committee hearing," said John Williamson, director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

"This is the kind of spending that not only was the Reform party opposed to in opposition but it's also the kind of business taxpayers were told would end under a Stephen Harper government," he said.

The consultant used was the Ottawa firm McLoughlin Media, the same company the Mounties paid $25,000 to help former RCMP commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli prepare for his appearance before parliamentary hearings.

As loyal guardians of the taxpayer dollar, the Blogging Tories were, of course, totally outraged over this unconscionable abuse of ... of ... um ... actually, never mind.

In related news, public funds were also allocated to buy a whole new wardrobe for CPoC MP Cheryl Gallant, to which CTF director Williamson exploded in anger, "Taxpayer money to buy someone some new clothes!? You have got to be ... Oh, for Cheryl? Well, thank Christ for that. No, no, carry on. We're good here."

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