Conservatives reduce "proactive disclosure" to a catch phrase

[BitWhys]

rendering it utterly meaningless. not that it really meant anything to begin with.

...
The posted guidelines under the proactive travel disclosure policy state “the following costs will be charged to a minister's operating budget: official gifts, travel, hospitality, and other services in relation to the department.”

But Mr. Blackburn said that when he makes public announcements, the trips are a departmental cost, not a ministerial one...

:lol: :lol: :lol:

If most of his travel is picked up by other books, aside from the marketing hype, why bother with "proactive disclosure" at all?

 

[#juan]

But Mr. Blackburn said that when he makes public announcements, the trips are a departmental cost, not a ministerial one...

Presumably, if he is the minister of that department, he is responsible.....$hit, somebody has to be responsible. Is there any way they can blame the liberals?

 

[BitWhys]

An excellent question we won't know the answer to until source of the current modus operandi starts to look a little closer to the PMO.

 

[#juan]

Another way to look at this: They were going to give the employees of the department of labour a raise but they spent the money on chartering private jets...;-)

 

[BitWhys]

good point. Glad to see there's someone else who can pick up on that. Not so sure about the whole "raises" thing but raiding the department's operating and telling them "to shut up and put up" isn't going to do much in the way of leak control. to say the least.

fricking amateurs.

 

[#juan]

good point. Glad to see there's someone else who can pick up on that. Not so sure about the whole "raises" thing but raiding the department's operating and telling them "to shut up and put up" isn't going to do much in the way of leak control. to say the least.

fricking amateurs.

Actually, I only read a tiny snippet about the missed raises, but we can also talk about our military scrimping on second hand tanks while Blackburn goes first class for big bucks. Is this kind of spending the norm in all departments?

 

[BitWhys]

...Is this kind of spending the norm in all departments?

Blackburn is probably an exception since he makes a great front man heading into ADP turf. I have little doubt the reporting methods are consistent. and every time the minister sticks the department with the tab something already in the budget has to fall off the table.

how to win friends and influence people. :lol:

 

[BitWhys]

heh

one of the things about freezing the press out is it gives them extra time for research...

Labour minister's flights under fire

OTTAWA (CP) - Old expense reports torpedo Conservative claims that their Quebec regional economic minister spent less on travel and disclosed more than his Liberal predecessor.
...
"The fact is, the expenses of the Conservative labour minister during 2006 were less than the comparable expenses for the Liberal minister during 2005," Peter Van Loan, the Conservative House leader, told the Commons last Monday after an Access to Information request by the NDP turned up Blackburn's hidden air travel.

True - but only if you don't count the $150,000 in unreported air travel.
...

so we can add Van Loan and Blackburn to the list of CONservative flat-out liars.

Personally, I'm hoping this goes on long enough for someone to finally call them on the whole "operating budget" dodge since that's not what it says in the guidelines.