Angry in the Great White North

Update: Well, it's been a few months, an election has happened, and the Conservatives are in power. And Flumian is moving into her new digs. Has she been forgiven, or is this just a case of bureaucratic inertia?

From Hansard:

Mr. Christian Simard (Beauport—Limoilou, BQ): Mr. Speaker, faced with the sponsorship scandal, the federal government is not learning from its mistakes. The Prime Minister just appointed as head of Service Canada the very person who was in charge of the gun registry, another scandal involving nearly $2 billion for which his government will soon have to answer.

How can the Prime Minister explain his choice in appointing such a mediocre manager as the head of Service Canada?

Belinda then struts her stuff, and our college-dropout-cum-minister shows off what a few months of first year university can do for your mental acumen and debating skills:

Mr. Speaker, if anyone looks at the service Canada details, I think it is a fantastic story. It is about better service to more Canadians in more Canadian communities. In fact, we are expanding our points of service in the next couple of years from 300 to 600. Therefore, this is a great news story.

There are many layers of accountability factored in, including an advisory board, an office for client satisfaction and a service charter.

I am very proud to be associated with service Canada. It is a great news story.

"It's a great news story! It's a great news story! <SQUAWK!> Belinda wants a cabinet post. <SQUAWK!>"

Needless to say, she doesn't answer the question about the appointment of Maryantonett Flumian. Indeed, she doesn't even mention her name. Does Belinda even know what MP Simard is talking about? She should -- Flumian is Stronach's associate deputy minister, after all.

Yet her answer is, well, just weird.

Well, let's hope Belinda's brain gets into gear soon, before she starts to re-write the rules of our democracy, since the Prime Minister saw it fit to make her responsible for "democratic renewal".

"<SQUAWK!> Belinda wants a cabinet post. <SQUAWK!>"