READ THE SHORT ARTICLE FOR CONTEXT – THEN WATCH THE VIDEO
TGIF – means “Thank God it’s Friday” and it also means I won’t have to watch and analyze another Question (Period) until next Tuesday. But given the upsetting content in today’s episode, the acronym “TGIF” could just as easily stand for “This Government is Frustrating!”
The most oft-repeated phrase used by the Premier since his coronation, .uh….I mean election, has been “Open and Transparent,” (with the odd “Accountability” thrown in for good measure). Yet, his promises to enact various pieces of legislation to ensure greater “openness and transparency” – which would make it more difficult for Cabinet Ministers to secretly engage in inappropriate schemes and actions like e-gaming – are, with the passage of time, looking more and more like empty promises he made just to get elected, as was clearly the case with his promise to reinstate an elected English Language School Board.
But like a hungry dog with a bone, Peter Bevan-Baker rightfully demands accountability from the Premier, and refuses to stop asking him the tough questions like when he will make those legislative changes he promised.
This morning in Question (Period), Peter asked the Premier when he expects to bring in the new Conflict of Interest Legislation incorporating the recommendations made by the Conflict of Information Commissioner which the Premier promised, and takes today’s “Great Question” award.
The Premier didn’t even pretend to answer Peter’s question, so he gets the “No answer,” award, as well as the “Excuse Me, Did You Say Something (snicker snicker)?” award for the most disrespectful “No Answer’ response of the week. You might ask why the Premier would laugh at Peter’s suggestion that if the Premier refused to introduce the promised Conflict of Interest legislation in the Spring, then he would have to introduce it himself? I have a theory: because he knows full well that it will just mean that Peter will do a whack of work for nothing, since he’ll just whip his Liberal MLAs and defeat Peter’s Private Member’s Bill. Can you think of another reason justifying a laugh regarding such a serious issue?
I’ve been trying to keep previous “Good Question – No Answer” episodes to around 1 – 1.5 minutes long, but this one is quite a bit longer at 4 minutes 10 seconds; however, you have until Tuesday to watch it, and believe me, the exchange between Peter and Wade is well worth watching in its entirety.