Its Not Your Money Its Theirs Part 1 Gazillion

Tories invite failed Tory candidates to come hand out cheques rather than sitting MP.

The Inevitable Next Step

But, as Imp points out (and they're the source of the graphic), if you live in a Tory-held riding you will also get a regular flu shot, two tetanus shots, a box of prophylactics, a CPoC coffee mug, and a bowl of soup. If you are from Toronto, on the other hand, you will be expected to write a 3,000 word essay on why exactly it is you deserve your flu shot.

Send More Fake Cheques!

EKOS president Frank Graves said the news of last week was dominated more by the use of Conservative logos on "prop" cheques by MPs at funding announcements than on Liberal attempts to trigger a federal election.

As much as media advice to the Libs--find a narrative (of Tory perfidy) and stick to it--sounds nice, and is to a certain degree useful, it isn't always so easy: sometimes you just have to toss whatever is at hand.

Also, you are subject to the whims of media attention spans: why did the MSM suddenly cue to Tory patronage stories now, for example, when the original story dates to a Susan Delacourt column from July? Were they waiting for somebody to wrap it up for them in a nice flickr presentation? Or did they just get bored with bashing Iggy and move on the next smelly object that attracted their attention, like seagulls picking through garbage in a mall parking lot?

In any case, now that Tory patronage scandals have got their attention, I suggest feasting upon the latest in the L'affair Housakos, in which senator and receiver of Tory largess Leo Housakos makes like Tony Soprano and blames a fellow Conservative for finking him out to the press:

Mr. Housakos blamed his troubles on “somebody in my own caucus,” and said, “I'm going to take care of him soon,” La Presse reported Wednesday.

Quick! Someone drag the Ottawa River!

Look! A Narrative!

Adam Radwanski on the search for a narrative:

"...the Liberals have recently had some success highlighting the Conservatives' propensity to disproprtionately reward their own ridings, and more recently to reward fellow Tories with patronage appointments. The question now is whether that's a narrative they're going to invest some real time in."

The opening paragraph of the next chapter?

OTTAWA - A Montreal firm landed a federal stimulus contract while a top Tory organizer and senator was on the payroll, The Canadian Press has learned.

Senator Leo Housakos's employer, BPR Inc., was part of a consortium that won a $1.4-million engineering contract to study the future of Montreal's aging Champlain Bridge.

[...]

Public Works Minister Christian Paradis announced $212 million in funding for the bridge - and a competition for the engineering contract - on May 20, the same day Housakos was stage-managing a major Conservative fundraiser in Montreal.

The Canadian Press obtained a copy of the guest list for one of the special VIP receptions that was held just before the main fundraising event.

The 48-person list included four senior executives from BPR and the winning consortium, BCDE.

My New Hero

Parker Donham deserves all the attention he is getting. Go blogosphere! MSM sucks! Natty Post, TO Sun, G&M...quit squealing while we club you to death!