John Baird: Ad Blitz

Immigration Minister Dept: Kenney is treating the incident his letterhead was used to solicit $378,000 for a pre-election ad blitz aimed at ethnic voters as an unfortunate slip by an overzealous staffer. He has fired the aide. His spokesman has apologized on his behalf and promised to refer the issue to the ethics commissioner. Government House leader John Baird has assured Canadians that we re looking into the matter, according to The Star. It s true this is not a juicy scandal like the one at Toronto Community Housing Corp. No one in the immigration minister s office used public funds for pedicures or gourmet chocolates. Nor is it a case of bribery, kickbacks or untendered contracts like the sponsorship controversy in the 1990s. Taxpayers were not bilked out of millions of dollars and immigration Minister Jason Kenney owes Canadians an explanation of why he allowed his office to be used as part of the Tory fundraising operation. Not only is this an abuse of his power as a cabinet minister and his privileges as a parliamentarian, it is a damaging lapse of judgment. The obvious intent is to get the incident out of the spotlight until the furor dies down. It would be a mistake for the opposition parties to turn down the heat. As reported in the news.
@t government house leader, gourmet chocolates