According to Dimitri Soudas - now banned (as are all political staffers) by HarperCo from appearing before parliamentary committees -, one Stephen Harper has done a Mr. Dithers.
No, Soudas didn't put it quite that way. He put it this way:
"The Prime Minister is keen to see discussions [between the board of internal economy and the AG re MP expenses] continue. He's also keen to see this matter resolved with more transparency."
How it must hurt Harper to have mocked Iggy's backtracking - only to turn around and do it himself!
Meanwhile, Jack Layton, who heads the most progressive (?) of Canada's national parties, still cleaves to BOIE's original decision not to allow the AG to do an audit, period.
For those who like to keep score, this is how the leaders of the four parties in the House of Commons stack up on the issue:
First place, blue ribbon: Gilles Ducuppe, whose party always supported having the AG do an audit.
Second place, red ribbon: Ignatieff, who listened to his MPs and backtracked early.
Third place, white ribbon: Harper, who didn't backtrack until late in the game.
Fourth place, no ribbon: Layton, whose party continues to support the status quo.
All of which leads me to this:
An audit by the AG is no longer good enough. Resistance by MPs has raised alarm bells. NOW I want all MPs (and senators) to post online their detailed expense reports and to back them up with links to the relevant invoices. Toronto city council is a good example of what SHOULD be done.
[H/t to @dominionpundit for reference to the TO info.]
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