Posted on 12/20/2002 5:01:04 AM PST by Clive
At this time of year, it's traditional for many of us to find ourselves a little light in the wallet, dreading the bills to come in January.
It's also when our PM has his traditional year-end chats with journalists - in which he reveals just how in touch he is with average Canadians.
This week's interviews are no exception.
In discussing the latest scandal to rock his regime - the gun registry, whose costs have ballooned from an original estimate of $2 million to nearly $1 billion and counting - Jean Chretien made one of his "little guy" analogies.
"There are programs where there is some overspending," he conceded to Quebec's TVA.
"It happens to you in your private life. It's the same for us."
Ah, yes, Prime Minister, when you put it that way ... who can argue?
After all, who among us hasn't overspent from time to time in our "private life"? You think you're watching your bottom line, and next thing you know, you've gone 499 times over budget!
It's so easy to make the mistake. You go to the convenience store for a few necessities, and somehow the bill comes to $2,994 instead of $6.
You want to buy a gift for someone who's near and dear to you, just as the gun registry is to the Grits. That pretty $45 doll for your daughter ends up costing $22,455. But hey, it's Christmas!
Well, no one can say Chretien's not consistent in his bizarre perception of bookkeeping. Two years ago, in the wake of the HRDC scandal (the billion-dollar boondoggle du jour), he said: "I think it happens to you too at the end of the month, to see that you've spent a few more dollars than expected." (A "few more dollars"?!?)
In his talk with CBC, Chretien mentioned how he's been preparing to return to civilian life - re-taking his driver's test after nine years of being chauffeured, etc. All we can say is, he'd better let Aline balance the family chequebook.
Meanwhile, at tax time next spring, we trust he'll cut Canadians the same slack he expects us to give his government. Because, try as we might to be frugal, we find we're always "overspending" on our biggest budget item: taxes.
Why do you suppose that is, Prime Minister?
Does anyone else have the feeling that 'ti Jean's touch with reality is deteriorating?
I am not speaking politically. I really do suspect that he is going off the deep end.
The day parliament resumes sitting after the Christmas break, but it would take a causus revolt to do it.
Failing that, someone can take him aside and advise him that if he keeps prolonging it, he continues to damage his own legacy and his party's credibility.
Or possibly, like Trudeau, he takes a long reflective walk in a snowstorm.
Otherwise, we will have to wait for his announced retirement in February, 2004.
Yes, most definately. And I don't say that simply because I dislike him as PM. His almost visceral obsession with denying Martin the leadership (despite the contribution Paul's amde to the party's success) is truly strange, if not bordering on the paranoid. His public statements over the past, say, two years have often been confusing and non-sesnsical. He contradicts himself on issues when asked about them only a few days or weeks apart and seems utterly unaware of the fact that he's doing it.
Clive, elsewhere in this interview (I read this in another report) he talks about the Martin firing and specifically refers to having "let him go." This is an absolute contradiction to his claims at the time. Now Mandsbridge didn't call him on this, not that I would expect him to in a year-end, but it caught me as odd how he just brushes these contradictions off.
The "well, we all spend a bit too much sometime" statements are infuriating. Billions of dollars down the rat hole and we're just supposed to shrug and move on. It's enough to put your blood pressure through the roof. I think he's well on his way to losing it. The next year and a bit will not be pleasant to watch if he insists on sticking around.
What is there about media types named Peter?
Peter Mansbridge
Peter Arnett
Peter Jennings
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