CTV held Lisa Raitt's (minister of natural resources) confidential papers for almost a week, and then blew the whistle on her. Minster Raitt was at CTV for an interview. Inadvertently, a folder of papers was left behind. Although they were marked secret, it took CTV six days of studying them to find something to get the Liberals worked up about.
I find this bad form for CTV. Someone should have run out behind her and said, "Minister! You forgot your papers." The media is so very jaded. The Golden Rule applies to reporters too. Instead we see and hear Robert Fife eagerly, breathlessly, pantingly, salivatingly, report this "important news" to Lloyd Robertson.
CTV has tagged the Liberals who now have a new "great cause" to espouse during QP. Now we have "Lisa-gate" or "Raitt-gate." Oh, please spare us. The summer recess of Parliament can't come soon enough. Would all MPs please go to the beach for the Summer?
The victim? Minister Raitt's 26-year old press secretary Jasmine MacDonnell. She took the fall for her boss. Prime Minister Harper did not accept Minister Raitt’s resignation; instead, Minister Raitt accepted Ms. MacDonnell’s resignation. Oh, the truth and fairness of it all!
Likely, this will be a minor setback in Ms. MacDonnell’s career. Anyone, who at 26 years of age, is the press secretary of a cabinet minister is on a pretty good trajectory. There are 26-year old people who do not yet have a job or even their driver’s license.
As for CTV News with Lloyd Robertson? Disappointed. It’s enough to make me switch to the CBC Snooze with Peter Mansbridge.
