Unappetizing

Not surprisingly, I'm no fan of the Cons' plan to move Parliament's food-preparation operations to a privately-constructed site. But based on one Con MP's response, the plan may serve as an effective litmus test as to whether politicians who see no problem in outsourcing and privatizing functions which affect Canadians as a whole are willing to tolerate the same for themselves:

Ottawa Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, like other MPs, had no idea the plan was in the works.

"What?" he asked, surprise written all over his face.

Mr. Poilievre, upon hearing a description of the journey Parliament Hill meals will eventually take from the kitchens in the food plant, expressed diplomatic skepticism about taste and quality upon arrival.

Naturally, Poilievre soon changed the focus to cost (though as he notes, the construction of a new facility and added transportation of food may itself make the plan all the worse). But it still says plenty that at least one relatively prominent Con can see the problem with sacrificing quality in order to privatize when he himself stands to be affected by a change. And if a few more within the pro-privatization crowd start to see the same issue for themselves, the less strong the push figures to be.