Controlled access

Yesterday, Robert pointed out the Cons' selective tastes in publicly-funded lobbying by noting the money flowing from federal coffers to the Conference of Defense Associations. Today, CBC reports that Harper's publicly-funded lobbyists are also getting privileged access to Deceivin' Stephen:

The news comes as Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in a rare speech Thursday to the Conference of Defence Associations general meeting, is expected to lay out his plan to extend the mission and what his government is doing to meet those conditions.

While it's traditional for defence ministers and senior commanders to address the group, a prime minister hasn't appeared before the influential organization since the 1970s.

Harper is also expected to signal how he will respond to the Liberal amendment on his government's Afghan motion. That response is expected to be tabled later Thursday.

Between today's story and the recent news that the Cons sold access to Jim Flaherty to give contributors a look at his "plans for our financial future" in advance of the federal budget, the Cons seem to be getting ever more shameless in their attempt to pretend the Canadian political scene extends only as far as their own supporters and preferred causes. Which means that it's long past time for a reminder that it's voters who ultimately get to determine our poltical landscape - and that those voters expect better than a government which only looks out for its own.