On misinformation

The CP follows up on last week's Con document dump. And while the release timing was bad enough, it's especially striking how far the Cons went out of their way to send media on a dead end in any effort to follow up on the Bernier report:

When asked Friday about the timing of the Bernier report, the prime minister's communications director refused comment.

The report listed media relations contacts available for further information about the findings, but none were available Friday night.

In an emailed statement on Tuesday, a foreign affairs spokesman wrote: "The department has nothing further to add after the minister's statement and making the report and summary of actions public."

It doesn't come as any particular surprise that the Cons weren't willing to provide any useful response to the report. But having already forced reporters to try to follow up on the story on a Friday night, there wouldn't seem to be much reason for the Cons to pour salt in the wound by deliberately providing useless contact information rather than leaving at least somebody behind to answer the phone.

Of course, the Cons still haven't paid anywhere near the price one would expect for similarly toying with the media in the past. But it may not be long before well-deserved mistrust becomes part of a federal election campaign - giving Canadians the chance to ask why they'd want a government which seemingly prides itself on misusing its power to punish anybody unfortunate enough to be tasked with uncovering what the Cons have hidden.

Update: At least one major columnist recognizes the need for ever more scrutiny in response to the Cons' attempts to bury major stories.