On core functions

In case there was any doubt how toxic the Cons' strategy of taking dead aim at anybody who challenges them with no regard for truth or impartiality can be, the Ottawa Citizen reports that Elections Canada is now having to launch a communications campaign to try to rebuild trust in the wake of the Cons' baseless attacks:

Elections Canada is planning a major overhaul of its public-relations strategy with a renewed focus on trustworthiness after enduring sharp criticism from the Conservative government over the "in-and-out" dispute.

The agency this week began searching for contractors to develop a new communications plan aimed at election "stakeholders" -- including candidates, leadership contestants, campaign workers, political parties and others.

In contract tendering documents, the agency says the burden of enforcing new election laws has "grown exponentially" over the past 10 years and it needs to ensure these stakeholders know the political financing rules.

At the same time, "the agency has identified trust as one of its three strategic priorities."

Needless to say, the Cons would figure to be entirely happy to see Elections Canada having to divert its efforts from enforcing the law to trying to repair its image. But for anybody who's actually concerned with seeing Canada's elections run freely and fairly, the news that the impartial agency responsible is being forced off course comes as yet another blow to that hope - as well as a reminder of just how irresponsible the Cons have been.

(Edit: fixed wording.)