Addition by subtraction

For those wondering when the opposition parties might start exercising their power to review federal spending (and I know at least one opinion columnist has done so, though it isn't turning up on my review this morning), here's your answer. It turns out that Pat Martin's motion to cut off funding for asbestos promotion wasn't his only move to rein in expenses, as he's now planning to directly challenge the Cons' bloated advertising budget:

(NDP MP Pat) Martin said "telling the public 10 times a night at primetime the government is spending money on an Economic Action Plan" clearly crosses the line of responsible use of public funds. This in mind, Mr. Martin said he will attempt to have the millions PCO spent on advertising management withdrawn from the central agency's budget.

"When the estimates come before our [Government Operations and Estimates Committee] I intend to put forward a motion to subtract from the estimates of the Privy Council an amount equal to the amount they've been spending on advertising for their Economic Action Plan," he said.

Of course, it seems all too likely that the newest move will be met with the same lack of interest by the Libs. But it'll be a shame if so - as this would seem to offer an ideal opportunity to force the Cons to defend their own waste of public funds, while also serving as another means of shifting the balance of power between Parliament and the PMO. And considering that the Cons themselves are still painting themselves as responsibile financial managers, it might not even be out of the question that a joint opposition effort could force the Cons into cutting some of their more egregious giveaways.