Writing off the junket heap

I'd be dubious enough about the Globe and Mail's knee-jerk reaction to Parliamentary travel at the best of times. But in case there was any doubt just how far Daniel Leblanc and Jane Taber stretch in trying to stir up outrage over MPs travelling anywhere, take a look at this entry on their list of "junkets":

NDP MP Olivia Chow
Where: Montreal
Stated goal: Guest commentator for CTV at Liberal convention

From what I can tell, no Lib or Con is criticized for any travel within Canada (one mention is made of travel to Edmonton by a Bloc MP, though then only as a follow-up presentation on a trip overseas). Which could suggest either that the authors had to relax its standards for a "junket" severely to find anything to pin on the NDP, or that they were rather less than thorough in testing out what might actually fit the supposed criteria.

But for all the problems with the article generally, the attempt to criticize Chow stands out for sheer chutzpah on Taber's part. Not only was Chow's travel substantially shorter in distance and duration than any of the other examples cited, but it was only to a convention which Taber attended herself attended for similar reasons - i.e. to provide coverage and commentary on the race as it unfolded. As a result, any criticism that could possibly be levelled at Chow for accepting a "perk" would apply equally to Taber.

Of course, the individual story figures to die away fairly quickly. But it's worth pointing out how such double standards serve only to build even more cynicism than is warranted surrounding Canada's political figures.