Although you can’t quite tell from the story exactly who tipped the Globe off to Guy Giorno’s lack of proper email etiquette apparent lack of interest in working with the Fourth Party on, well, anything, the fact that an NDP spokesman is quoted — by name, and on the record, even — yet PMO “has yet to respond to questions” suggests that it was probably the former.
Which raises an even more interesting possible scenario: Could it be that Team Jack is now somewhat frantically rethinking that initial pledge to seriously consider supporting the government’s proposal to extend employment insurance benefits for long-term workers — and, as a result, the government itself during the upcoming confidence vote?
It strikes ITQ that sending a follow-up email to inquire whether, perhaps, McGrath’s initial correspondence had inadvertently been caught by the PMO spam filter would be a distinctly less confrontational way to find out if it was a deliberate snub than leaking it to the press. But by doing it this way, he can still throw up his hands in despair at the intransigence of the prime ministe, vote against the ways and means motion, thus preserving his party’s perfect record of voting non-confidence in the Conservatives — and blame the other parties for not wanting to Make Parliament Work.
Of course, that would also bring on an election. But at this point, even getting pummeled at the polls that may prove to be the least demoralizing outcome for the NDP if the prime minister’s utter indifference over yesterday’s show of tentative, yet earnest support is any indication of how Stephen Harper will respond when Jack shows up on the doorstep of 24 Sussex with his ideas on pension and credit card reform, infrastructure funding, climate change and whatever else is on his wish list.
UPDATE: The NDP spokesperson quoted in the Globe article, Karl Belanger, dropped a note to ITQ to let us know that he was not the source of the story.
