Prime Minister Paul Martin rushed the appointment of Michaelle Jean as governor-general without properly vetting her background and unearthing her ties to Quebec sovereignists, says a former official in charge of federal appointments.
...Scherrer told the National Post that Martin ordered her to "go and see her."
"He came back to me on the next Monday to say: 'Did you see her?,' " Scherrer told the Post. "I said: 'No, I didn't think you were that serious on Friday and that it was a rush.' And he said: "Yes, I want you to see her.' "
"I said: 'This is it.' And he said: 'Yes it is. That's the one.' " Scherrer recalled in her interview with the newspaper.
LeBreton
claimed Scherrer's comments on the appointment reveal that a hasty decision might have been made without due diligence. A senior government official who is familiar with the appointment process said normally a candidate is not approached until background checks by the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and a round of telephone calls to the potential appointees' colleagues and friends by PMO staff.
"Once again, the PMO come out looking like the gang that can't shoot straight on this," LeBreton said
You had to figure this was the case. It is much easier for me to believe that the PMO was just plain lazy on this one. Ms. Jean had all the right "visual" qualifications so the rest was just details. Oh, those pesky details.
