But the Ottawa Sun paints Allan Cutler as a superhero.
For years, Canadian voters have been waiting for the person who would ride into the nation's capital and turn around the fortunes of the federal Conservative Party -- someone who could make us feel the Tories were legitimate contenders for government, rather than pretenders.
No doubt, it would have to be an accomplished orator with charisma and bombast, a man or woman with impeccable political credentials. Tall and striking in appearance would be a bonus.
Ah yes, that would make the Liberals sit up and take notice.
But the Conservatives did something even better than that. The star candidate they have landed to run for them in the next election is a political neophyte.'
..."Honesty and integrity are issues that are very critical to me ... over and above any other considerations," Cutler told the Sun in an interview yesterday. "I want to bring that kind of
respect back into the public service, and that's the goal of Stephen Harper."
He insists he was politically neutral during his three decades as a civil servant, but he signed on as a Tory in time to support John Baird's candidacy in the federal riding of Ottawa West-Nepean.
...Cutler declines to answer whether or not the government of Prime Minister Paul Martin has been bad for Canada. "I made my choice, you make yours. (pause) I made the right choice."
But could things have been different, we wonder? Could he have been persuaded to go the other way? "If you're asking did the Liberals approach me?No. Would they have gotten a good reception if they had? No."
And by the way...does anybody actually listen to Premier Klein anymore?
