Harperized

Canadian Press follows up on its ongoing reporting of the use of the "Harper Government" moniker in government communications. The government is shown to have lied about its denials that a formal directive on the use of "Harper Government" existed.

Industry Canada's emails and edited releases from autumn 2010 make a mockery of Conservative government denials offered when The Canadian Press first published reports of the name-change orders last March.

"The directive we have from the (director general's office) is that if PCO adds the Harper Government reference, then we leave it in," says an email to communications officials at Industry, dated Oct. 5, 2010. "Please proceed with this approach. Sorry — it is what PCO has instructed."

An editor responded: "Given this directive, and with mild distress, I have reinstalled the phrasing."

"French release harperized and good to go," quipped another.

Excellent reporting from Canadian Press, must read. Civil servants have objected and are apparently still objecting to this bizarre, egomaniacal, blatantly wrong re-branding of the government. This practice is in breach of "both communications policy and the civil service ethics policy." So who will stop it? Anyone?

Lawrence Martin has more on this theme today as well.