I’m starting to feel like a bit of history repeating again as I get cranky over yet more clutched pearls about so-called “cash for access” or “pay to play” fundraisers, which are nothing of the sort. Cabinet ministers are not soliciting stakeholders for tens of thousands of dollars of donations to meet fundraising targets. This is a government whose penchant for consultation means that there are multiple avenues of access for said stakeholders that they need not pony up to ministerial shakedowns in order to get meetings. And this latest allegation, that somehow “communist billionaires” from China got preferential access for $1500 (they didn’t pay as they can’t donate since they aren’t Canadian citizens) stretches credulity, and taking the cake is this hysteria about a donation made to the Trudeau Foundation. You know, a foundation that the Prime Minister is not a part of, and is a registered charity, which the PM sees no enrichment from in the slightest. That wealthy donors also contributed to the foundation, a statue of Trudeau’s father (again, where is the actual enrichment?) and to law school scholarship at McGill (Trudeau did not go to McGill law school) doesn’t have any particular relevance to him or government business, so even on the face of it, where is the conflict of interest? And don’t tell me that there’s a “perception” because if you actually look at the facts and not just go “Hmm, Justin Trudeau…Trudeau Foundation… Yup, sounds fishy to me,” then you’d realise that this is bunk. But no. Here we are, yet again, trying to make hay over activities that are reported, above board, and not actual conflicts of interest beyond people yelling “smell test!” and “appearance!” with no actual facts. And let me again remind you that the Chief Electoral Officer himself noted that our current donation levels are fine, and lowering them will mean money starts to move underground, which we do not want. And if you bring up the Ethics Commissioner calling these events “unsavoury,” let me also remind you that she wants all gifts to MPs registered at an extremely low threshold, meaning a massive amount of more compliance paperwork which MPs themselves have balked at, and the Lobbying Commissioner’s investigation is because people have brought this to her attention, and it doesn’t mean that she has found anything amiss. Honestly, stop lighting your hair on fire over innuendo. You’re currently crying wolf, and when any real impropriety happens, you risk it being shrugged off after any number of previous false alarms.

Good reads:

• Justin Trudeau is stopping off in Liberia on his first official visit to Africa, before heading to La Francophonie summit in Madagascar.
• One proposal for renovations to 24 Sussex, including a new annex, has a price tag of $38 million. Look at all the pearls being clutched over this one.
• The former head of procurement for the Canadian Forces is so not impressed with the government’s fighter jet announcement Tuesday.
• A report says that the risk of suicide is higher for soldiers who served overseas.
• I will note that I am getting a bit tired of Senate pieces where they quote Senator Don Plett to create some artificial drama. Plett is a crank. Deal with it.
• Maryam Monsef will be tabling a bill on Elections Act changes tomorrow, which will likely include something about expat voting rights.
• Here’s a look at some of the problems associated with giving Elections Canada more flexibility around allowing people to vote at other polling stations.
• John Manley says that the Trumpocalyps poses an “existential threat” to our economy. Okay then.
• Senator Carignan has tabled a bill to better protect journalists and their sources.
• Former members of the Commons’ Board of Internal Economy said that making it public will make the place more partisan, and will still need to go in camera often.
• Here’s a glimpse of the Conservative leadership ranks as they prepare for their upcoming bilingual and French-language debates.
• Maxime Bernier proposes that the CBC be turned into an NPR or PBS-type model.
• It sounds like Kevin O’Leary has been talking to potential campaign managers for a leadership bid.
• Charlie Angus has stepped aside from his critic and caucus leader roles to “explore” a leadership bid.

Odds and ends:

Andrew Potter writes eloquently about shame, nihilism and the Trumpocalypse.