Kevin Page - Our Hero

Tough as Nails

Some of my friends say, Kevin Page, the outgoing Parliamentary Budget Officer is their hero. Others say he should be Prime Minister which might be pushing it a bit but...he is one of the good guys and that is for sure.

When his term is up later this year, Harper and his gang will take their time in filling the position. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see them do away with the position.

Government in Canada has become more secretive than any of us can remember, and I have been around longer than I'd like to think. Auditor General reports have always been entertaining but as the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Page brought it to a whole new level.

The Conservatives hated him. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty once described him as "unbelievable, unreliable and incredible" The truth hurt Jim.and chipped away at their bunker mentality.

On his way out, Page sent the CBC's As It Happens a list of key skills and characteristics needed when applying to be his replacement. To do the job, the next Parliamentary Budget Officer should have a knowledge of:

• early childhood development
• the art of magic
• smoke and mirrors
• numeracy
• primary education level

The successful candidate should also have a good background such as:

• decades of experience toiling away under senior public service and cabinet ministers in finance or treasury departments whose primary interest is to advance their personal careers at the expense of the democratic and financial health of the country

Page also suggested that anyone taking the job "should be ready for retirement because the successful candidate will be unemployable after one mandate."

* Thanks to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, used  without their permission