Special Ed Stelmach seems to be dedicating much more time to trying to shut down critical comment than actually governing. That is rather apparent in his shameless breaking of provincial law and posting a record deficit.

 Stelmach set the precedent when he fired Lorne Gibson (head of elections Alberta) for Gibson’s having dared question the government on electoral procedures and submitting a long list of recommendations. Now Stelmach is setting his sights on Auditor General Fred Dunn.

 While the Progressive Conservatives could afford a 20% increase in funding for the Executive Council and their Ministry of Truth, they could not afford any increase for the Auditor General thus Fred Dunn had to shelve 27 of 80 planned audits for next year.

 The warning through funding did not get through to poor Fred it appears. He still thinks he is supposed to do his job and he has dared to be critical of the provincial government. One would think that is the role of an auditor, but clearly that is not the case in Ed’s world.

 Stelmach’s lapdog on the treasury board (Snelgrove) is outright ordering Fred Dunn to quit poking his nose into government business.

 Yes, even the Auditor General dare not question the actions of government. It is pretty clear that Fred Dunn is on the road to being fired as Gibson was. Doubtless an Auditor General will be found and appointed who will realize what side his bread is buttered on and we will nary hear another critical comment on Stelmach’s government again.

 The lack of respect for democracy and critical comment by our provincial government has moved beyond being simply distasteful and into the realm of the frightening.