Much ado about the so-called “Ghost MP” who’s yet to surface in the riding of Berthier – Maskinongé.  First of all, Ghost MP? It’s a misnomer. Frankly, I think, if anyone had the opportunity to vote for an NDP ghost, they’d almost all opt for Tommy Douglas, wouldn’t they?

Ruth Ellen Brosseau has not been seen or heard from since her landslide victory of  May 2nd. Which is in keeping with her profile, of course. She barely, if ever, set foot in the riding during the campaign, even taking a trip to Las Vegas. Why hang back and partake in the ritualistic slinging of the mud when you can hang out in a mud bath at the spa in the Mirage Hotel? Then, later, be dazzled by a Cirque du Soleil show? Incidentally, by most reports, her limited ability to parlais vous en Francais may have allowed her to fit right in, when she approached the box office and asked for tickets to “The Cir-cue do So-LEEL.” If she did, in fact, learn how to say Cirque du Soleil while there, maybe she can write off the entire trip as a French immersion class.

There’s blame to go around here. It’s true that the NDP should be embarrassed for fielding a candidate (or candidates, actually) with very few tangible qualifications. I know, they really thought they had no chance in many of these ridings, but you at least have to leave the impression you take the thing more seriously than a run at Student Council Treasurer.

To the people of Berthier – Maskinongé: Turn your outrage back at yourselves, just a touch. Did any of you check out even her Lavalife profile, never mind just a cursory glance at her actual, I don’t know, credentials? Or investigate her, oh, what do they call them? Umm… Oh, yeah. Her views on issues? Honestly, I’ve seen a rusted-out transmission on a junkyard Chevy Nova that was more engaged than you were in this election.

Not sure how much I blame Brosseau, herself. For all I know, she’s actually an intelligent young lady with lots of political upside. We’ll see. Elections Canada has cleared her of any wrongdoing in the possible fraudulent behaviours surrounding her nomination papers. So her culpability probably only rises to the level of thinking it’d be pretty neat to tell people she ran in a federal election once. Great ice-breaker at one of those way cool parties where young people gather to put much too much Miracle Whip on their sandwiches.

Maybe the real issue I have with her is jealousy. I don’t speak much French. I’m not all that up on the issues of the day in Berthier – Maskinongé. Like her, I never once set foot there during the campaign. Where’s MY plum job with the big salary and Parliament Hill perks?

Oh, and another thing she’s got on me: I’ve never been to Vegas. How do you say? C’est dommage, Don. C’est dommage.