Au revoir, Jean, au revoir!

For every worker bullied by an overbearing boss, for workers everywhere that feel unappreciated, belittled and treated like dirt, some vindication for all. A small victory yesterday! Stike one up for the forces of civility, over boorishness. Prime Minister Paul Martin made quick work of VIA Rail chairman Jean Pelletier, over his belittling remarks over Myriam Bedard.

Bedard, who was let go by VIA a number of years ago because she had questioned some financial dealings with a Quebec ad firm, got the last laugh so to speak, when Pelletier had the can tied to his butt over his comments on her financial and marital status.

Suspended over the weekend, the corporate pink slip was issued yesterday as it was deemed inappropriate of the chairman of a crown corporation, to be commenting in such a fashion on any employee past or present. Very few people are rushing to Pelletier's defence these days, a few of Jean Chretien's old cronies, (and they're not the folks you need on your side these days) but few others. And justifiably so, his comments exhibited a sense of pompous arrogance, one that we had become used to out of Ottawa. With the Prime Minister now trying to present a more progressive image, Pelletier's comments and imagery were counter productive. Thus it was, "Off with the head" so to speak.

Pelletier who was a former chief of staff for Prime Minister Chretien, has found himself in the news a couple of times over the last week. In the current VIA troubles of his own making and in the scandal revolving around the infamous hotel in Shawinigan. Margaret Wente in the Globe does a great job of cataloguing his arrogance for us in today's paper.

Jeffrey Simpson also in the Globe today, follows the path of scandal and how the two groups (Maritinites and Chretienites) have or would have handled this situation. His article examines how the Martinites are purging the government of the old disciples of the little guy from Shawinigan.

As for Mr. Pelletier, no doubt he has a number of pensions and other monies awaiting him, so we shan't shed a tear over his dismissal. He should have thought of that old adage "be careful how you treat people on the way to the top, as you're going to pass them again on the way down"

Back in Ottawa, perhaps Francie Ducros should have lowered her gaze a little lower than the President of the USA, for her infamous moron remark, a simple look to the left or right in the PMO building would have given her a perfect target.