Newspaper Slams Belanger And Beatty

Newspaper Slams Belanger And Beatty

Monday, June 20, 2005 at 13:15

 

 

A Regina newspaper’s annual report card on provincial cabinet ministers wasn’t very kind to the ministers from the North.

 

The Regina Leader-Post ranked Buckley Belanger and Joan Beatty dead last among their colleagues when it came to their performance in their portfolios in the past year.

 

In issuing his grades, senior political reporter Murray Mandryk wrote that it remains unclear what Belanger is actually accomplishing in his role as Northern Affairs minister.

 

Mandryk’s criticism of Beatty’s performance was even more severe. He called her the “consensus choice” for worst minister.

 

Mandryk also wrote that Beatty doesn’t understand her portfolio, which he says might be the easiest in cabinet.

 

As well, he said Beatty simply can’t answer questions, or chooses not to.

 

In her defence, he noted that her colleagues say her cultural background makes it very difficult for her to handle the confrontation of politics.

 

Belanger says criticism from the media comes with the territory when you become a politician, but he also feels the criticism directed at him and Beatty is unfair.

 

Belanger says he and Beatty will continue to work hard despite the scathing critique, adding it won’t affect how they do their jobs.