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Andrew Leslie was a regular Canadian General. He served in the Armed Forces, might have been lucky enough to get his hands on one of Canada’s few working guns, and then began working closely with the Liberal Party. Even a hardened military man couldn’t resist J.T.’s chestnut crown. Then he moved from one Ottawa home to another. That’s when the shit hit the fan. Leslie unleashed an epic storm of entitlement that surely destroyed any semblance of his political career. It was a big deal.

Leslie’s story is over the top. His audacity was legendary. Get this…he used his last move as a soldier to move from one Ottawa house to another. The houses are 2.5 km apart, and the move cost the taxpayer $72 000. According to a Global News report, this figure included $7.70 in gas money. Release the hounds!

How much is too much? That much, apparently. Leslie actually expensed everything he was entitled to expense. What audacity! As expected, the Global News report elicited some stern criticism from important people, including retired Colonel Michel Drapeau, who said that Leslie should not have accepted the gas money. General Tom Lawson said that same-city moves like Leslie’s might be “a bit rich for taxpayer blood.” Even Mike Duffy, a regular at The Public Trough, had a personal message for Mr. Leslie. You know you’re out of line when Ol’ Duff is on your case.

 

Andrew Leslie receiving Mike Duffy's special message.Sense Tribunal

Andrew Leslie receiving Mike Duffy’s special message.
Sense Tribunal

 

And you know you’re important when Global News dedicates such significant resources to covering this story. Congratulations to them for exercising great restraint by sending only one car to do a drive-by shooting of Leslie’s neighbourhood. That was definitely worth the $7.70 cents in gas money that we now know the trip costs.

Leslie insists that he is the victim of a Conservative smear campaign, but there’s clearly more to it than that. Defense Minister Rob Nicholson has already ordered a review of the military’s moving policies. Ok, Nicholson is a Conservative, so maybe that supports Leslie’s claim. There, order is restored. So is Andrew Leslie’s political career over? It’s too early to say. But if he has the power to stir things up like this, we sure hope he has a few years left in him.

 

Hey Andrew, you've outdone me.Toronto Star

Hey Andrew, you’ve outdone me.
Toronto Star