Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story...

Things are heating up in Nepean-Carleton.

It all started last week with a story from appeared in the blogosphere at the Surly Beaver around a grant Michael Gaffney's company Learnsoft had recieved from ACOA and HRDC in 1999. The Beaver suggested Micheal Gaffney got the grant because his mother is Beryl Gaffney, a former liberal MP.

The Beaver appeared to suggest he had it from a source who he unfortunatley could not reveal.

But horror of horrors, Gaffney had earlier sold his company.

Fortunately, the Beaver was able to source this, as it was publicly available on the internet. Or as some people say, it was an transparent, legal - and normal - business transaction.

And all of sudden this was all on Bourque, who is certainly not on the Conservative payroll. He just trolls the blogsphere, randomly googling candidate names...

Amazingly, though the Beaver was able to find the evidence on the internet... the Beaver was unable to notice that Ms. Gaffney left politics in 1997. And she was from Ontario... which is not anywhere close to the Maritimes... which is where ACOA operates.

It also appears that the support came in loans, not grants. I know this because Learnsoft is a publicly traded company since 1999 which has completed its filings in the normal - and legal - way any other company does.

Even more amazing is that Pierre Poilievre, Gaffney's conservative opponent went right off the deep end (and off message) apparently suggesting his goverment would shut down these types of grants... which turned out to be loans... to the high tech sector...

...you know, the sector that employs a sizeable portion of the Pierre's consitituents...

...I mean, those constituents who aren't working for government... some of whom... process loan and grant applications from businesses...

Luckily, Pierre would not cut off other supports.

Now all silliness aside, it is pretty clear this is not a serious accusation. It's one candidate hoping to avoid liable suit, while another has to make a denial of something that really isn't true.

Yes, politics is a blood sport. But hold people to account for what they've done, not for what they haven't.

But if you've ever sat at home, and wondered "Those politicians, why don't they find some good people to run for office?"

Well, this is why.

And if you're interested in Gaffney's response, try this.