Appearances aren't everything

The Western Star weighs in on l’affaire Reynolds:

Reynolds is a former president of the provincial Progressive Conservative party and that is adding to the controversy.

It's a perfect case of a political crony getting a job on the public payroll that should be held by someone who at least appears impartial.

Er, no. While appearances are everything in the Potemkin Province of Dannystan, the Chief Electoral Officer must not only appear impartial. The Chief Electoral Officer must actually be impartial. The Elections Act says so:

5. It is the duty of the Chief Electoral Officer

(a) to exercise general direction and supervision over the administrative conduct of elections and to enforce on the part of election officers fairness, impartiality and compliance with this Act;

Section 3 (a) of the same Act provides that:

"election officer" means the Chief Electoral Officer, a returning officer, election clerk, deputy returning officer, poll clerk or other person having a duty to perform in the conduct of an election and includes other employees of the office of the Chief Electoral Officer