Like he always is on here Im sure after his meet and greet and potentially securing funds from a member of the Harper Govt he will no doubt have a change of heart and fill this board with a new found love and respect to other posters

That's it, love and respect, those are the words I was looking for. I had a friend who was an ironworker, (not a rodbuster but a swingin' dick connector) who would tolerate ignorance but could not brook stupidity, and I think many senior academics share this trait. He'll make his pitch on the merits of the program to the best of his ability and if the funding doesn't come it won't be his fault.

Well it went quite well actually. You were right earlier by the way, I started with "Pleased to make your acquaintance Mad'm" to which she replied "{firstname} is fine".

I'd also sent her office a 2-page briefing document on Friday, which she'd clearly read. I'd put the usual bits of bait in, as you do, and she swallowed them whole.

<pat's self on back>

Well in, the catcher!

Tu't tu't, Prof.

Well done though.

It depends, as ever, on the poster.

I will say that this member of the Harper government has a great deal more ability than her immediate boss, who I've also met once (but not one-on-one).

I'd also discovered that one of my graduate students comes from her riding, which helped.

Well congratulation are in order but Im guessing it will be some time until you know if the funds have been secured. I myself am not looking forward to the March budget and in particular Tony Clements input as to which Govt departments are really going to feel the pinch.
Good luck in the future.

Absolutely. These things have to go through channels (which in this case don't include Tony Clement's constituency office). But the neat thing is that my proposal actually saves the government money. (At least it appears that way).

Well, as that's all anyone in government cares about you'll probably get your dosh.

Very innovative

Not to rain on your parade you do realise that Tony Clement is the minister in charge of the Treasury Board Secretariat and basically he is the keeper of the Govt credit card
Basically he can decide who gets funding or not regardless of not being in his riding thats why a lot of Govt employees and Govt programmes are nervous about the potential cuts in staff, programmes and funding which may come in the March budget.

You underestimate my subtlety. If Clement et al. hadn't cut back on the civil service science capability last July they could do what I propose in house.

As it is, there's some stuff which is politically necessary for these idiots to carry out, which they no longer have the infrastructure and personnel to accomplish.

Every cloud has a silver lining. Gotta roll with the punches and all that.

*Flat cap in hand and border collie at heel.* don't knock the flatcap-border collie owners.......

Although now i own 2 boxers (can we say nutty insane dogs who NEED long walks???).

My parents were sheep farmers though and they had several collies, and yes my dad wore a flat cap.... My mum wore a trilby though because she thought it suited her better... oh and they dropped their "aitches and slurred their "t"s like most good yorkshire folk...

I do not possess (nor have ever possessed) a flat cap. I plead guilty to the border collie.