Our own Karl Rove? Aw, you shouldn't have.

This should give you a whole new shot of confidence in the openness and accountability and transparency of our new CPC government:

According to Philippe Gervais, a former Conservative co-worker, he's the Canadian version of Karl Rove, the Bush administration's key strategist.

According to another Conservative insider, his influence is comparable to that of Eddie Goldenberg's in the Chrétien government.

Whatever the comparison, one thing is clear. Patrick Muttart, a 33-year-old brainiac from Woodstock, Ont., who became a Reform Party enthusiast in his teens, is emerging as the power behind Stephen Harper's ever-widening throne.

Well, isn't that just delightful? Our very own Karl Rove. All we need to complete the picture is an evasive, dishonest, weaselly little fuck to act as Harper's press secretary and we're all set.

I hear Scott McClellan's available.