Not because they didn’t want to be there, mind you, but because at press time, the crack communications team over at PMO still hasn’t gotten around to cranking out a media advisory or itinerary for the ritual that is about to unfold.
Luckily, the official proclamation has to be published in the Canada Gazette, so we know that the Speech itself will be delivered some time around 1:30 p.m, and should wrap up by 2:00 p.m or so at the latest. Since Throne Speech Days, thank goodness, don’t tend to run on Harper Standard Time – anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour behind schedule – that should be enough to figure out the basic timeline for the pre- and post-Speech events, from the official arrivals to the ensuing scrums.
There. Was that so difficult, PMO? I know y’all have been working overtime to systematically remove every element of surprise from the upcoming budget, but still. (And no, it doesn’t count if you’ve already had Kory Teneycke give the networks a heads up on the schedule for logistical purposes — for heaven’s sake, this is the Speech from the Throne. It’s hardly classified or confidential information, and we all need to know when to show up.)