Inside Politics

UPDATED: Hey, remember that weird Globe story about PMO and Navigator Limited?

by Kady O'Malley Posted: November 2, 2009 1:03 PM Last Updated: November 2, 2009 3:27 PM
The one that claimed PMO was "cutting ties" to the company because its practices were allegedly the target of an investigation by the lobbying commissioner? The one that nobody -- least of all the commissioner, who is legally forbidden from commenting on any investigation, even one that doesn't exist -- could  figure out whether or not it was true, and to which Navigator eventually issued a categorical, if carefully worded denial? 

Turns out there may have been another good reason for the ostensible cooling off: Meet PMO's new deputy director of government communication, Dan Robertson, who was, until very very recently, a member of the team at Navigator Limited. I mean, recently enough that he's still listed on the Navigator webpage, although I suspect the link to his bio may go dead soon after this post goes up. UPDATE: It did -- in under two hours, no less. You can still read the Google cache here, or the extended version, courtesy of LinkedIn, here. 

Those of us who covered the Oliphant Commission will remember Dan -- he was one of the those junior Robin Searses who would sit at the back of the room, boring holes into the backs of reporters at the media table when they weren't jubilantly sharing their thoughts on the latest developments with the twitterverse. He was also involved in Navigator's efforts on behalf of Michael Bryant. It's not clear exactly when he left the firm for a berth in the increasingly crowded PMO comm department, nor whether his imminent arrival through the revolving door may have had something to do with the edict on Navigator that allegedly went down at Langevin last week.  

Speaking of twitter, after the Globe story came out last week, Robertson tweeted the following observation about the media: "When reporters like you, you're a "communications strategist." When they don't, your in PR (said with a sneer)." Don't worry, Dan -- I'm pretty sure we'll get your title right from now on.

UPDATE: According to Navigator, Robertson's last day at the firm was Friday. Now that's one speedy revolving door. 

Tags: about that lobby investigation, blackberry jungle, curiouser and curiouser, meet dan robertson, navigator ltd.