Off with their tongue: Why Conservative cabinet ministers aren't allowed to speak for themselves

Gerry Ritz is the current Minister of Agriculture in a Conservative minority government.

Did you know his name? I'm not surprised if you haven't. The first time he made a splash in the press was during the current listeriosis controversy. Stephen Harper keeps a very tight rein on his cabinet, and no one speaks to the press without the approval of his office.

Now I thought this was a silly way to function, a top-down control paranoia that creates an aura of secrecy and implied incompetence.

Apparently the prime minister has good reasons to keep a muzzle on his minions. Gerry Ritz made headlines yesterday for his ill-timed and malicious listeriosis jokes. He's since apologized for joshing of his hopes that the first PEI listeriosis victim was Liberal MP Wayne Easter.

Leaving classified documents in the open, joking about a nationwide bacteria outbreak, dismissing the criticism of a fallen soldier's father as just another Liberal supporter, pooping puffins--the gaffs are starting to add up.

And we've got weeks to go yet.