Provincial Tories can’t quite figure out if they are for or against the Olympic Torch passing through PEI.

It started when Jim Bagnall wasted – and that’s a generous word - more than 30 minutes of precious question period time trying to score gotcha points on Minister of Tourism Valerie Docherty. Bagnall’s aim was to show that the cost of PEI’s participation is far more than our $500,000 sponsorship. Bagnall contends the real cost is far higher and includes costly junkets to BC for senior bureaucrats and politicians to attend swanky parties.

Bagnall might be right. We don’t know because he didn’t ask the right question in a coherent, straight-forward way. It was painful to watch; especially when he tried to pin the minister down on how many times her deputy has recently traveled to BC for meetings.

It’s the type of question you need to know the answer to before you ask it. Bagnall didn’t know the answer.

In short he failed miserably in his attempt to paint the Olympic investment as a waste. The fall sitting only lasts several weeks. Last year it was only 13 days. To squander virtually one whole question period is reprehensible.

Two days later Mike Currie was up in arms over the fact the torch will not pass through Kings County. The Tories were oblivious to the obvious question: If it’s such a waste of money, why does it matter if it does not pass through Kings County? And where is the outrage for West Prince, which also is being snubbed?

The Tories are supposed to be the opposition for all of PEI.

The Olympic Torch Relay may be a shining showcase of Canadian pride, but it’s one event PEI Tories will be glad to see hit the bridge to New Brunswick.