Among the more interesting stakeholders attending the budget lockup were Mike McDonald and Susan Yurkovich, both supposedly representing Rosedeer Strategies Inc., Mr. McDonald's company. That made them one of the few couples at the lockup not belonging to an identifiable lobby group, such as a union or business alliance. But what's even more interesting is that Mr. McDonald, who is married to a deputy minister in the premier's office, is better known as the Campbell administration's former caucus communications director. And Ms. Yurkovich, as Public Eye recently reported, is a senior member of the Liberal's re-election team. So what exactly were these two operatives doing at the budget lockup?

When Public Eye asked Mr. McDonald that question, he declined to disclose who he and Ms. Yurkovich were working for, saying he wouldn't discuss his clients. But an insider suggested one possible paymaster might have been the Liberals, who could have hired Mr. McDonald and Ms. Yurkovich to make sure the party's interests were represented (by others) at the lockup.