The things politicians get away with can make your head spin. Canadians have witnessed countless scandals over the years and rarely see a politician actually take fall.

One of the worst examples of this phenomenon is Spudco. The government lied to the people about the nature of the deal with a private partner by portraying it as a 50/50 partnership with a private business, when in fact it was 100 per cent tax dollars. After the government lost a vicious court battle taxpayers were out nearly $40 million.

Surely someone would be held accountable for this mess, right Think again. Not a single politician or bureaucrat lost a job over the Spudco fiasco. Eldon Lautermilch, one of the key architects of the deal and the man responsible for misleading the public was bounced out of cabinet for a while. Now he's right back were in cabinet as Minister of Highways.

More recently, the government has come under fire for their handling of a safe house intended to help children involved in the sex trade. In 2003, the Department of Community Resources (DCR) established the safe house through a service agreement with Oyate - an organization operated by the File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council and the Touchwood Agency.

Soon after the safe house began operating, allegations arose regarding a sexual assault of a child, unfair labour practices and misuse of public money. When the media got wind of the allegations the Saskatchewan Party called for the Provincial Auditor to investigate.

The findings of the auditor are disturbing, to say the least.

First, Oyate had no experience dealing with at-risk kids - and these kids are the most "at-risk" you can find. The board of directors at Oyate, chaired by File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council Chief Maryanne Daywalker Pelletier, failed to properly supervise the staff and didn't even understand its own roles and responsibilities. Of course, that didn't stop members of the board from paying themselves $10,000 in honoraria - despite clear bylaws forbidding such a practice. Moreover, the board hired their own family members to staff the facility.

Oyate was given a $130,000 grant to develop programs for the clients and managed to spend $100,000 of it. The auditor, however, found no evidence Oyate had actually developed any programs.

Here's the kicker: Oyate's mandate required them to develop programming that incorporated tradition aboriginal methods of treatment and healing. When asked by the auditor, neither the department nor Oyate board members could even describe their "traditional" approach.

After this disastrous report from the auditor, nary a single politician has been held to account. The minister responsible for the program, Joanne Crofford, stepped down from cabinet several months ago in anticipation of her retirement and is now a Legislative Secretary responsible for the music industry.

The current board, accused of inappropriate spending, graft, and nepotism remains in charge (albeit with no clients and no government funding).

Buckley Belanger, the current minister responsible, remains comfortably ensconced in an "I wasn't here - I didn't do it" defense.

Why is it that politicians operate under different rules than the rest of us Taxpayers have endured the insult of seeing Eldon Lautermilch enjoying the perks and privileges of cabinet life despite lying to the public and overseeing one of the biggest fiascos in government history.

Now those responsible for Oyate - an organization charged with one of the most important responsibilities imaginable -- are getting a free ride. In the case of Oyate it's not the money (while significant) as much as the disgraceful behaviour of those in charge.

Is accountability too much to ask for