When I wrote about the anti-terrorism legislation yesterday, I was unaware of the PM’s ridiculous out burst in the House of Commons accusing the Liberals of hiding terrorists in their number. When I wrote yesterday that it is way too soon to conclude the CPC can win a spring election, I did so knowing a month, a week, even a day, is a long time in politics.
The PM’s attack on Liberals, in particular Mississauga MP Nerved Bains, reminds me of nothing so much as the unsubstantiated smears levelled by US Senator Joe McCarthy against any one who opposed his search for communists under the beds of any Americans who spoke up in favour of their constitutional rights to life and liberty. Americans’ response was to demonise McCarthy and make his name synonymous with evil in politics.
Smart move Stephen Harper.
While some of us are not surprised by the PM’s mean, bullyboy out burst (since his days in the Reform Party and Canadian Alliance, we knew he had it in him), the timing is a surprise. The PM had seemed to have his temper under control and to be able to be “nice”, especially when all the breaks are splitting his way. Then “pow” – we get a vicious ‘my way or the highway“ out burst with no concern for the damage done to innocents. Worse, the outburst appears to have been based on nothing more substantial than a rumour printed in The Vancouver Sun. Makes me want to compel the PM to testify about what he knows about the terrorists hiding amongst Liberals.
Yes, things can change rapidly in Ottawa. Even the National Post's Don Martin, normally a cheerleader for the PM, admits today (not yet available on-line) that Harper has erred strategically and united the Liberal Party on the anti-terrosim issue in a way that would not have been considered possible 24 hours ago. Good work, ”Joe”.
Unconnected, but not unrelated is the report this morning that Senator Hugh Segal has been fired from the Senate Foreign Affairs committee because he was not toeing the party line. Segal, a famous and some what loveable Red Tory from as far back as when he Premier Bill Davis’ chief of staff in Ontario and survivor of all the constitutional wrangling under Brian Mulroney, and one of the “best interviews” a television network can hope to get is not someone a wise and rational leader would normally alienate. Another bit of good work from the PM.
The PM’s attack on Liberals, in particular Mississauga MP Nerved Bains, reminds me of nothing so much as the unsubstantiated smears levelled by US Senator Joe McCarthy against any one who opposed his search for communists under the beds of any Americans who spoke up in favour of their constitutional rights to life and liberty. Americans’ response was to demonise McCarthy and make his name synonymous with evil in politics.
Smart move Stephen Harper.
While some of us are not surprised by the PM’s mean, bullyboy out burst (since his days in the Reform Party and Canadian Alliance, we knew he had it in him), the timing is a surprise. The PM had seemed to have his temper under control and to be able to be “nice”, especially when all the breaks are splitting his way. Then “pow” – we get a vicious ‘my way or the highway“ out burst with no concern for the damage done to innocents. Worse, the outburst appears to have been based on nothing more substantial than a rumour printed in The Vancouver Sun. Makes me want to compel the PM to testify about what he knows about the terrorists hiding amongst Liberals.
Yes, things can change rapidly in Ottawa. Even the National Post's Don Martin, normally a cheerleader for the PM, admits today (not yet available on-line) that Harper has erred strategically and united the Liberal Party on the anti-terrosim issue in a way that would not have been considered possible 24 hours ago. Good work, ”Joe”.
Unconnected, but not unrelated is the report this morning that Senator Hugh Segal has been fired from the Senate Foreign Affairs committee because he was not toeing the party line. Segal, a famous and some what loveable Red Tory from as far back as when he Premier Bill Davis’ chief of staff in Ontario and survivor of all the constitutional wrangling under Brian Mulroney, and one of the “best interviews” a television network can hope to get is not someone a wise and rational leader would normally alienate. Another bit of good work from the PM.
