Tag Archives: peter mackay

Enough

conservative party, foreign affairs, ,

Regular readers will know that I don’t use an excessive amount of strong language, so please understand I mean it when I say that this is horrifying, particularly in the context of the government’s shameful reaction to revelations as they have unfolded.

Public inquiries have been called for much less, and we need one now.

Regular readers will also know that I’ve never used this blog to call for a minister’s resignation, but I don’t see any way that even Peter MacKay could believe he should continue. His resignation is long overdue. By the end of the day would be too long to take.

Sit tight, Elizabeth

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Some have already begun to suggest that Elizabeth May should move to New Westminster-Coquitlam and start campaigning for the anticipated by-election there, now that NDP MP Dawn Black is stepping down to run provincially. This is a somewhat tempting idea because of the double-dividend of being able to campaign for British Columbia’s referendum on improving their voting system. However, there are at least two major reasons for Elizabeth to stay put for now.

The first is that we don’t yet know who is going to run for the leadership of the Ontario PC party. One possibility is John Baird (even though he’s having fun playing coy), which would open up a federal seat in the Ottawa area. Both Elizabeth and the Green party itself have strong roots in Ottawa, so that could be a good option.

The second reason is a long shot, but an exciting one for federal Greens. If Peter MacKay became the next secretary general of NATO (a possibility slightly more likely now that U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden is reportedly lobbying on his behalf), that would make a vacated Central Nova more winnable than ever for Elizabeth May. She could convincingly argue that she’s MacKay’s natural successor having already paid her dues there, and that she’s always remained loyal to the riding even when the going got tough.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens. In the mean time, Elizabeth should wait and see.

Peter MacKay Thinks You’re Un-Canadian

conservative party, democracy and good government, foreign affairs,

That is, if you oppose even the current nature of our military involvement in Afghanistan. Further, in MacKay’s twisted logic if you think that Canadian troops should be protected from implication in war crimes, then you’re somehow not “supporting the troops.”

“What is immensely clear is that the bombast and the blast coming from the member for Bourassa does nothing to demonstrate that his party or that member support the troops.

These scurrilous allegations that somehow Canadian soldiers are complicit in war crimes is beyond contempt. It is reprehensible. It is un-Canadian for that member to make those kind of allegations in this place.” – Peter MacKay

I wonder what you have to do to be declared doubleplusuncanadian. These comments from a minister of the government are shameful and disgraceful, and show a disrespect for our soldiers, Parliament, democracy, you, and me. They would be beyond belief if Stephen Harper hadn’t already set the tone. And don’t even get me started on this nonsense from John Baird.

Oh, and by the way, “scurrilous” is defined as “abusive: expressing offensive reproach.” Uh-huh.

(h/t Sean In Saskatchewan)