Bill Casey, the Independent MP, was Canada’s political golden boy. He had the Midas Touch. Everything he did and said rang positive throughout the nation. Then, in the name of friendship, he made a colossal misstep.


Commenting on Ernie Fage’s plight, he said he would support and stand by his longtime friend. Loyalty is an admirable quality. Blind loyalty is just plain dumb. Perhaps he thinks that by twisting the tourniquet, the bleeding will stop. As my old buddy J.I. Albrecht was wont to say,”That dog won’t hunt.”

Ernie Fage isn’t an evil man. He made a terrible error in judgment, an error that effectively ended his political career. Oh, he may be reelected as an Independent member of the House of Assembly, but as such, he will not be able to deliver to his constituents. He will be like a voice in the wilderness.    

And even worse, I don’t think Fage has a firm grasp on the reality of his transgression. Simply put, he doesn’t get it.

Following his sentencing, Ernie Fage said he was “disappointed” with the judge’s decision. Ernie, what did you expect! How many times was the video of you leaving the scene of the accident shown on television? Hundreds of times if you added up all the networks, both local and national. Newspapers published still photographs of you, taken by a concerned citizen who followed you from the location of the accident to your apartment building, recording your every move.

Justice may be blind but hardly stupid. No need to bring in CSI - this one was, as they say, cut and dried. A slam dunk. The only suspense was what the punishment would be . A fine totalling $920 and the loss of his driver’s license for two years befits the crime. And of course, the legal fees. Ouch!

He should have been singing Jesus Take The Wheel, instead it was more like he got Drop Kick Me Jesus Through the Goal Posts of Life.  That little dity sung by Bobby Bare was number 17 on the country charts in 1976. I digress.

Fage’s expulsion from the Progressive Conservative Caucus and the loss of the Party’s nomination was even tougher punishment. Tough for the premier also. Fage supported MacDonald in the leadership race, and by booting him, the Premier just may have put the Cumberland North seat at risk. If Ernie follows through with his intention to run as an Independent candidate, one of the two opposition candidates could come up the middle and take the riding.

That having been said, Rodney MacDonald did the right thing. He had no other choice. Ernie won’t accept responsibility for his actions. Had he done so at the time, he probably would still be a member of government,. Perhaps not a cabinet minister, but likely a caucus member and the PC candidate in the next election.

Heck, I bet if he 'fessed up when the crime was exposed, the Premier might have been forgiving. The general public would have shown some admiration for his courage in willingly admiting to his wrong-doing. However, sadly, at the time of this writing Fage is still in denial.

What is even more troubling is the reported riding support for good old Ernie. “He’s done so much in his ten years as our MLA,” was the response from most who were interviewed or volunteered their opinions through emails, talk shows and letters-to-the-editor. I get the feeling that the good folks up north think we city folk are picking on their Ernie.

Most that I have talked with simply express disappointment with an individual who betrayed the trust given to him by the voters of Cumberland North. They said he should have been a man and faced the music. Not tried to dance and spin his way clear.

Oh yes, as to those “three glasses of Merlot” he said he consumed during the fateful evening, although this has absolutely no bearing on the trial and eventual outcome, Merlot is my drink of choice so I’ll limit my intake to one or two glasses. And I’ll still call a cab!
 
(Al Hollingsworth is a retired journalist who likes wine and whine)