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You Won't Recognize Canada When I Get Through With It |
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Written by D.L. McCracken
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Thursday, 27 April 2006 |
 The old cliché, 'be careful what you wish for, lest it come true' is suddenly becoming the mantra of many Canadians including some who actually voted Conservative in the last federal election. Thirty-six per cent of the people decided to give Stephen Harper a chance to prove himself and bestowed upon him a minority government. It was good-bye to Paul Martin and his damn dirty Liberal Cabinet and hello to Harper who triumphantly pranced up to Parliament Hill on his magnificent white steed, ready and eager to clean up the government. Not too many noticed the sneaky little half-smirk that Harper was having a difficult time trying to hide.
And it's been downhill from there.
The leader that Harper promised Canada he would be didn't turn up at the swearing-in ceremony but was replaced by a cold, calculating, rigid, micro-managing control freak who really is beguiled by all things American. When you really think about it, Harper turned out to be almost exactly the person Martin and his Liberals were telling us about during the campaign.
So let's take a trip down memory lane shall we? We all remember the infamous Harper Attack Ads, devised by a Liberal campaign strategy gone terribly wrong. It's quite possible that those ads marked the end of Paul Martin as leader of this country. But wait...has anyone replayed those ads lately? Not to worry because I have and something strangely unsettling began to emerge as I listened, one-by-one to those much-maligned ads. Stephen Harper quotes take on an entirely new dimension when applied to his current leadership agenda.
Three ads in particular stand out - Stephen Harper is quoted in the first ad as saying, "America, and particularly your conservative movement, is a light and an inspiration to people in this country and across the world"; from an article in the Washington Post in late 2005, "Canada may elect the most pro-American leader in the western world. Harper is pro-Iraq war, anti-Kyoto and socially conservative. Bush's new best friend is the poster boy for his ideal foreign leader. A Harper victory will put a smile on George W. Bush's face."; and finally this little gem, "Canada is content to become a second-tier socialist country boasting ever more loudly about its economy and social services to mask its second-rate status. You won't recognize Canada when I get through with it".
Indulge me as I repeat that last sentence. "You won't recognize Canada when I get through with it". In the original ad, the segment was ended with a three word commentary, 'He wasn't kidding'. Turns out he really wasn't kidding.
From the moment he was sworn in eighty-two days ago as Canada's 22nd Prime Minister, he has consistently insisted upon sticking with The Holy Grail According To Stephen Harper more commonly known as the Five Tory Priorities. To give the man at least a bit of credit, he hasn't veered from his campaign promise in regards to the five priorities which are:
1.) tax reduction starting with a 1% reduction to the GST
2.) a crackdown on crime with mandatory sentencing and doing away with conditional sentencing like house arrest
3.) healthcare wait-time guarantees
4.) directing child-care money to parents
5.) cleaning up government by passing the Federal Accountability Act
Even though it's sorely tempting to visit each of Harper's priorities and offer a fairly detailed explanation of what they really mean, I shall restrain myself on the assumption that most already know that a 1% tax reduction won't help the poor, mandatory sentencing will create severe over-crowding in our prison system, health wait-time guarantees is going to end up costing the Canadian taxpayers oodles of money and the new family allowance isn't even close to being of benefit to those who need it the most.
So instead, let's take a look at the handful of little surprises sprung on an unsuspecting Canadian public since Mr. Harper assumed the leadership role. The first surprise began to unfold within a mere 24 hours of Harper's swearing-in ceremony. While the new prime minister was publically waxing political about his accountability act, behind the scenes he managed to convince a re-elected Liberal to abandon his party, cross the floor, become a Conservative and for all his trouble be awarded with plum positions within the new Harper Cabinet. I speak of course of David Emerson, Minister of International trade, Minister for the Pacific Gateway and Minister responsible for the Vancouver-Whistler 2010 Winter Olympics. Needless to say Mr. Emerson's constituents were not amused. The rest of Canada were slightly confused.
Just as Canada decided that Emerson's floor-crossing was simply a once-in-a-lifetime anomaly, Prime Minister Harper revealed his next little surprise. He decreed that from now on Cabinet meetings would be unannounced to the media. Furthermore, the press were banished from the third floor where Cabinet meetings are held and demoted to one floor down. In a foyer. Outside the House of Commons. Needless to say the press were not amused. The rest of Canada were now moderately confused.
Just as Canada yet again concluded that Harper's decision to control the media was simply a once-in-a-lifetime anomaly, the prime minister sprung his next surprise. All Ministers in the new Conservative government were warned with promises of public humiliation, travelling bans and even termination (firing not death) if they spoke out of turn or embarrassed the prime minister. All public speeches and even letters to the editor of newspapers were to be first "approved" by the prime minister's office. Needless to say the entire Conservative Cabinet were probably not amused. I can't say for sure if they were amused or not because for them to admit publically that were not amused would be grounds for punishment. The rest of Canada however were now rather perplexed.
And one more time just as Canada concluded that Harper's decision to muzzle his own Cabinet was simply a once-in-a-lifetime anomaly, the prime minister revealed his next surprise and all hell broke loose.
Despite several years of the former Liberal government lowering the Canadian flag to half-staff as a show of respect for a fallen soldier in Afghanistan, Mr. Harper being a man with an impeccable sense of protocol decided and decreed that his government would end the practice of lowering the flag each time another Canadian soldier was killed in combat. Needless to say many family members of fallen soldiers and countless elected officials (including some brave Conservatives) were not amused. The rest of Canada were now divided. Some were perplexed, others were angry and the rest sided with the prime minister and traditional protocol. Heated debate continues across this great land but just hours ago Mr. Harper himself put the issue to rest during a closed Cabinet meeting. Details are sketchy but there are rumblimgs and rumours of what took place behind closed doors and it involved hot pokers and fingernails. How else can one explain those brave Conservatives who just yesterday spoke out against their leader's decision, exiting that meeting declaring loudly that they now stand firmly behind the prime minister all the while displaying fawning gratitude that he had managed to clear up their "confusions" and adding how glad they all are that everything is now crystal clear. Of course they all had their hands shoved in their pockets so rumours of hot pokers and fingernails cannot be confirmed.
And just when you think that you're finally reaching the end of this article, the prime minister revealed another one of his little surprises. Just when Canadians are settling into some semblance of grudging acceptance over the flag issue, Mr. Harper has decreed that the media will no longer be allowed to document the repatriation of flag-draped coffins which contain the mortal remains of troops who have been killed in Afghanistan. Opponents suggest that this is merely an attempt by our government to whitewash the war in Afghanistan. Using the adage, 'out of sight, out of mind', our government believes by hiding images of flag-draped coffins, Canadians will not be constantly reminded that this country is at war and suffering losses.
Mr. Harper it appears has borrowed a book from President George W. Bush. The title of the book? "The Idiot's Guide To World Leadership". Looks like he's already read the first several chapters. Time to put that particular book down Mr. Prime Minister and ask yourself these questions: do I really want to lead Canada in the same manner as President Bush has led his country? Or do I want to do right?
And finally Mr. Prime Minister, will we really not recognize Canada when you get through with it?
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