Two More Weeks Without Supervision?

This is James Lunney, MP for Nanaimo-Alberni. If you didn't hear about him last week, maybe you will over the next two weeks.

Last week, Mr. Lunney felt it important to make a member's statement in the House. It was on a day when Harper was out of the country, though I'm not convinced he listens to these statements even when he's in the House. I listened to the statement and was gobsmacked to tell you the truth. It was one thing to hear Gary Goodyear skirt the issue of evolution a couple of weeks back, but here was Lunney, not skirting the issue at all, but defending his fellow traveller and attacking the subject head on.

Mr. Speaker, recently we saw an attempt to ridicule the presumed beliefs of a member of this House and the belief of millions of Canadians in a Creator. Certain individuals in the media and the scientific community have exposed their own arrogance and intolerance of beliefs contrary to their own.

Any scientist who declares that the theory of evolution is a fact has already abandoned the foundations of science. For science establishes fact through the study of things observable and reproducible. Since origins can neither be reproduced nor observed, they remain the realm of hypothesis.

In science, it is perfectly acceptable to make assumptions when we do not have all the facts, but it is never acceptable to forget our assumptions.

Given the modern evidence unavailable to Darwin, such as, advanced models of plate tectonics, polonium radiohalos, polystratic fossils, I am prepared to believe that Darwin would be willing to re-examine his assumptions.

The evolutionist may disagree, but neither can produce Darwin as a witness to prove his point. The evolutionist may genuinely see his ancestor in a monkey, but many modern scientists interpret the same evidence in favour of creation and a Creator.

I shook my head and wondered why on earth would he be bringing this up for further discussion. To begin with, I don't recall the media ridiculing Goodyear for his beliefs/religion. The blogs did perhaps, but the media simply continued to question his scientific beliefs given his position as Science Minister. Call me crazy, but I see a through thread there.

Arrogance and intolerance? Pot meet kettle?

His statement was not only preposterous, it was intentionally provocative. He grinned like a schoolboy as he delivered it and his posture defied anyone to shut him down. Why though? I guess perhaps, as has been written about lately, the different factions that make up what is now called the Conservative Party of Canada are getting a bit restless.

A quick google on Lunney brought this site up. I don't pretend to know what the hell they are talking about, but it seems clear that this group is thrilled about having people in Ottawa who they are associated with.

Scary? Naw, not really. Backbenchers like Lunney are hardly going to impact the running of the country. Oh, Harper will throw them a bone once in a while, but even the big voices like McVety who have some access, seem to have little influence. What is a bit frightening is the fact that so many people vote for these candidates. Do they know who they are voting for and what the candidates intentions are? I somehow doubt it.

So, add Lunney to the list that Harper willingly takes in to win power. It seems to me that he debases them far more than any member of the media could. Afterall, he uses them for his own gain, casts them aside and orders them to be silent. That whole silence thing isn't working out too well lately though, is it?

We can only wonder what the next 2 weeks might bring.