I don't imagine that any one of you reading this blog haven't had cancer touch you or your family, extended or near. Maybe it wasn't cancer, maybe it was heart disease.In my case, it was both and it was my mother.
Now this story isn't about me obviously and my mother is gone now, but I can empathize with those who are currently facing this in their lives. Nor should this story be played in such a way as to use those individuals as pawns...but it's bloody personal isn't it? When a Minister of the Crown actually see's this as something that will further her career...?
Mind you, I recall Gerry Ritz thinking that life and death was a joking matter too.
I am certain that the PMO and every staffer available will be burning the midnight oil tonight, trying mightily to get a through line, a story, to justify all of this, but imo, it can't be done.
Raitt, in spite of Teneycke's earlier comments has to resign and to be honest, I'm not quite sure where the Health Minister stands. You know, last week she came out with a real partisan punch, which was totally out of character. I cringed at the time, for her, not for the Lib's. It struck me that she had been put up to it. Maybe I was right, based on what we now know.
Two more quick thoughts.
L. Ian MacDonald, is the most unctuous opinion guy that I have ever read. He creeps me out at the best of times, but this one, (as a good friend pointed out), must be killing him.
Finally, on top of all that Raitt has wrought, (that's catchy) I think she messed up big time today in QP. Dosanjh asked a question and she slipped a bit. (From closed captioning)
Hon. Ujjal dosanjh (l): Mr. Speaker, the minister states that the dutch or the australians or the belgians will make up the isotope shortage across the world. Is there any guarantee that any of those isotopes will end up in canada? Can the government offer a guarantee to this house that any isotopes from any of those three countries will ever be guaranteed to come into canada?
The speaker: The honourable minister of natural resources. Order!>> Hon. Lisa raitt (c): As the member points out, there is a difference between the medical isotopes being produce at a reactor and those -- to the end of the line with respect to the medical establishment, and indeed, mR. Speaker, we are working not only with the reactors but we're working with those companies in the united states, having had a very important and a very successful meeting in the united states on friday. We're collaborating. We're working together to deal with this on a continental basis
You see, the government keeps pushing the fact that other reactors will be running, contrary to what the opposition is saying. What's being neglected in those talking points, is whether or not the reactors will be a)producing medical isotopes and b) if they will be for international consumption. The thought at the moment is that medical isotopes will be in short supply, so the price will be jacked and the US will pay the price and strip the market.
Incompetence doesn't begin to cover it when it comes to this government.
Any Conservative, PM, Minister, party member, blogger or troll, who stands by this, further debases their party, such that it is.
Update:
Steve Maher, in his own words.
13 comments:
Unfortunately I think Raitt will keep her job. Ritz was kept on after his nasty remark, making fun of death, & Raitt's comments don't make fun of death but are solely for her political career advancement.
The entire thing is disgusting & extremely hurtful to those who need isotope testing & treatments. And you are right - who hasn't been touched by someone in their life with cancer &/or heart disease. We all have. You lost your Mom & I just lost mine to heart disease a few short weeks ago. It's painful as all heck & to hear Raitt being so callous just takes my breath away.
Raitt continually brings up meetings with the U.S. but they do not do any isotope production so I have to assume that what you said is the reason: so that the U.S. won't take all isotopes for themselves alone in regards to North America. But the way she keeps saying it makes it sound like she's doing deals to get isotopes from U.S. production (non-existent). And that is probably what the general public thinks she means.
I'm sorry for the loss of your mother, KNB.
While I think Raitt should resign my reasons are more geared towards her being an incompetent boob and not for some private remarks she made in a car six months ago. Are we really going to go down the route of living inside our elected officials heads and chastising them for every last thing they think and say? I would suggest that is an exercise in futility. As Adam Radwanski pointed out yesterday this appears to be "a bit of gallows humour" and while you or I may find it offensive many in this country do not. What I am more interested to find out about this whole sad affair is why Raitt was being taped in the first place. Did she know she was being recorded and if she did why make the recording? And of course I am very curious about why there was a mad attempt to cover up the recording from seeing the light of day.
Here we go:
http://thechronicleherald.ca/News/1126375.html
The word so far penlan is that the PM still has confidence in her.
Her callous remarks aside, it's pretty clear that this file has not been handled well, by any measure.
The PMO has called a meeting this morning.
Today will be interesting.
I'm sorry for your loss too, penlan.
sjw, while I don't think we should go down the road of chastising everything they say, in this case and Baird's this morning, it does provide insight into how they are approaching their file.
If you've heard the tape, there was no gallows humour involved. In Ritz's case, you could have made that argument I suppose, though considering the source...
Why was she being taped? It appears that McDonnell left the recorder on after a scrum.
I more wonder why she didn't retreive the tape recorder after repeated calls from Maher.
KNB:
"I more wonder why she didn't retreive the tape recorder after repeated calls from Maher."
Because she didn't realize that it was accidentally left on after recording a scrum so didn't think it was all that important. If she had known she would have gotten it back post-haste.
Fine. No gallows humour. It's who she is and she's repugnant. Whether she loses her job or not over her judgement and credibility remains open to debate. I know one thing, I really wish Liberals outraged over Lisa Raitt's woes could direct their indignant outrage towards an even larger outrage and that is the outrageous Liberal acquiescence we are seeing towards Bill C-15. One would think that would be something Liberals could get all in a lather about.
I saw Robert Fife this morning and I think he said that the Cons were trying to pressure Maher, but he stood up to them.
The part that bothers me is Raitt said it was not a moral issue. Oh, well, not to worry, Raitt went out for a while and get my hair dyed - it's sexy to be a redhead I hear.
She supposed to be working for the benefit of all Canadians (afterall, we pay her salary and perks). We do not pay her to climb up the ladder.
Gee, I don't know sjw. C-15 does evoke a lot of questions and I'm not supportive of it, but Ottawa running out of isotopes TODAY, 5,000 Canadians per day requiring them and a government with no plan for what could become a life and death issue takes precedent for me at the moment.
Call me crazy.
penlan, I suppose that could be true, but presumably scrums are recorded for a reason. I presume they go over the tape to be certain nothing was inappropriate was said, or some information was left out, or so they can tweak their spin...
It's just odd. She was two floors below Maher's office, not across town.
Sandi, it seems to be a Conservative cure for staving off perceived incompetence...dying their hair. Didn't Guergis do the same thing?
That they are crazy times there is no doubt. Makes one a little hot under the collar sometimes. ;-)
KNB,
Ottawa has run out of isotopes today? And why just Ottawa?
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