No Shame...None

When parliament broke last week, I wondered what the tenor would be coming from the Conservatives as we moved into summer.

Actually, I didn't wonder too much and here we are, barely a week out and they are certainly playing true to form.

Let's start with the most recent displays of pandering shall we?

You may have noted that the government named Pier 21 a national museum today. That is a good thing in my view. What struck me though, watching the announcement was a small thing, but it's telling. After making the announcement, toward the end of his speech, there was a wave of applause. Harper grinned, nodded, and then came back and said 'maybe I should quit while I'm ahead'.

I know, cute quip right? Except this announcement wasn't about him. The government of Canada making this designation is a good thing, but it's something that has been in the works for a while and something that is good for Canada. It's unusual that a PM would make the announcement, in fact, the honour should have gone to MP Moore. That Harper assumed the applause was minor, but a real indication of the man. It's always, all about him. Another complaint? CBC banner during the announcement was: Harper Announcement. Wrong...oh, so wrong.

It was what followed that announcement though that is more telling. A PM with a pathetic transparent grin on his face, unable to answer a simple question asked by, wait for it... Steve Murphy of CTV. Yep, none other than that upstanding, well...standing upright, person who fancies himself to be a journalist, when he isn't breaking his word, that is.

Q: You have been spending a good deal of time with Ignatieff lately working on this compromise that averted the election, and at same time your party is running ads that attacked Mr. Ignatieff. And frankly, we and other broadcasters have been getting complaints about those ads. How do those ads right now improve or dignify the political process?

A: “My understanding is the campaign’s over for now. But look my preference would be to see opposition work with the government. The opposition has not chosen that path, until very recently. I must admit to being somewhat disappointed the very day after we’d agreed with Mr. Ignatieff to work on employment insurance, the Liberal party was out saying well this was just a cover for a fall election. I do think people want to see the parties work together, but certainly if the parties aren’t going to work together, the Conservative party won’t unilaterally disarm.”

(Transcript here.)

Not only was Harper unable to answer the question initially, in his typical weaselly way he slammed the Liberals, with a lie and a grin. The victim hood that the Conservative party continues to wallow in, boggles the mind.

During the interview he also repeated the mantra for the week, 'the Liberal Senate is holding up our crime bills'. Absolute BS!

They of course are trying to capitalize on the UN report that cites Canada as being the highest producer of 'ecstasy' in NA. But, and it's an important one, they got the bill to the Senate a week before they were scheduled to rise. No one is holding it up. But hey, since when did Van Loan, Nicholson or Harper rely on the truth to get their message out?

Oh and for the record, Murphy nodded and uh huh'ed throughout Harper's replies, including his claim that 80% of the stimulus fund was working and a shout out that emphasized that most EI recipients, or those in need of same, are happy. It was pathetic.

During another Q & A today, Harper had this to say about swine flu:

"We really don't know why the H1N1 is more severe among some populations, rather than others," Harper said in Halifax.

But, but, (why can't he hear me when I shout at the TV?)...hasn't your Minister been standing up in the House denying, indignant even, at the suggestion that some populations have been harder hit than others?


Hon. Leona Aglukkaq (Minister of Health, CPC): Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear, first of all, on the H1N1 situation.

Presently there is no scientific evidence to show that H1N1 is predominantly affecting aboriginal people. Based on science, we will continue to monitor the situation very carefully.

I come from an isolated aboriginal community in Nunavut, and the systems that are in place to respond to the pandemic are no different in the north and in small communities. We have provided 10 additional nurses and doctors to St. Theresa Point to respond to this situation.

That is from Hansard, last Thursday. I guess the pathetic news that Health Canada didn't send hand sanitizer to said communities because they contained alcohol, had him re framing the government response?

And then finally, we heard this. Right on cue from the Obama decision. Not an original thought in their heads apparently.

These are just a few things that have happened since the House rose. All of it from the party who doesn't want an election but just can't help campaigning 24/7, 365 days a year.

No shame. None.