Yesterday I suggested that the government was developing their strategy on the Suaad Mohamud story, while hiding behind the cover of, 'uh we're looking into it'. Well, as it turns out, that seems to be the case...and more.Harper appears to have chosen the route of plausible deniability. Of course, as is usually the case when taking this route, it's not plausible at all.
Harper suggested he became aware of the case only last week, even though her well-publicized plight of being stuck in Kenya had begun 11 weeks earlier.
To even suggest that this is the case, is beyond ridiculous. Harper, the man who has a finger in every file, expects Canadians to believe that he knew nothing about a prominent case, implicating his government in wrongdoing until last week?
We are expected to believe that he was not made aware of the controversial comments made in July, by one of his top Ministers, Lawrence Cannon? And it's not just Cannon who has been aware of and commented on this case. Peter Van Loan and Jason Kenney have also been asked about it. We are further expected to believe that he was not made aware of comments made by the official opposition, Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae, Dan McTeague and others?
Seriously, this is treating Canadians with the contempt we know he holds, but somehow often manages to convince some media in this country otherwise.
"When we became aware of the case last week, we asked our officials in various departments to give us some information," Harper said at a news conference yesterday. "Obviously there (is) some troubling information here. It's a complex case. I have asked my officials for a thorough review of the matter ... (then) we'll decide what further inquiry we do have to do."
Who is we? His government? That is generally the royal 'we' used by a PM and if that is the case, that is a bald face lie and he knows it.
Privately, officials say the Prime Minister is upset at how the case has been handled and that "heads could roll" once the internal review is finished.
Tough talk, huh? Well, not so much.
Liliane Khadour has "concluded" her posting, a consular official at the Canadian High Commission said yesterday from the capital, Nairobi.
"Her tour of duty is over," he said, explaining that Foreign Affairs employees rotate posts every two or three years, and Khadour had been in Nairobi for two. "I am not very sure where she went."
She's in Ottawa as it turns out.
The head that should roll in this case is the PM's. He has cultivated a culture in his cabinet and caucus for that matter, that it's acceptable to treat some Canadians differently than others. By example, he's encouraged his party to use language when referring to some, that feeds his rabid base, while insulting the rest of us.
Embassy mag, weighs in on the issue and suggests that the Conservatives could still turn our (Canada's), tattered reputation around by showing some compassion.
The writer of the article seems to have missed the fact that compassion is not a term understood by the Conservative Party of Canada, let alone employed.
10 comments:
How in hell can Harper consider himself a leader when he can't take responsibility for anything but a photo-op.
Disgusting.
As I stated on my blog the other day this whole affair has damaged the Conservatives in the immigrant communities and Stephen Harper knows it.
Too bad for him that it took him this long to realize it.
If this guy would have had even an average political ear he would have realized that this story would negatively resonate within these communities.
Fortunately, his political ear is the same one that made him attack the arts during the last election, thus denying him the breakthrough in Quebec.
Now he has alienated many immigrant communities, which will probably cause him support in the big cities and their suburbs.
As well, it should be noted, that his defence will only make things worse with those communities. As you say KNB, this story has been out there for some time. For him to just take notice within the last week or so smacks of indifference to her plight by the leader of our government (ugh that thought still makes me queasy), which will not go over well in some quarters.
On another related note it must be driving him bonkers to have to address this issue during his much ballyhooed Arctic trip. This is not what he wants to talk about but I guess it is better than trying to explain why no one in the PMO realized they were describing the capital of Nunavut as a "dirty a**holes.
I can forgive Harper a typo but not for the Con history with Canadians overseas.
I think this is one of the funniest gaffs yet. In light of a terrible mistake Harper tries to suggest that he is simply too poorly informed to do his job. Good excuse! So basically Harper just admitted to the nation that he doesn't read the newspaper and he doesn't watch the news! That is hilarious.
Out to lunch permanently, the Liberal brain, addled, clumsy and Kool Aid infused.
Anonymous said...
Out to lunch permanently, the Liberal brain, addled, clumsy and Kool Aid infused.
12:45 PM
Geez, did it take you all morning to come up with that intellecual insight? Seems the Cons supporters are slow learners so I guess we have to be patient with them.
Kids drink BLUEberry Kool-Aid full on unhealthy sugar. Liberals like grown up stuff like red wine or cranberry juice - good stuff.
Perhaps now would be an opportune time to ask "where the hell Harper has been all summer that he wouldn't know about this?".
I mean, it would only be fitting with all the columns of print devoted to the tired, and false, "where's Iggy?" meme.
Ah "nobody tells me anything""
what a Fat lie/ liar !!!!
shameless and heartless and DUMB.
How in the earth did we end up with him?? maybe we deserve it after all.
You guys are just too funny for words. Let me see if I can explain this simply enough that it allows you absolutely no room to 'spin' this in typical Liberal fashion:
The Prime Minister's office became aware the week before that press conference that a *Canadian* woman was being wrongfully held in Kenya. You see, before the DNA test proved her identity she was officially just another scammer trying to use a Canadian passport to get out of Africa. The CBSA (look that one up if necessary) states that they get roughly 5 CASES EVERY WEEK of passport fraud in Nairobi, so there was nothing unusual there and certainly no reason for the PMO to be involved. In fact, it would have been seen as political interference for any government official other than the ones officially designated to deal with such instances.
Now if the Canadian officals in charge IN NAIROBI didn't do their jobs correctly, they will be dealt with accordingly....but to even suggest some culpability here by Prime Minister Harper is not only absurd, it's laughable.
And just so you know, your "Conservatives lack compassion" talking point has backfired badly. Turns out that yet another survey has revealed what those of us who get our news from unbiased sources already knew: that Conservatives still donate more money to charity, give more blood and donate more of their time to helping the less fortunate than Liberals do.
Do keep trying to smear the Conservatives any way you can, though. It makes for some amusing quotes and much hilarity on other blogs...:)
Every single thing you said, has been proven wrong. Not the least of which is her nationality, which is Canadian, not in stars or quotes.
Herein lies your disgusting bias, but by all means, show it.
You reflect precisely what most of Canada hates. Bring it on.
Oh, and the 'get your news from unbiased' sources? Ha! The Post? Limbaugh? FOX?
Post a Comment