Blue Like You

Did anyone else happen to catch Bernier’s speech to les Beaucerons just now?

I thought his speech was very compelling but CTV’s Craig Oliver was not impressed. Waiting for online links to the speech.

The most interesting part was that Bernier says that the documents were Nato notes from a previous trip and did not even warrant a bar code for security purposes. Oliver is surmising that the PM was using this as an opportunity to get rid of him.

Bernier still maintains that he has no memory of leaving them at Mme Couillard’s maison.

The mystery continues.

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Here we go (H/T to National Newswatch): Bernier says he was unaware of Couillard’s past (CTV).

Globe - Bernier pleads ignorance on bikers.

Mike Duffy is reporting on CTV that Christan Paradis has just rolled up for the swearing-in ceremony.

James Moore is expected.

Developing.

10:45 Update: Duff says Fortier may be moved.

CTV Website update.

11:13 Update: Fortier is being sworn in as Minister of International Trade.

11:16 Paradis is being sworn in as Minister for Public Works.

11:17 Moore is being sworn in for Minister of State for the Pacific Gateway, Olympics and Official Languages.

Kady O’Malley is live-blogging here.

CTV - Cabinet swap sees Emerson shifted, Moore promoted.

Far from accomplishing "the square root of nothing" as Ralph Goodale referred to the other two opposition parties, it seems that a lowly NDP aide saved the day on Wednesday.

While all the big chiefs including those from all four political parties were busy arguing over procedural nuances, four little words from Jack Layton’s aide saved the day (via the Star ):

…Stepping outside to pose for a photo about an hour before the historic occasion was to begin, Layton told NDP press secretary Ian Capstick he feared the impasse would taint the moment with partisan pride.

"He expressed his great concern to me that an opposition party would move forward with an aggressive motion on the floor of the House of Commons, and that Conservatives would feel compelled to shut it down," Capstick said yesterday.

Then came those four words.

"Committee of the whole," Capstick said he told Layton, and the leader called Harper to save the day.

That phrase meant Parliament could take its ceremonial mace off the table, let the Speaker of the House sit in a regular chair and otherwise shed some of the formality that would have prevented the aboriginal leaders from responding.

"It provides the House with a unique opportunity to have a more fulsome debate, without being constrained by party rotation, without being constrained so tightly by time limits and a whole host of different things," he said…

I love stories like this. It’s refreshing to hear about solutions coming from people who are passionate about this country. And I love that Capstick is getting the press credit that he deserves.

Another side of this story hovers in the background at Chief Patrick Brazeau’s blog, where he suggests that there was some disagreement amongst the native leaders regarding how things should proceed and whether or not there need be a response (June 11, 2008 5:55 AM ).

Also, if you read some of Brazeau’s comments, you’ll see that what he is saying is not so far off what Pierre Polievre mentioned in his badly-timed radio interview for which he apologized yesterday:

…Personally, I was never fully in favour of the settlement package that was negotiated for the simple reason that money has never, doesn’t and will never solve the problems. Real healing begins within one’s own heart, mind and soul - not from a signed piece of paper.I believe the financial resources could and should have been better utilized to ensure residential school survivors and their offspring had access to real methods of counselling and healing. The second reason I didn’t personally support the settlement is because too many individuals personally benefitted financially from it. It is not my duty to name names but simply to highlight the point and let others who are interested do the homework …

Contrast this with what Pierre said :

"…Now, you know, some of us are starting to ask: ‘Are we really getting value for all of this money, and is more money really going to solve the problem?’ My view is that we need to engender the values of hard work and independence and self-reliance. That’s the solution in the long run — more money will not solve it. .."

Yes, some of Polievre’s tone and choice of wording was insensitive, and the timing was abhorrent, but don’t you see a grain of truth in it? Was he really being a "racist" or a realist?

I think both subplots in this story underline the importance of keeping an open mind, and trying to find creative solutions to our ongoing problems in this country.

Let’s start thinking outside the box of political-correctness.

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Update: As I said before, I feel so sorry for the victims of residential schools. I feel that this is a totally different issue from all the others and needs to be addressed as such. Please read this Globe piece, "I accept the Prime Minister’s apology ".

PM Stephen Harper is now addressing the House of Commons with the formal apology statement to abuse victims of native residential schools.

Live feed here.

One thing that struck me right off the bat was how the Prime Minister thanked the Leader of the NDP for his persistence in addressing this issue. It was a great demonstration of non-partisan cooperation and shows that in spite of how dysfunctional the House may seem at times, we can still be proud of our Canadian Government.

On the other hand, Jonathan Kay seems rather cynical of the whole process.

3:30 Update: Many native people are now wiping away tears while Stephane Dion talks. (OK - No smart remarks please.)

I think many of us have underestimated the significance of this event for these victims of abuse. I think it is part of the healing process for them - one more step towards closure.

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Chief Patrick Brazeau had some profound words to offer in the morning of this historic day (June 11, 2008 5:55 AM) :

…As an Aboriginal Canadian, it’s unfortunate to see the partisan politics and ludicrous demands made by some leaders on this historic day. If one wants to play partisan politics, why didn’t the former Liberal governments not issue a formal apology when they had 13 years to do so?

Kudos to Prime Minister Harper for doing exactly what he said he was going to do.

It is said that one need not listen or believe in what someone says but to look at what they do.

I will take part in the ceremony and like all Canadians, I will be awaiting the Prime Minister’s remarks with great anticipation because it’s been a long time in the making and finally, survivors will hear what they have been wanting for for so long. Congratulations to all survivors and from the bottom of my heart, meegwetch to you all!

Globe update: Canada Apologizes.

Thursday afternoon update: More apologies - Tory MP apologizes for ‘hurtful’ remarks (Globe).

Reader ‘Orville’ sent me a very thoughtful comment yesterday by email regarding the Bernier affair. He has agreed to allow me to publish it and I invite your comments:

Can we keep things in perspective and limit the hyperbole and the Liberal manufactured indignation and fear mongering. The papers left behind by Bernier, although considered classified, were not, as only the CBC would call ’sensitive’.
Fact of the matter is that the content of the papers was available to anybody, subversive or otherwise, by a simple request via the access to information of the government.
Contrast this with the debate created by Ralph Goodale, when he was finance minister,and there was evidence of a leak in the finance department about Income Trust legislation, which even the CBC would consider intolerable, by a competent government in which people could have trust.
Judy Wasylycia-Leis cajoled and demanded that a reluctant Ralph Goodale conduct an investigation into the income trust debacle in 2005. It was apparent to anyone with common sense, that the unusual activity on the market, just prior to Goodale’s announcement, suggested there may have been a breach, and an investigation was required to assure Canadians that the Finance department and the Government was innocent of any wrong doing. Any competent finance minister would not have required the prodding and would have taken the lead in initiating an investigation given the unusual market activity prior to his announcement. Because of Ms. Wasylycia-Leis and others, but no thanks to Mr. Goodale and the Liberals, the RCMP launched an investigation and now have been proven correct for doing so.

At the time Mr. Goodale said his department ‘was squeaky clean’
Mr. Goodale on national TV assured the Canadian people that there was no leak and that ‘The department is very meticulous about these matters.’
Paul Martin the Prime Minister, on national TV, assured Canadians ‘Mr. Goodale has said there was not a leak from his department’ obviously in a blatant attempt to divert the Canadian people’s attention away from this serious matter and from a blundering Finance Minister.

Mr. Goodale owes Ms. Wasylycia-Leis and others an apology for the smear and innuendo that he directed towards them and the accusations he made that they were guilty of cheap partisan politics. Mr. Goodale deceived the Canadian people and I suggest that he humbly apologize to them on TV, the medium he chose to delude them by in 2005. Ms. Wasylycia-Leis and others (some in the financial community) with memories of Adscam in mind, and common sense of the facts in this situation, were doing their task and a pursuit on behalf of Canadians, since Mr. Goodale and the Liberal party in an arrogant manner refused to do so.

So it seems that Orville feels that the Income Trust leak debacle was far worse than the Bernier affair, and the whole situation still requires some kind of closure.

Well, I suppose it’s up to the voters to make the final judgment. I guess my question is, if things are really as bad as the Liberals seem to be suggesting, then why don’t they take the government down on a vote of non-confidence?

Or have they somehow divined that Canadians are outraged, but still not to the point of wanting to have an election?

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Update : Looks like Chucker is daring them to force an election too! The Quebec Cabinet Deficit :

…And here’s the joke of it all. There is a simple remedy for this supposed disaster. It is a remedy entirely in the hands of the opposition to administer: vote the government down and have an election thereby handing over a truckload of more seats to the Tories in Quebec.

And if this is true, now’s the time to go for it, Stephane!

Globe - Bernier’s friends, aides assail Couillard.