Pot meet kettle
In the Canadian news today is that our former prime minister, Jean Chretien, has criticized our current prime minister, Stephen Harper, for not attending the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Now Harper is anathema to pretty much everything I believe [morally at least]. I am not a fan of his at all. However, I love the fact that he called out Chretien's complete hypocrisy - during Chretien's long, long, long reign, he only attended one out of five of the Olympics.
Chretien made the point that China is an important nation to partner with and that Harper's no show may have damaged relations with them. Whatever. The fact remains that Canada has tons of raw resources that China is interested in. I think we could have boycotted the Olympics and China would still partner for access to our forests and minerals. Chretien can't seem to live out of the spotlight.
The larger point for me is that neither of these pompous windbags attended the World AIDS Conferences when they were held in Canada. In 2006 when the conference was in Toronto, Harper didn't make the time to attend. He was more concerned about Arctic sovereignty. Meanwhile, in 1996, in Vancouver, the conference where the combination therapy used to save the lives of people living with HIV was announced, Chretien was a no-show. Losers. I wish that newspapers wouldn't cover their current stupid pissing match. They weren't at an event that really counted. I don't admire either of them at all.*
*Interestingly, Canada's former conservative prime minister, Brian Mulroney attended the world AIDS Conference when it was held in Montreal. Of course this was back when the party was the Progressive Conservative party not the current neo-con Regressive Conservative party that Harper leads
8 comments:
I think it's shameful how Olympic decorum overpowers everything else in life.
Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the International Olympic Committee, stated: “The first essential characteristic of the Olympics, both ancient as well as modern, is to be a religion. ... It represents, above and outside the Churches, humanity's superior religion.”.
Freedom of religion is a fundamental right.
There is one little problem with Harper's cute little charge of hypocrisy - NONE of the Olympics held during Chretien's 10 years as Prime Minister were actually held in nations where relationship-building was crucial - Norway? Japan? USA? We already HAVE strong diplomatic relationships with these nations. To not recognize just how both delicate AND important our ties (present and future) to China are just proves how much of a buffoon Harper really is - both on domestic and foreign policy issues.
Using the Olympics - an event that China wanted to showcase itself off to the world with - as a means of sending a not-so-subtle message about human rights was Bush-league (pun very much intended). That kind of "diplomacy" has NEVER played well in Eastern nations.
I hope Harper gets his ass handed to him on a platter in the next election. It would be the BEST thing that could happen to Canada.
Ooops - I forgot Australia in that list. Same thing applies.
It's amazing how much media coverage is wasted on useless politicians.
Aren't they all the same only with different suits and hair?
Brice: Agreed.
DW: I wish the duelling politicians would exercise their right to be silent
Dantallion: I don't know why Chretien had to weigh in and stir the pot though.
Eroswings: I know! Harper's enough of an ass without us having to hear from a former politician as well.
Rox: And Harper has the worst hair ever. I mean, my hair looks like crap, but I don't have a stylist.
Yes, it's a horrible thing when people publicly point out when our "leaders" are screwing up. That NEVER happened to Chrétien...
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