Somebody needs to open an investigation into what’s being served in the cafeteria on Parliament Hill. Because someone has surely laced the brownies our MPs are eating with hashish. Why do I say this? Because our MPs and wannabe party leaders are walking around in a daze spewing out ridiculous, insulting crap.
First it was Carolyn Bennett and her wisecrack about how a lack of childcare spaces means we’d need more prisons. This was followed up with Maurice Vellacott telling odious lies about our judiciary and Bob Rae making silly comparisons that reaked of Nazi analogies. And now NDP MP Nathan Cullen (google trick) has joined this weird game of Parliament survivor to find out who will be the first voted off the island.
He’s worried about what might happen if he angers the RCMP.
“They say don’t ever pick a fight with the police as a politician because they’ll find you and show up in the middle of the night and pull your family out with television cameras and talk about that deck you had built,” the NDP MP said in an interview from Ottawa.
Mr. Cullen went on.
“The police are a significant force in our world and I’m exposed and that’s the nature of my job.”
“But it’s common parlance among politicians that taking on the police is an extremely dangerous thing to do. You can ruin your career.
“You can end up completely discredited.”
What the fuck? Okay, I understand he was referencing a real incident but I have to wonder if his brain shut off when the microphone was thrust in his face.
Seriously people, you are our government not a pack of adolescents in a highschool council. Think before you engage your brains. And if you feel you have a gripe about one of Canada’s institutions, don’t air it like this. Do it in a sensible and diplomatic fashion or pass it off to reliable pundits and bloggers who can work to raise the issue without fear of angering the voters or opposition. Otherwise all you do is come off like an idiot who is smearing Canada’s institutions and your message gets buried in the commotion.
Cullen’s bout of verbal diarrhea has drawn criticism from BC’s soliciter general.
B.C.’s solicitor general says federal NDP leader Jack Layton should force one of his MPs to apologize to the RCMP for saying he fears retribution if he speaks out about the case of a young man who was shot in the back of the head while in police custody.
John Les called MP Nathan Cullen’s comments “despicable” and “absolutely asinine.” “Mr Cullen’s comments were completely unbecoming of a member of parliament,” said Les. “They are despicable and I would expect that his leader, Jack Layton, forces him to issue an apology to the RCMP.”
As for that apology Mr. Cullen had this to say.
Cullen said he hasn’t spoken with Layton about an apology.
“We’ll cross the bridge when we come to it,” he said.
Say what? Do you also ask for Jack’s permission to go pee? Apologize now, dumbass. And I don’t mean some weasely conservaberal-like apology either. After that raise any concerns you might have about the RCMP or any other law enforcement agency in a manner befitting a New Democratic Member of Parliament. Then get that investigation going to see who put the hashish in the cafeteria’s brownies.
Cullen said he hasn’t spoken with Layton about an apology. “We’ll cross the bridge when we come to it,” he said.
That’s just sad. I think this quote is more offensive than any before…
The thing that gets me about this whole issue, is that all the outrage is being directed towards one frunstrated and understandibly angry MP who let his anger get the better of his judgement.
But nobody had anything to say about a young man with no criminal record and had only commited the crime of drinking a beer outside who got shot in the back of the head. And then no report for months and months….
Call me polly-anna, but im more concerned about the guy who got killed “exicution style” than the mouthy MP.
Whew….glad to know some NDPers are willing to join the “look how stupid we all are” fray with the Libs & the CPC
What is this? A race to replace Svend?!
Guess it doesnt’ matter that what he said was true, someone tipped off the media to Clark’s house being raided in the middle of the night for something he was cleared of, seems like someone speaking the truth, perhaps an uncomfortable one, but when things like this happen people need to remind us as our media sure as hell won’t.
But nobody had anything to say about a young man with no criminal record and had only commited the crime of drinking a beer outside who got shot in the back of the head. And then no report for months and months….
Yeah, Robert, you’re missing the point here if you’re going to lambaste Cullen so thoroughly over what might just be inelegant language or speaking at an innopportune moment. We give up willingly a lot of control over our personal lives to the police because we trust they’re there to protect us. These incidents do a lot of damage to that trust, and it’s very important to determine what has happened….either legitimate mistake, systemic problems or outright abuse of power.
Remember what happened to the Toronto Police Services board member (Halsie? was it) who ended up having his private remarks, collected by an over-zealous child-pornonography investigator thrown up in his face at a much later date as ammunition againsts him for some sort of dissent.
It’s ugly, and it shouldn’t be dismissed.
The Cullen remark is ridiculous. Yes, we can all agree that the “Glen Clark episode” was a fiasco, and the cops were WAY out of line. Every goddam news station on the West Coast was there, having been tipped off in plenty of time. And leading the guy away in handcuffs for…a conflict of interest charge???? I seem to remember a large number of police officers being there too, like 3 times as many as were required. It’s not like they were expecting violence or resistance or anything. However, to suggest that something of that nature is going to happen each time a politician criticizes the RCMP is just silly. They didn’t target Clark because he criticized the police. Suggesting that Canadians live in a police state and should fear their own national police force? Hash brownees indeed.
However, to suggest that something of that nature is going to happen each time a politician criticizes the RCMP is just silly.
Right. As silly as people dying. Thank you for your useless, uber-partisan contribution to this discussion.
Well its not like some kid got shot in back of the head for drinking a beer outside?
Why would that make anybody nervous about speaking up?
Nervousness before the spector of power abuse is just silly. Forget about it. Go golfing. People get what they deserve…this guy was probably undeserving of justice. I’m sure some paragon of conservative virtue is working right now on proving exactly that.
So uh, is it, you know, like black putty hash, or uh, just that shitty crumbly blond stuff?
And, uh … how does one go about becoming one of these MP people again?
I don’t think hash is the psychotropic analogy or reality we’re looking for here. I don’t know what it is, exactly. I don’t indulge in cannabinoids anymore (I think it’s graceless when one is approaching middle age) but I know when I did, the last thing I would think to do was speak out in public. I just wanted to sit with my friends and laugh until we choked.
Not that there is anything spectacular to this story, but it’s nice to see you taking a Dipper to task for a change Robert.
I’m starting to accually feel something like respect for your opinion or something.
These incidents do a lot of damage to that trust, and it’s very important to determine what has happened….either legitimate mistake, systemic problems or outright abuse of power.
I agree, but the problem is that Cullen looks like a whacko now and the issue won’t be addressed until he apologizes for his stupid remarks. So he should apologize and then raise the issue like an adult instead of a conservative.
If he has to apologise for reasons of propriety and smooth relations, so be it. As long as he’s not forced to recant which is what you make dissidents do.
Vellacott never really apologised for lying and inventing secret shacks for FN people go to get alcohol poisoning. The CPC never apologises…they just “disappear” their problems.
This is the kind of government we’re dealing with now, and i’m not prepared to see the NDP falling all over itself for the simple civility. The Liberals, I expect them to do that…but not the NDP.
WTF is this supposed to mean Ti?
I thought it was against Red Army protocol to criticise one of your own.
Snubbed for the village idiot position or something?
WTF is this supposed to mean Ti?
Read this, Derrell. If you hadn’t heard of this, that’s fine. If you’re playing dumb, please don’t. When it comes to innocent people dying, I’m never in the mood for playing around.
No, I hadn’t heard about that story about the shack that they supposedly dropped the indiancicles near and him passing off a rumor of it’s existance as fact.
Well, you should have heard of it. This truth through rumour wingnuts indulge is coming to an end. Don’t get caught up in it.
Last night on radio, Cullen gave a half-assed apology for the language he used (it took a lot of prodding from the host).
His questions on this issue are valid as its been 6 months without any sort of answers and the family has not received any kind of answer about what happened.
Cullen indicated on air that he regretted the comments in particular that they took the focus off the family’s questions and put it squarely on him.
What radio? What programme? Do you have a link?
CKNW AM980 (Vancouver). Website is http://www.cknw.com. You’d have to look in the Audio Vault (I think thats what they call it). The show was BC Nightline with Michael Smyth. Cullen was on around 8:45PM or so.
Thanks, teddyv.
Interesting development in the House. The Bloc has submitted a motion calling for Canada to adhere to its Kyoto obligations. Vote on the motion will be Tuesday. Likely government defeat. Question is, would it be a confidence motion?
Oh, God…Rona will be in such a tizzy.
“So he should apologize and then raise the issue like an adult instead of a conservative. ”
loved this line, Robert.
So, um … what are we talkin’ about then. Shroom pizza lunch special coinciding with a full moon?
I don’t know….it will remain a mystery until we find out.
Not to change the subject or anything, but what was Rae’s comment?
“…it’s true for softwood lumber which is an issue that I’ve been working on for the last little while. Now Mr. Harper might like to say that’s a wonderful deal. Don’t forget, Neville Chamberlain came back from Munich, and held up a piece of paper, and said he had peace in our time. He was wrong. So is Mr. Harper. Really wrong.”
Oh Sorry, I’m behind on my reading. I didn’t notice that you’d posted about this earlier. Thanks.
Give me a break. It’s not like the RCMP is this lily-white organization that has been horribly offended by Cullen’s remarks. They’re big boys; they can take it.
The Bush incident was a fucking outrage. No criminal history, no violent history. Yet he was hauled off to the holding cell for carrying a beer around after a hockey game. Then shot in the back of the head, with the only witness being the murderer. If that doesn’t call for an emotional response, what the hell does?
Peter, your post #33 should be shouted from the rooftops until someone steps forward to address this travesty - looped endlessly, loudly, agressively!