Harper Wants to be Bush’s Mini-Me

So, let’s see…since the Canadian federal election, our new fearless and noble leader Prime Minister Stephen Harper managed a broken promise and an act of hypocrisy one day after being elected. That must be some kind of record—even for the Liberals.

Since then, we have seen that his/our supposed “transparent government” is actually quite opaque after Harper pulled a bit of a disappearing act while—at the same time—banning press scrums after cabinet meetings.

When Harper finally reappeared, he was in Afghanistan to give our troops a bit of a pep-talk, a very Bushesque move wouldn’t you say?

Then, when the bodies of Canadian soldiers were flown back for what used to be a hero’s reception, Mr. Harper decides to not lower the flag to half-staff on Parliament Hill, and to ban all press from the base where the soldier’s bodies were to arrive. He also was not in attendance when they arrived. I guess a show of support for our Canadian soldiers was not scheduled on that day.

That’s twice now that Mr. Harper has done something to control/block the press.

Somebody please correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the “freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication” part of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

Didn’t soldiers fight and die so that we would have the privilege of these rights and freedoms?

Why, yes…yes, I believe they did.

Kind of ironic then, that the media got banned from trying to cover the story of dead Canadian soldiers isn’t it?

Of course, the family deserves their privacy and respect. I also believe they would have gotten a better sense that their loved ones didn’t die in vein, if the rest of the country would have been allowed to join in to mourn their fallen soldiers and celebrate their sacrifice. These people are truly heroes and they should not be marginalized! Which is what I believe Mr. Harper is trying to do.

You ever notice that when the war in Iraq first started, every US casualty was reported and made a big deal of? Not any more. Why is that? Could it be that public opinion and support was waning with every casualty?

Remember a poll of Canadians a month back that stated that the majority of us didn’t think we should be in Afghanistan? Then remember when our role was switched from peace-keeping to a more offensive one and as a result more soldiers are being targeted and dying in attacks? You do? Good. Don’t forget it because that’s what Mr. Harper hopes you do.

It’s almost like Harper is trying to influence public perception by controlling the media or something. But surely this can’t be the case, can it? I wish there was some kind of proof, or a clear example of this kind of media manipulation happening elsewhere so that we can learn to be wary of it.

Oh well, I suppose it’s just a coincidence that our new Prime Minister is employing some of Mr. Bush’s tactics on the Canadian public. This can’t hurt a new conservative government who is trying to make nice-nice with Mr. Bush and maybe even lend him a hand in Iraq can it?

God help us!

BTW, on a seemingly unrelated note, a long-anticipated agreement has been reached on the long-standing softwood lumber dispute. Upon signing the agreement, some say Bush’s lips can be read mouthing the words “You complete me” in Harper’s general direction.