I went for a walk tonight, and I walked all the way up to Sussex street. As I was getting near Sussex, I began to hear the faint hum of a generator. Sure enough, it belonged to a news media van, as I suspected. There were several of them parked near the entrance of Rideau Hall, waiting like vultures for any announcement that might come from the Governor General concerning the fate of Harper’s government.
I don’t like Harper, but I don’t really dislike him either. He likes cats, and that speaks well of him. However, what he has been doing yesterday and today is despicable. By bashing the separatists, he’s doing no favor to the country he professes to serve, and while it may be a smart tactical decision, it spells strategic disaster for the Conservatives in Quebec.
Why is it that conservatives around the world are resorting to such negative tactics? There was Palin in the US presidential campaign. There is Harper. I am also watching the politics of Hungary, where calling the Prime Minister a traitor or worse is commonplace among the followers of his political opponents. Even when I agree with them otherwise, I find such tactics revolting.
Being in the neighbourhood I decided to stop the front gate to witness a bit of history. There was a large crowd of Conservatives there with signs and slogans. An acquaintance I saw milling about like me tells me he recognizes most as Conservative staffers, one of whom he once dated. The cheering for the dissolution of Parliament prior to a vote of confidence reminded me of the ballad of Sir Robin from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4SJ0xR2_bQ