Cornwall ON- How sexist is the Harper Government? I was watching Question Period on television on Sunday and the show had three MP’s on talking about funding cuts to women’s groups across Canada, and to minority interest groups including the Toronto Pride celebrations and that got me thinking to the Helena Guergis crisis.
Yes Ms Guergis is a nasty little cow; but would she have been treated in the manner that she has if she were a man? If it were a man’s wife that had Rahim’d all over the place would a male Minister be treated the same way that Ms Guergis has?
Not many people I’ve spoken with are of the opinion that the “spin” on all of this is out there and some consider it a whole lot of damage control. Today Ms Guergis gave an interview with of all media outlets, the CBC which we know isn’t Mr. Harper’s favorite. She spoke exclusively with Peter Mansbridge. We put in an interview request yesterday but received no reply.
The former minister for the status of women accuses the Conservative Party of treating her unfairly.
“I feel as though they’ve thrown the rule books out the window, that they’re not respecting due process at all. I find it very undemocratic.
“I’m hurt by the Prime Minister. I am hurt because I did consider him to be a friend as well, so I find that very hard to deal with.”
Hmm….let’s try and read between the lines on that one….either there’s a lot more out there that Mr. Harper isn’t revealing or he’s just a sleazy opportunistic thug who’d throw his mother under a bus for an extra poll point….
Though she met with the prime minister and his staff shortly after Jaffer’s arrest and agreed it wouldn’t become an issue for her political career, Guergis says it has been “pretty clear” to her the prime minister dislikes her husband. She says she wonders if that dislike contributed to her turfing.
“If people in your family make mistakes you don’t turn your back on them,” Guergis said, pausing to fight back tears. “You stick with them and you work through it and I am committed to my marriage.”
I would tend to agree with Ms Guergis on that last point. So to me either there’s more to this than’s out on the record or Mr. Harper eats his own.
What do you think Canada? You can post your comments below.
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Steve may be sexist but I think Helena deserved everything she got. Up until this point she was always happy to play barbie doll to Steve’s Ken.
I think there is more to this than meets the eye. There is a lot that we don’t know. Stephen Harper is keeping close-lipped about this, as he should, as there is an RCMP investigation ongoing.
Good post, Pat. Is an RCMP investigation ongoing, Stan? Or is that more Harper smoke?
I saw HG on tv this morning(CBC), she mentioned drug use, partying with prostitutes, and one other thing that I cannot recall at present. (She did an interview with Peter Mansbridge on CBC and I’m sure you can pick it up on their website) On the present status of an RCMP investigation I have no idea. I do not think this is smoke because then there would be consequences.
I was impressed with Ms Guergis in the interview. I found her sincere although a little naive. Problem is that she is toxic because of her marriage, and I’m sure the facts about allegations (who knows what they are) will drift away and no dirt will land in her lap, but she is finished because he has wiped his hands with the 2 of them, emperor style. This is politics, Harper style.
She can cry hurt all she wants, she let Jaffer use her office, she let Jaffer use a blackberry, this was on the taxpayers dime and that had to have broken some rules as it is. She should have basically known better than to do that. Not to mention all the crap that Jaffer pulled, and so neatly got away with, as well.
Every now and the privileged ruling class has to eat one of its own to preserve its position. Guergis and Jaffer have both seriously fallen from grace, rightly or wrongly, in the publics view, so it’s under the bus for them. I’m sure that they will survive their imminent career changes. They have money, and will both be collecting fantastic pensions in a few years. In the meantime, they have the intelligence and backing to start up new businesses to hold them over ’till pension time. Maybe a payday loan franchise, or a pawn shop? They will be OK as long as they stay off the coke.
I watched the interview between Helena Guergis and Peter Mansfield last night. I guess that I’m as naive as Helena, but I thought she was very credible. However, watching “Power and Politics” today, she was trashed even before the whole story is out. Why have not the R.C.M.P. not contacted her to discuss the case? I am not a fan of this woman, but I do think she has been treated badly by the Prime Minister of Canada.
I was disappointed with Mansbridge’s interview. He didn’t press Helena Guergis on anything. All she did was deny, deny, deny. Peter Mansbridge went easy on her. It was like a fluff piece. And right from the start, he announced that he’d watched a few minutes of video from the Charlottetown Airport the day she’d lost her cool, then told her he’d seen WORSE behaviour at airports himself. Obviously there was no video available from the moments where she was banging on the glass to get on the plane, throwing her shoes, or telling airport workers she’d been on P.E.I. “working my ass off for you people.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve NEVER seen anybody act like that in an airport.
I don’t hink any level of government should be giving money to parades. If it is worthwhile, solicit donations. Minorities should be assisted with language and education to a certain level ,but not things that will not help them gain employment and pay tax like many of the people in this country of all stripes.
So many people are in a hurry, and yell at the microwave to cook their precooked bacon faster, just give the forces that be a little time.
Reba, I do agree with you. I can’t see myself watching or believing anything from Mansbridge or the CBC in the near future. I was wondering if Peter was going to ask her out on a date. The media seems to be failing the average citizen.
The further this goes, the more it looks as though Guergis–albeit no angel with her airport hissy fit and Jaffer connections–is being victimized and hung out to dry by mysogynist ideologues. Harper & co. attack and trivialize everything and everyone they don’t like. Canada, you are demeaned by these people.
I agree that Mansbridge is a lightweight, makes a big deal of getting to the truth but is far from provocative. What happens with these stories is that the networks become entrenched with them, people watch them like soap operas, and the really important issues are left on the back burner.
For instance, the global economic crash is moving from country to country but is parliament planning for Canada’s economic future. And what are the plans for getting out of Afghanistan next year? I think we all know that prisoners have been tortured; that’s what happens in war. Let’s get the hell out of there and bring our troops home before more die. How can we support our troops if they are dead?
Why isn’t Power and Politics covering the illegal extradition of Marc Emery? Not a word.
I’m not saying that Guergis and Jaffer cases aren’t important, but what are the priorities?