All is at peace and not an election in sight, and yet ... Is it just the CBC or does it seem that the vitriol in this country is increasing? Specifically the hostility against the Conservative government?
Of course, it is interesting to watch a raging Bob Rae in the House of Commons yelling something like, “When will this government take responsibility for (fill the blank with whatever someone, somewhere did wrong today)” and yet, honestly!
The Conservatives and Stephen Harper are being blamed for poor housing on the reserves; misappropriated helicopter flights; voicing the mere possibility of changes to Old Age Security; MP Pierre-Hughes Boisvenu’s rope; the decision of Caterpillar to move its factory to Indiana; getting tough on crime the wrong way, and global doom.
Similar to the reluctance we feel about pointing out a giant smear of mustard on a vegetarian’s face, one hates to say it but it is more than a trifle obvious that some Canadians feel, well, a hint of jealousy that the good old reins of power have been handed to another this time.
Naturally, it couldn’t be true, but an awful lot of this self-righteous criticism of the Harper administration is coming across as nothing more than “Pick me!! Pick me!!!”
Who of us really believes that the glowing purpose behind all of this helpful fault-finding is to make our government more accountable to the people, that the heartfelt reason behind the yelling, red-faced accusations is simply to help the Harper government to govern us all better?
Constructive criticism is not difficult to deal with nor detect in the first place. Usually it is delivered quietly and respectfully and most often it is done in private, between friends, and it is rare. Contrast this picture with the angry faces of Mr. Harper’s political rivals, hurling accusations across the floor. Perhaps they are following the old advice: throw enough bat guano against the wall and some of it will stick? Trouble is, eventually you start to smell quite a bit like what you’re tossing around!
Doug Martens
Teslin