Well it has finally happened. Helena Guergis took the high road and resigned from the Harper cabinet. I'm surprised. At least she had enough character to get Stephen Harper out of a tough spot. Now he doesn't have to admit that he made a mistake when he appointed her as Minister of State for the Status of Women. Helena has even managed to get herself banished from caucus until the RCMP and the ethics and conflict of interest commissioners investigate allegations of misbehaviour. It is amazing how her political career path is now almost perfectly parallel to her husband's. All that's left for her is to be defeated in the next general election for the similarity to become uncanny.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming months. The PMO used the words "serious allegations" when referring to her transgressions. When was the last time you heard any of the major Parties refer to an investigation of "serious allegations" when they are referring to transgressions of one of their own? Generally, Party members strongly protest the charges against them and declare themselves innocent well before any investigation takes place. What is also interesting is that the PMO itself referred the matter to both the RCMP and the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson. The infraction is obviously so severe that there was no hope that it could be swept under the carpet and out of public view. The Conservatives are doing whatever they can to distance themselves from their former comrade who will now be sitting as an Independent way back in the cheap seats of the House.
You know, I almost feel sorry for her. I guess it's the "Canadian cheering for the underdog" thing. If only she hadn't called my home province "a hellhole".
...almost.
p.s. I wonder how her Executive Assistant/former Executive Assistant and spinmeistress Jessica Craven will spin this into something good for the newspapers in Helena's Simcoe-Grey riding?
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she called my province a hell hole...according to wikipedia she also called it a sh@thole
ReplyDeleteI also read that in Macleans. Apparently, the Wikipedia article was sourced from Macleans.
ReplyDeleteI have seen a posted copy of the fax that was sent to Wayne Easter's office. She definitely called PEI a "hellhole".
Wait a minute, why am I arguing that my home province is a hell hole instead of a sh@thole!