Rahim and Helena - No Christmas card from the Harpers this year!

That rather loud thumping sound you heard yesterday afternoon was the sound of Rahim hitting the curb as the Conservatives summarily, firmly and very publicly booted him from the CPC bus.

For the first few minutes of the sitting of the government's Operations Committee, Rahim appeared to have a proper air of repentance (even managing to summon a few tears) mixed with confidence that, at the very least, his old buddies from the Conservative caucus would give him a pass because, after all, they were old buddies. He even summoned the spectre of the Opposition conspiracy against him and how they had set the bar so low by even thinking that the salacious allegations about him could be true. After all, he was the great Rahim Jaffer, a self-made immigrant, first elected to the House when he was but a babe of 25.

You have to admit, it was kind of cool watching the Conservatives devour one of their own in Committee yesterday. Listening to Conservative MP Tom Lukiwski corner Rahim about why his website stated that he helped companies "secure support from the Canadian government", watching Rahim deny the allegation and then having hard copies of the website text he had just denied existed presented to him was like shooting fish in a barrel. Mr. Lukiwksi followed up by asking if Rahim "...understood that your actions have tarnished the reputations of politicians from all Parties.". Conservative MP Chris Warkentin offered the coup de grace by telling Rahim that "This type of behaviour sullies all of our names.".

The first sign of the growing canyon between Harper and the Guergis-Jaffer team was when Harper mispronounced "Guergis" while announcing her resignation on April 9th. He was just telegraphing Canadians that "Really, I didn't know her that well. See, I can't even pronounce her name properly.". Canadians should have seen yesterday's shunning of Rahim coming from several miles away.

It will be interesting to see how the Committee treats Helena. Will they go easy on her and lay this entire sordid affair at the feet of Rahim or will they tar her with the same brush and boot both of them to the curb to put a firm end to the matter?

It certainly does appear that both the Conservative Party and the Prime Minister are washing their hands of the couple. Their days as Conservatives appear to be over. Apparently, you don't cross the big guy and get away with it.

I would imagine that the Guergis-Jaffers and the Harpers won't be exchanging Christmas cards this year.

ps I hate to tell Rahim, but the bar was set so low so he'd be able to jump over it.

pps I also hate to tell Mr. Warkentin and Mr. Lukwiski, but Canadians already hold our politicians in low regard. Yesterday's activities just confirmed what we already suspected.