To the Editor:
(Re: “Canada’s prime minister a ‘true blessing’ ”)
Yes, Mr. Slimm, Stephen Harper apologized for the wrongheadedness of government policies with regard to our First Nations people. This is an apology any prime minister could and should have done. Just like Mr. Harper’s support of our people in the Canadian military, has any prime minister not supported our people in the military, who protect us all? Or has any prime minister not tried to increase trade with other nations? While most heads of state around the world support Israel’s positions in the volatile Middle East, to praise Mr. Harper for doing so is somewhat shallow, and as for Preston Manning, you are right in calling him a leader who never was.
The truth is that Mr. Harper is a cold, cunning and calculating egomaniac who had the audacity to appoint to cabinet a person who was not democratically elected to any position whatsoever, Michael Fortier, in 2006. This man was then immediately appointed to the Senate while he was public works minister, holding not one but two paying jobs under the watchful eye of Mr. Harper. It causes one to ask oneself exactly what information Mr. Fortier has on Mr. Harper to warrant appointments to two jobs and two salaries.
In more recent days, Mr. Harper has directed all federal government employees to refer to the government as “Stephen Harper’s government”. Failure to do so will result in reprimands, suspensions or dismissal. Mr. Harper was elected to be prime minister not emperor.
History will show that Stephen Harper is the only prime minister in the history of the country to have been found guilty of contempt of Parliament by lying to Parliament. Furthermore, Mr. Harper is the only prime minister who has secured a contract worth billions of taxpayer dollars for fighter jets without benefit of discussion, debate or putting the matter to tender for all contractors to bid upon. Like I said, an egomaniac, who will be despised as Brian Mulroney is.
Yes, Mr. Slimm, in Canada you are entitled to your opinions, no matter how wrongheaded, misguided, misdirected or naïve your opinions may be. The blessing will come on the day that Mr. Harper is fired from the job that he temporarily holds, a day on which all Canadians will be better off as a result.
Bill Cook
Creston