The Thugs on the Hill

There is a worrying trend appearing from the Nation's Capital and it is one Canadians really ought to be watching more closely. It's a trend that should be generating more outrage, even amongst peaceful (placid) Canadians. The following stories point to the nature of the issue:

Linda Keen, former president of the Nuclear Safety Commission, was fired when she insisted that the Chalk River reactor producing much of the world's medical isotopes be shut down for safety issues. This was in opposition to the Harper government's wishes at the time. That reactor has since been shut down for an indefinite period and the Harper government has mused about selling the whole business.

Peter Tinsley, former Military Police Complaints Commission Chair, didn't have his position renewed after he raised the issue of possible mistreatment of Afghan detainees. Since then, the Harper government has shut down Parliament rather than have this issue debated in the full light of day.

Also related to this story is Richard Colvin, a Canadian diplomat, whose credibility was attacked by the Harper government over Colvin's reports of concerns about treatment of Afghan detainees.

Paul Kennedy, the former RCMP Complaints commissioner, didn't have his position renewed after he faulted the RCMP's manner of investigating itself and of trying to block long overdue civilian oversight of our National Police Force.

Former deputy finance minister, Scott Clark, was vilified by the Harper government for suggesting that the current deficit has become structural and will require significant spending cuts and tax increases to deal with. Note that the Harper government came to power enjoying a budget surplus and now has a historically huge deficit on its hands. Quite frankly, the state of the world economy is only partly to blame for this change in fortunes.

Don Drummond, TD's chief economist, was publicly attacked by the Harper government's finance minister, Jim Flaherty, for comments he's made regarding the country's financial situation.

Ed Clark, TD Bank's CEO, has also come in for criticism from the Harper government for suggesting that tax increases will be needed to deal with the massive deficit.

Environment Minister, Jim Prentice, heaped vitriol on a report by environmentalists (funded by TD Bank) that called for regulations to put a price on carbon emissions. Prentice called the suggestions "irresponsible" and questioned why TD Bank would associate itself with suggestions that could have such a negative effect on the economy.

Here's the deal: the Harper government has an agenda and it's own policies and it can't seem to tolerate anyone who disagrees in any way. The concept of democratic tradition allowing for civil discussion and possible disagreement seems completely foreign to the Harper government. Nothing in what they are doing is advancing public discourse about any of these important issues. This is a government who has been granted only minority status with 30-some percent of the vote. If anyone wonders what would happen if this government ever gained majority standing in the Commons, it's recent behaviour should answer that question. If they are behaving as thugs now (and I don't claim originality for that epithet), try to imagine how they'd behave as a majority in the Commons.

Canada needs leaders and the country needs a government that listens and respects the right of all Canadians to engage in debate about issues of the day. Canada doesn't need dictatorial thugs determined to slap down anyone voicing an opposing point of view.

Who do they think they are?