The news and social media have been full of the Omar Khadr case.
The following article appeared on the CBC's website: Why Will Omar Khadr receive $10M? Because the Supreme Court Ruled his Rights Were Violated.
Many, including, of course, the Conservatives and their supporters, are outraged. The Globe and Mail addressed this explilcitly: Conservatives Must Move on From Demonizing Omar Khadr.
Since the story first hit the Canadian consciousness, there have been many, many other articles and a general outpouring of hate and invective from a predictable quarter.
Some, though, have tried to be reasonable and present some opposing information:
From the Hill Times - "Fomenting Misunderstanding for Paritsan Reasons"
Others have tried to discuss why there was a problem in the first place and who should be held accountable for the current situation.
And others have started on-line petitions showing support for Khadr or at least for the Government's decision to settle the matter.
Personally, I side with the opinion from the Supreme Court of Canada which has ruled Kahdr's Charter rights had been violated, that this meant the court case filed by Khadr had a very good chance of succeeding and that settling now was the most prudent thing to do, rather than spending more money fighting a losing battle.
Of course, there is always the question as to whether Khadr even threw the grenade in question. That has not been settled. This apparently means nothing to the people expressing outrage over the settlement. I guess that means to them, the Rule of Law and the Charter are to be applied selectively, just to those whose politics, skin color, religion, or whatever, happen to agree with your views.
Just the other day, the major proponent of a long-talked-about Liquefied Natural Gas project on BC's west coast, pulled out.
Of course, Alberta's Conservative rump was quick to blame this development on the newly-elected NDP government.
The following article covers some of the bases:
LNG Company Shuts Down Jason Kenney’s False Theory Blaming BC NDP For Cancelled LNG Project
Of course, the Alberta Conservative rump is having some difficulty explaining what they are FOR. All I've heard so far is what they are against, and that would be the Alberta NDP. This could be characterized as being a northern version of Make XXX Great, Again.
I do hope this isn't seen as uncharitable, but what I see from Jason Kenney, Brian Jean, et al, is this:
Any of us who have had the opportunity, or, perhaps, been unwise enough, to stand in front of a large group of people and speak about something will know that occasionally, it's possible to forget something. To say something you wanted to say. To blurt out something you really didn't want to say. To mispronounce someone's name. To leave something out. Hell, even seasoned public speakers do that from time to time.
So it was with Canada's PM Justin Trudeau. While calling out a list of Canada's provinces and territories during a Canada Day speech, he left out Alberta. His wife poked him in the ribs after and likely reminded him of his error, and he did apologize, profusely, several times, after.
But the damage was done. The lunatic right was all over it in an instant, suggesting everything short of immediate succession from the union (or the Confederation, or whatever it is Canada calls itself).
Jason Kenney and Derek somebody or other, two unite-the-right conservative party wanna-be leaders decided, for their own pander-to-the-base reasons, to play this, once again, as a nobody-loves-Alberta-and-its-contributions-to-Canada story. Again. God, I am so sick of entitled twits whining about how nobody loves them and how they don't get any respect. They should live in a part of Canada where that is REALLY an issue and where people really don't have anything, in comparison, of course.
Brian Jean, the Wild Rose leader, the one who once chastised the Alberta NDP for actually keeping an election promise (the shame, the horror) made sure to add his two cents worth as well. @BrianJeanWRP tweeted:
"Happy Canada Day. Our country is stronger because of Alberta and, unlike our Prime Minister, I won't ever forget that."
Classy, Brian. Classy. There were quite a few tweets in response, most from more reasonable and sensible people than Brian Jean, apparently.
Anyhow, collectively, these three, and their supporters, have just managed to open Alberta up for more ridicule. The Beaverton had this to say, in a short article entitled:
Albertans erect ‘forgotten province’ memorial in wake of Trudeau’s Canada 150 address
A former member of the Alberta Legislature had a bit of a tongue-lashing for the three public figures leading the chorus of Alberta hurt.
Calgary's mayor had this to say: "Are we really that fragile as Albertans?....I screw up speeches all the time"
Exactly. Don't we have more important things to worry about? We love you Alberta, even more than we love Toronto. But some of you need to get over yourselves.
EDIT: Vice came up with the "Definitive Ranking of the Most Easily Offended Provinces".
