In the Suaad Haji Mohamud story what is conspicuous is the silence of our political leaders on the issue. In fact, the only one whose opinion I've come across is Dalton McGuinty's. As for the PM, and the Leader of the Opposition, they're keeping up their summer strategies of avoiding the public. Which baffles the mind.
It is demonstrably in favour of both leaders that they speak out on the issue. For Harper, he needs to seem apologetic for the ordeal this Canadian citizen has been through. He needs to seem compassionate and caring. However, he has not uttered a word on the subject, so far as I can see.
Ignatieff, on the other hand, comes across in much the same light. Of course, this does not affect him as negatively as Harper, after all it was not his government that remained inactive and uninterested in Mohamud's plight. But, there is no conceivable reason why he should not speak out on the behalf of a fellow Canadian, especially if she is being maltreated by the government he is supposed to oppose.
Harper has a lot more to lose by inaction, but Ignatieff had a lot more to gain. Not to mention common human decency.
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Wednesday, August 12, 2009
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Ignatieff should have been all over this days ago. Instead, he's being defended by other Prog Bloggers, "Look, see, he's talking to fishermen, he's relevant", and sends out McTeague, who is not a household name by any stretch of the imagination in western canada (where there are a couple of liberal ridings still). It's an issue that is being handed to him on a silver platter, and he ignores it.
ReplyDeleteTrue. Ignatieff could have gained so much by not ingoring this isuue. Harper could have too, surely, but since he did not speak about it, Ignatieff should have used the situation. Wondering why he didnt do that.
ReplyDeleteLorne