by arthur Weinreb, associate Editor,
November 2, 2004
When the results of last June's federal election were in, the era of Liberal majority governments came to an end. The Natural Governing Party under the leadership of Paul Martin, a.k.a. Prime Minister Dithers, barely succeeded in holding onto power.
In spite of the decline in the number of seats, there was still room for fresh faces on the government benches. This came as no surprise as the polarization within the party between those loyal to Jean Chrtien and the Martinites saw some MPs in easily winnable ridings retire and be replaced by new members.
It is comforting to know that the Liberal Party's ability of only being able to feel good about Canada by bashing the United States will not wither and die off. When the america-haters leave office, others are capable of taking their place and keeping their party's proud tradition going.
Yasmin Ratansi, the newly elected Liberal MP from the Toronto riding of Don Valley East and the first Muslim woman to sit in the House of Commons, was profiled by the Ottawa Citizen. When the topic of terrorism came up, Ratansi said:
“Who wrought this terrorism? Where did they come from? They are the result of the policies of the United States. They have been interfering with the world.”
Ratansi later added that she is not anti-american; she would say the same thing about “any imperialistic power that tries to influence another country and creates chaos in that country.”
So the rookie MP is not anti-american; she would feel the same way about any other country that acted in the same way that the United States acts. She obviously realizes that people who detest Islamic terrorists who yell “God is great” before slamming fuel laden jets into buildings or decapitating civilians with dull knives, don't hate Muslims. They would hate any religion where, in the name of that religion, practitioners savagely slaughter innocents. We're all glad that you straightened that out.
Rantansi holds the view that the terrorists who kill in the name of allah are not to be blamed for what they do. all their acts are the fault of the United States. She sympathizes with the terrorists while blaming the victims.
In a perhaps not-so ironic twist, Ratansi obtained the Liberal Party nomination when long term Liberal MP and cabinet minister, David Collenette decided not to seek reelection. Collenette was certainly no stranger to the blame the victim philosophy that his successor now espouses. as Minister of Transport when an El al flight was forced to divert from landing at Toronto's Pearson airport because of a terrorist threat, Collenette's only comment was that perhaps it was time to reassess El al's position in Canada. The fact that there might have been terrorists with grenade launchers in the fields surrounding Canada's busiest airport didn't seem to faze the Minister. Liberals seem perfectly content to blame the victim when those victims are americans or Jews.
When Collenette wasn't blaming the Israeli airline for receiving threats, he was bemoaning the fact that the Soviet Union was no more and unable to prevent the United States from being the world's only superpower. Collenette would apparently love to see the return of show trials, gulags and mass executions as long as the Soviet Union is there to oppose the U.S.
at the rate Yasmin Ratansi is going she will surpass Carolyn Parrish as the party's foremost anti-american, if she has not already done so. Parrish's “Damn americans – I hate those bastards” and “coalition of idiots” comments can best be described with words such as childish and imbecilic. But Ratansi doesn't pull any punches about her sympathy to those who bomb, behead and otherwise kill innocent civilians. It's not their fault--the United States is to blame.
In the House of Commons when Conservative James Bezan asked Pierre Pettigrew, the Minister of Foreign affairs why the Prime Minister tolerates such behaviour, the Minister refused to answer the question. Instead he gave a glowing report on how Canada is fighting terrorism. Conservative Foreign affairs critic Stockwell Day, called upon the Prime Minister to take action against Ratansi. We all know that he won't and Day said as much. and there is more to Paul Martin's silence than simply being afraid of losing his precarious minority.
Despite all the rhetoric about Paul Martin's wish to improve Canada/U.S. relations, he is perfectly content to allow one of his backbenchers to blame the United States for Islamic terrorism and remain silent. By failing to take any action, Martin is giving tacit approval to Ratansi's hatred of the United States (or any other country, yada, yada, yada) and her refusal to put any blame on those who wantonly kill innocent men, women and children.
Ratansi's principles and beliefs are disgusting. But at least, unlike her leader, she has principles and beliefs.