An Apology I Cannot Accept

Yesterday we had the Government's apology to the Aboriginal people of Canada for the Residential Schools, an apology that most, myself included, were willing to accept as sincere, was completely marred and destroyed by the regular Conservative talking points ignorant comments of Conservative MP for Nepean-Carleton Pierre Poilievre. Mr. Poilievre decided to openly muse on Ottawa's radio waves about the "value for money" that goes to Aboriginal Canadians and the "overwhelming control that Aboriginal leadership" has. It was a putrid diatribe that actually sounded worse in his own voice that it did in reading.

These words obviously made me irate, as my post from last night linked above showed. I couldn't believe the audacity and ignorance of this man's comments, an MP who is my age and of my own generation. I wasn't alone in being insulted, as many other progressive bloggers have written about this, but also it turns out that the Conservative Boy Wonder even managed to piss off some of his fellow Conservative MP's, which must have included Prime Minister Stephen Harper. It must have been that finally groups insult that lead to this:

"Yesterday on a day when the House and all Canadians were celebrating a new beginning, I made remarks that were hurtful and wrong... I accept responsibility for them and I apologize."

That half-assed example of a quote was the apology that Mr. Poilievre made in the House today, an apology that falls well short and one that as a Metis man, I refuse to accept. The only way I would accept his apology now is if it was accompanied by either discipline in the form of loosing his portfolios, his expulsion from caucus, his resignation from those portfolios, or some combination of those measures. Seeing as how Mr. Poilievre refused to offer nothing more than hollow words that we know he does not believe, that left it up to Stephen Harper to show that he really meant what he said yesterday during his apology. How did he respond?

"The opposition called on Harper to dismiss the parliamentary secretary to the Treasury Board president, saying the comments were shocking and offensive on a historic day meant to engender a more respectful relationship between aboriginal Canadians and the government. Harper rejected the call, but said the remarks were wrong.

"As all members of the House know, the parliamentary secretary has apologized for remarks that were wrong. I know that he has also forthwith contacted national aboriginal associations to indicate that," Harper said.

"I know that yesterday we had a historic event, something that aboriginal people in this country have been waiting a very long time for. I know that all parties in this House were supportive of that spirit of apology, and I also know the honourable member in question was very supportive of those actions of the government."

Yeah, Ti-Pierre was so supportive of those actions yesterday that he went on the radio and proceeded to attack the "value" of investments in the Aboriginal community and basically accused all Aboriginal leadership of being over-controlling and corrupt. I wonder what those five leaders who spoke in the House yesterday feel about those views. Probably not fondly. And in a moment where Stephen Harper was asked to put his money where his mouth was on being sincere yesterday, he balked. Boy do I ever feel like a schmuck for giving this sad excuse for a Prime Minister the benefit of the doubt yesterday, and I doubt that I'm far from being alone in that thought. Mr. Harper today, with his complete inaction and unwillingness to punish his MP for these ignorant comments on this solemn day has ensured one thing for sure. Whenever people think about yesterdays apology, today's sad sack apology will rush right to the front and centre of everyone's minds, and probably be better remembered than the historic apology that should not have been sullied like this.

*UPDATE* 5:30 PM - Okay, I just put myself through the ordeal of watching Mike Duffy Live to see what they would have to say about Mr. Poilievre's comments, and guess who the Conservatives sent in to talk on the panel about this? None other than the Conservative MP from Peterborough Dean Del Mastro. Mr. Del Mastro went on to tow the party line, talking about how the apology was enough and yada yada yada.

Now why does this warrant an update from me? Well, I found the selection of Mr. Del Mastro to defend Mr. Poilievre's comments just stunning. In last nights post, I mentioned how I have heard comments very similar to these from other Conservatives, and one of those Conservatives is none other than Dean Del Mastro. The comments happened at an All-Candidates meeting during the 2006 election that took place at the Peterborough Library. During the meeting, Mr. Del Mastro was asked a question about public housing and in his response he made a statement about how the government spends so much on public housing for Aboriginals and questioned the "value for money" in that. He also stated that corruption in Aboriginal communities is running rampant. The premise of his comments, which came across very clearly, was that we didn't need to spend more on Aboriginal Canadians because there was so much waste and corruption there. Being in the audience at that time, I was floored by the ignorance of his answer and comments, which pushed me to get up to ask a question.

When I finally got the chance to ask my question, I asked Mr. Del Mastro about those comments and asked him that if he knew of specific Aboriginals who are corrupt, or communities that are being mismanaged and basically called him on his comments. I also told him that as a Metis man I was extremely insulted by his insinuation that the majority of Aboriginal communities are corrupt. Well he looked like Bambie stuck in the headlights of a Hummer, obviously realizing that he had stepped in it. With that in mind, he retreated to his policy handbook and started to read Conservative policy points verbatim, with his eyes barely leaving the page. When his eyes did leave the page, he was being sure to make a point that he likes Aboriginal people and has many Aboriginal friends. It was quite the sight to behold.

One can't help but wonder why Mr. Del Mastro was chosen to go on TV and to cover for Mr. Poilievre, especially to answer to questions about this case being a sign of greater issues towards Aboriginal Canadians inside the Conservative Party. I can't help but feel that Mr. Harper must have had a better person to put out there to speak to this today, but maybe the fact that Mr. Del Mastro was the person sent out there is a strong sign that more than a few members of the Conservative Party of Canada do feel the same way that Mr. Poilievre does.Recommend this Post