— Musings —11.09.2015 10:56 AM
Classy move by Trudeau
That’s particularly so when you consider that Trudeau’s predecessor used to be pretty critical of the use of those selfsame jets, per CP: “Previous Liberal governments’ use of the luxury planes was among the things Harper used to needle them about when he was opposition leader.”
What goes round comes round, etc.
I think Trudeau just wanted him outta town fast.
Shouldn’t have accepted, but if history is repeated, he’ll pay back some of the cost at least.
ah, cmon matt. now you,re just farting in an empty cathedral.
You’re obsession with me is flattering, but you’ll just have to accept it’s never going to happen sweetie.
then stop hovering over this site like the uninvited drone you are. oh and calling me sweetie pretty much confirms your stereotype.
You seem to be under the impression you own this site. Newsflash – You don’t. So, I’ll keep posting here until the person paying the bills tells me I can’t.
And as before, don’t like my comments? Don’t read them. It really is that simple.
It’s been a while since anything I read online made me laugh. This definitely did.
Gee, how much of that Challenger flight will “he” repay on his MP’s salary? Not a cent, I’ll bet.
Notice how Harper has done everything short of physically running away to avoid the public and the media since election night.
Well, what would you expect? His party lost, and he’s no longer leader.
Are you saying you want Harper to be highly visible and active? What would be your reason for that? I thought you wanted him gone. Or did you?
His behaviour post election has been undignified at best, cowardly at worst.
See my response to SG below.
Yeah right. If Harper were going all high-profile, doing all kinds of interviews and photo-ops, I suspect you would be complaining that he’s in denial, not accepting defeat, can’t let go etc. You would cite it as proof that Evil Lord Harper the Nazi Dictator is continuing to rule the CPC with an iron fist, notwithstanding his resignation.
One can just as easily and legitimately argue that Harper is doing the proper thing, including doing the right thing by his party and country, by getting the hell out of the way and out of sight ASAP. Plus by keeping a low profile, he helps the interim leader establish some profile, which again is good for his party.
Harper is gone because everyone wanted him gone. I am so shocked at how many people don’t think that the loss is enough. No matter what he does there as some like yourself that still find fault and want more than the pound of flesh that the loss of the election and his leadership has resulted in.
As Winston Churchill said in The Gathering Storm:
“In War: Resolution. In Defeat: Defiance. In Victory: Magnanimity. In Peace: Good Will.”
…and of course in Yes Minister the PM’s credo was “In defeat malice, in victory revenge”.
I was reminded of that quote too when I saw this comment earlier today, I almost left the comment you did, but I wasn’t sure how many people even remember Yes Minister. It is one of my all time favourite comedies, I keep the first three seasons in memory on my phone so I always have something to make me laugh wherever I am at. I loved the line that came before it to about how to regard the notion of Hacker (Lord Hacker of Kamikaze…LOL) being elevated to the House of Lords, approbation, elevation, and castration in one fell swoop. Followed of course by your quoted line about how it was in line with the PM’s motto, in defeat, malice, in victory revenge. Gods I LOVE that show!!! Such wicked wonderful dialogue in that series!
I posted this over on another thread before this came out but I thought it was a very classy move too. The jets sit idle so the real cost is the fuel and its good to send a PM home in style. The American’s do it with Air Force One so there is precedent but he didn’t have to do it and Canadians wouldn’t have thought less of him if he didn’t. Very classy move.
Something Harper would never have done if the roles were reversed. He would have called it irresponsibly expensive, then he’d load the family into a Challenger for a Rangers game in NYC.
I agree it is a classy move and it is a one-off. It is hardly a trend to be repeated week after week. The previous-previous government abused the use of its jets for the private interests of some cabinet ministers. It was appropriate to critique it and will be again if it is abused.
Harper probably doesn’t even have AC Altitude Status… Could you imagine him waiting at the gate at Pearson with everyone else?
Actually, I could imagine it. He’s only the Canadian Prime Minister in modern times who’s down to earth enough to do just that. It isn’t like he isn’t used to it – he grew up in a very modest home.
About 5 years ago I flew into the Toronto Island airport and was in line waiting for a cab. Standing right behind me, in line with everyone else, was none other than Finance Minister Jim Flaherty along with two of his aides. Now in fairness a car showed up specifically for him and whisked him away but beyond that he didn’t seem to have had any special treatment compared to the rest of us.
My father worked in a factory. I grew up in a modest house. Harper grew up in Leaside and Richview. Both are tony upper middle class neighbourhoods, beyond the reach of the average home buyer, even back in the day. In Etobicoke he lived a couple of blocks from a world class golf course. He didn’t grow up a rich kid like Trudeau, but let’s not pretend he was your average guy.
Which brings us to today. Harper has spent the better part of the last decade avoiding the public and media, preferring staged events with vetted audiences. Since the night of his defeat, when he rushed through his concession speech and seemed like he couldn’t leave the party room fast enough, he has seemingly done everything to avoid being seen in public. In fact, everything he has done for ten years appears to display a contempt for the public. In addition, post defeat, he snuck into parliament through a back door and freight elevator to address caucus for all of ten minutes before rushing out avoiding everyone and everything. Guess he’s not to crazy about being seen in front of his fellow party members either. And now Trudeau has given Harper the opportunity to flee back to Calgary without the annoyance of prying public eyes. A priceless favour Harper would never have found the empathy to grant to a defeated Trudeau.
I recall the last time Liberals replaced Tories in Ottawa. Prime Minister Chretien rescued Kim Campbell who had a tough time landing on her feet post election. It’s reassuring to see new governments taking the high road. thank you – again.
I bet he kept the kept the blanket and the earphones.
My second good laugh for the day.
Not only classy, but very very smart. Cost him nothing, makes him look good, especially in comparison with Harper. If he didn’t think of this himself, whoever advised him to do it is certainly earning his pay….
Sending the outgoing PM home on the countries company jet should be standard operating procedure , its the dignified way to do it.. When Harry . S . Trueman , President of the US , ended his term he got dropped off at a train station with tickets home for he and his wife….in coach..
Anyone else noticed a general air of “sore winner” with the Liberals on this site lately? Read those comments above by Conservative and Liberal supporters without looking at the names and figure out who are the ones feeling vengeful and angry… it isn’t who you’d think. I don’t know what’s up with these people. They won but they still aren’t happy. I guess it really isn’t about implementing PM Trudeau’s policies but about visceral hatred for the other side at all costs. How small you must feel. We don’t hate you. We feel sorry for you.
It’s exactly as Rex Murphy observed in his NP column a few days ago: with Harper gone, the obsessive Harper-haters have no idea what to do with their lives. Perhaps they ought to get one.