Looking back on the Harper years
Dear editor: Re: “PM is a national embarrassment by John Rempel (Courier letters, March 2).
As a Canadian-born daughter and granddaughter of immigrants who came to Canadian 1900 from Hungary (in what is now the Ukraine), I am also a proud Canadian.
How insightful it is when Rempel quoted an Indian journalist — “the stink of his leftist hypocrisy,” “his silk pajamas.” Why quote an Indian journalist when we are proud Canadians?
How much better was it when former prime minister Harper had three armored vehicles in India and had, with photo-ops, a remarriage ceremony there? They too had “costumes.”
Who can forget his flight to Israel with numerous guests — that guest list is still unavailable — his photos-ops at the wailing wall, and aboard ship, squinting through binoculars at a Russian vessel? Media lamented that they couldn’t get a photo because of the entourage of a dozen, plus photographers he travelled with, at our expense, along with his own hairstylist, also on our dime, for much of his decade as prime minister.
Do you remember his budget announcements from foreign countries — Davos as an example — and his photo-ops in military garb over Manitoba, surveying the flood damage? As the daughter of a World War II veteran, I understand how unacceptable those pretensions are. Harper’s photo-ops in the north, on his tummy with a rifle, while he ignored the trauma of the reservists there.
Painting the government’s plane in Conservative party colours. To quote a respected MP, John McCallum in 2013: “I did not think the government could come up with one action that would waste money, hurt the Canadian Forces and inflate the prime minister’s ego, all at once.”
What prime minister of Canada had his very own “internet show” 24/7 to the tune of patriotic music? Compensating perhaps? The supposed town halls vetted so as to welcome only loyal Conservatives, with anyone else removed. There were seven prearranged media questions, reduced from five.
The ghastly musical performances, including his rendition of “Hey Jude” for Netanyau.
Shall we say more about a national embarrassment? Let’s first do our home work, shall we.
Prime Minister Trudeau is no mascot and as “proud Canadians,” you and I must take exception to such disrespectful language. Elaine Lawrence Kelowna