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Recovering backpacker, Cornwallite at heart, political enthusiast, catalyst, writer, husband, father, community volunteer, unabashedly proud Canadian. Every hyperlink connects to something related directly or thematically to that which is highlighted.

Wednesday 26 November 2014

Clarificaiton of Speech



When I raised Ms. Todd’s views during my Senate appearance, Senator Denise Batters responded that she had since “clarified her views on the bill.”
 
 
So I'm clear - an unelected Senator responded that a voter "clarified her views" on a bill that said voter - the mom of Amanda Todd - has previously and very diplomatically criticized?
 
"Clarified" is politics-speak jargon that really means "misspoke and is essentially issuing a retraction without having to apologize."  What Batters suggests is that has had a nudged change of heart on the Conservative Bill.
 
That's a big step further than Peter McKay saying "look, I talked to her and helped her understand the intent in a way that may wasn't clear before."  It's essentially saying that the woman whose dead daughter is being used to brand the bill is being manipulated or silenced by unelected partisans.
 
Think on that for a second.
 
Of course, all this could be cleared up if Carol Todd could express her current understanding and believe in committee.  Which she is not being allowed to do.
 
Her daughter's image is being used to promote a bill with components she disagrees with and she's being silenced so as not to muck up the narrative.
 
There's been more than a few people silenced in recent years; it started with bureaucrats, moved to not-for-profits, and now it's taking in private citizens.
 
If you don't find that troubling, then Harper was right - Canadians fundamentally don't care about Parliament.  That means our democracy no longer functions as designed.
 
And that's a matter that certainly deserves clarification.
 
 

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