Politics

The new blockbuster movie 300, which earned $70-million in its opening weekend, has come under fire from Iranians who claim the movie, which depicts a bloody battle between Greeks and Persians, insults their culture and feeds a growing animosity toward Iran.

Despite the fact that the movie has not, and probably never will be, released in Iran, Javad Shamghadri, cultural advisor to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said the film tries to “humiliate” Iran. Iran’s largest newspaper, Hamshahri, said 300 is “serving the policy of the U.S. leadership.”

Are you kidding me?

300 is based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name which, in turn, is very loosely based on the battle of Thermopylae, which took place in 480 B.C. In that battle, a group of 300 Spartans faced off against a large Persian army and held it off at a mountain pass in Greece for three days. Are we really to believe that a movie, based on a graphic novel, based on a very loose and stylized representation of a historical event that took place 2,487 years ago, is supposed to be an attack on modern-day Iran and its values?

Give me a break.

Much to the disappointment of many question period junkies, Canada’s parliament has adjourned until March 19, marking a two-week break for both the Senate and the House of Commons. For some of us, however, the next two weeks will be a welcome respite from the partisan mudslinging that has plagued our chambers of government in recent days.

As a citizen, now is a prime opportunity to get in touch with your MP or minister and express any problems or concerns you may have. Take this opportunity to get their full attention by dropping by or calling their constituency office, sending them an e-mail, letter, or fax, or attending any public appearances they may have planned. If you need your MP’s name and contact information, head on over to the Parliament of Canada website and enter your postal code.

So, let’s say you’ve fired up your favourite e-mail program, entered your MP’s e-mail address, and now you’re at a loss for what to say. May I make a hastily-written suggestion? Change as you see fit:

Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs. __________,

I hope you are enjoying your break from the House of Commons. Over the next two weeks, I hope you take some time to relax, reflect, and consider the needs and opinions of your constituents as Finance Minister Jim Flaherty prepares to present the budget on March 19. Now is the time to re-consider the limited perspective you may have been forced into while in Ottawa, and define your agenda based on the wants and needs of average Canadians.

Ordinary citizens are tired of political mudslinging and debates that appeal to the lowest-common-denominator in our society. We deserve a minority government that will work toward improving the lives of each and every Canadian, while promoting healthy and respectful debate during question period.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

__________

I’ve already e-mailed my MP, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, Bev Oda, and hope others will do the same. Remember, politicians are here to serve the citizens of Canada and promote the interests of their constituents — not the other way around.

Considering the latest round of Conservative blunders and smear campaigns, Prime Minister Stephen Harper might as well stand up in the House of Commons, wave his hands around, and loudly proclaim, “Facts? Who needs facts?”

During question period yesterday Harper, responding to a question regarding his controversial plan to politicize the appointment system for the Immigration and Refugee Board, argued his government was simply trying to clean up years of Liberal patronage and entitlement.

We are putting in place a new selection system so we do not have what we had before – like the member for Westmount-Ville-Marie (Robillard) appointing her former husband as a member of the board, like the husband of the member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Lachine (Jennings) as a member of the board.

There’s only one problem: neither allegation is true.

According to a Toronto Star article published early this morning, the appointment of Robillard’s ex-husband, Jacque Lasalle, was a product of Brian Mulroney’s Conservative government in 1990 and Jenning’s husband, Luciano del Negro, was appointed a full year before she was elected to the Commons in 1997. Harper, it would seem, failed to do his homework. He has proven time and time again, particularly in the last few weeks, that he is willing to stoop to any low in an attempt to insult and discredit the opposition. Whether it involves smearing the good name of a Liberal MP, trotting the victims of the Air India disaster around the House of Commons, or blatantly twisting irrefutable facts regarding political appointments, he is without moral boundary.

As we inch closer and closer to a possible spring election, Canadians at every corner of the political spectrum would do well to examine Harper’s actions and ask themselves if he truly represents Canadian values and ideals. I’m willing to bet, for a large majority of the country, the answer will be no.

Scott Pickup, the National Director of the Young Liberals of Canada, has posted an online petition urging Prime Minister Stephen Harper to apologize to MP Navdeep Bains following the shameless comments he made during question period last Wednesday. The text of the petition, which has garnered 430 total signatures so far, is as follows:

We the undersigned believe that Navdeep Bains is one of the brightest and most positive people in the world of politics and exhibits the kind of honesty and dedication to which every elected official should aspire. We demand that Stephen Harper apologize for unethically slandering the character of Mr. Bains and his family.

Unfortunately, experience shows that online polls, even at their best, do little to impact the political discourse in this country and a quick browse through the petition’s comments shows why. Filled with insults toward Harper and half-baked retorts from Conservative supporters, it’s a document I refuse to lend my name to, despite my feelings on the matter. MP Garth Turner might have done well to more closely examine the petition before adding his name to it and promoting it on his blog.

Taking Harper to task for smearing Bains’ family is commendable, but doing so by submitting a petition with comments like “die commie scum die!” is more than hypocritical — it’s shameful.