Thursday, July 09, 2009

Ablonczy sacrificed on altar of political expediency

Yesterday I mused about the puzzling nature of the scandal involving Conservative MP Diane Ablonczy and the funding for the Gay Pride Parade.

Well, after reading stuff like Monte Solberg’s blog and this report, the picture as to what really happened has become clearer – and it is not pretty.

It seems that for some inexplicable reason, the PMO was caught off guard when the Conservative Party’s social conservative base reacted angrily to news that the Pride Parade was receiving $400,000 in funding.

Such a reaction should have been expected.

At any rate, when faced with this negative reaction the Prime Minister should have taken one of two courses.

He should have either a) publicly defended doling out the money and explained to so-cons why he did so, or b) publicly apologized for making a mistake and promising so-cons it would not happen again.

But, of course, he did neither.

Instead, the PMO, in a back door sneaky kind of way, implied the grant was all Ablonczy’s fault. (This by the way seems incredible given the iron-fisted control the PMO exercies over messaging.)

This may have saved the Prime Minister's skin, but in the process Ablonczy, one of Parliament’s hardest working, most loyal MPs and one of the original Reformers to boot, was callously thrown to the wolves.

That just stinks.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Could not agree more.

Read the eligibility criteria of the tourism fund - there is absolutely no reason why the Pride Festival should have been excluded.

From a strategic point of view it was just plan silly - the so-con vote is not going to go anywhere but conservative, but these sorts of actions do very little to reach out to moderates or progressives.

Anonymous said...

So cons may not go elsewhere but they are now more likely to join the libertarians and the fiscal conservatives on the sidelines next election.

Bravo Mr Harper, you keep alienating more and more of your base and have yet to gain any voters from the left side of the spectrum. Enjoy your minority, this one could very well be your last with tactics like these.

Anonymous said...

Bravo Mr Harper, you keep alienating more and more of your base and have yet to gain any voters from the left side of the spectrum. Enjoy your minority, this one could very well be your last with tactics like these.
www.usadiversitylottery.com