Canadians: isn't it fun to watch our elected leaders use...

[CanuckAmok]

...our War Dead as pawns in a fight over non-confidence motions?

I've been pretty sickened by Canadian politicians of late, but this is a new low.

on edit: probably should have posted this in the Canadian forum.

[Lisa]

1. you'd think the Conservatives would back up their pro-military talk ...

... by shelving this long enough to put together a multi-party delegation to attend the VE-Day ceremonies in Europe. After all, they're the ones who've been whacking the Liberals, Bloc, and everybody else they feel isn't being properly respectful about the sacrifices of the past.

p.s. and this is probably the last big WWII memorial -- in another decade the ones who remember will likely be dead or too ill to travel. Saw that Dutch ceremony last night on CBC, in our honour, and the local people were trying not to stare at the place where the Canadian pols should have been (but had been recalled to Ottawa in case of a non-confidence vote).

[Zuni]

2. no, just like in the US

they want to use the bodies of slain soldiers to make them appear more likable, because they sure as hell are not.

[enigmatic]

3. Harper's through if he gets his election

The CPC will lose and and more importantly, it'll be the 2nd time Harper's totally misread a political situation to cause damage to the CPC in the long run.

I haven't really been up here long enough to know who they have to bump Harper; I know Stockwell Day is finshed as a national leader, but who else do they have? Belinda Whatsher name....

[CanuckAmok]

4. I hear "Peter Kent"...

the ex-newscaster.

Shades of "The Newsroom".

"Life begins at contraception" - Jim Wolcott

"Abortion is an issue between each woman and her dog" - Jim Wolcott

[HEyHEY]

5. I thought it was pathetic in general

"Martin said he would only go, if the other leaders would go."

What the fuck is that?

[Spazito]

6. Looks like a truce has been called

PM, other leaders to attend VE-Day ceremonies in Netherlands

OTTAWA - The prime minister and other federal party leaders did an about-face Tuesday afternoon, saying they now plan to attend ceremonies in the Netherlands to mark the 60th anniversary of the country's liberation from the Nazis.

Prime Minister Paul Martin, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe and NDP Leader Jack Layton will all leave for Holland on Sunday, after the opening of the new Canadian War Museum, and attend a dinner for veterans on Monday.

snip

Martin said he'd go only if all the opposition leaders went with him.

He wanted assurances of unity in order to avoid the possibility of a vote being called in the House of Commons, forcing an election.

more

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/05/03/veday-politicians-050503.html

(Good, it is the least they all could do, imo.)