Cons back down, will allow widow's testimony

[HeresyLives]

Conservatives back down, will allow widow’s testimony

Rights and Democracy employees, late president’s wife cleared to appear before Commons committee
Richard J. Brennan

Ottawa Bureau OTTAWA—Suzanne Trepanier will get to speak for her dead husband after all.

Buffeted by adverse publicity, the Conservative government Tuesday suddenly backed away from its campaign to stop the grieving widow’s emotional appeal to speak on behalf of Remy Beauregard, former president of Montreal’s embattled Rights and Democracy, who died Jan. 8 from a heart attack

One week after talking out the clock at a Commons foreign affairs committee to stop an opposition movement to have her speak, Conservative members raised the white flag and agreed to hear Trepanier, along with employees and board members of the trouble government-funded agency, within the next couple of weeks.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/784004--conservatives-back-down-will-allow-widow-s-testimony

[Lucy Goosey]

1. How many things have they had to reverse their positions on lately?

I just love that the Republica - ahem, Conservatives have had to change their minds based on public opinion lately.

The anthem, birth control in the maternal health plan, what am I missing? I'm sure there have been more.

[HeresyLives]

2. 5 I think, but I've lost count. LOL

'Sounding the retreat' has become their signature music lately.

Now they're accusing the Libs of being anti-American, so they'll probably have to retreat on that too.

[Lucy Goosey]

4. I don't know if they'll have to eat their accusations that the Libs are anti-American...

Did you see the language in the maternal health motion that Rae tabled?

...that the Canadian government should refrain from advancing the failed right-wing ideologies previously imposed by the George W. Bush administration in the United States, which made humanitarian assistance conditional upon a “global gag rule” that required all non-governmental organizations receiving federal funding to refrain from promoting medically-sound family planning.

I mean, I agree wholeheartedly, of course, but he could have made the same point without directly referencing the US.

That said, Rae was the one who compared the Cons to the tea-baggers last week, and if his new strategy is pointing out the similarities between the Cons and crazy USAmerican right-wingers, I'm all for it. I think it could help them win an election.

[daleo]

5. It's not anti-American, it's anti-Bush

Even most Americans now get that distinction.

[Spazito]

3. I figured they'd have to...

It has been nothing but screw ups by them the last couple of months and banning a widow from testifying was one big stupid move.