by arthur Weinreb, associate Editor,
November 30, 2004
and it looks good on them. During the U.S. president’s official visit to Canada on November 30 and December 1, the White House rejected an invitation for Bush to address a joint session of the House of Commons and the Senate. according to sources, the Parliamentary appearance was declined to avoid booing which was expected from some of the “Honourable” Members.
Bush will of course meet with Prime Minister Martin and, according to protocol, will meet with Stephen Harper as leader of the Official Opposition. But NDP leader Jack Layton and Bloq Quebecois leader, Gilles Duceppe will not have the opportunity to meet with the american president.
While Paul Martin was in africa last week trumping one world government or whatever he was doing, he told the media that he wasn’t worried about the protests that would be awaiting George Bush’s arrival in Ottawa. according to Martin, the U.S. president is an experienced politician who can handle protests.
Even taking into account that the hatred of George Bush results in much greater protests than the three or four losers who stand on Parliament Hill to protest the one or two social programs that Martin hasn’t thrown enough money at, Martin is probably right. Now that we have established that Bush is not afraid of protests, the declining of the invitation to address Parliament must have been taken for another reason.
The reason no doubt boils down to Carolyn Parrish. The now independent and former Liberal MP has made a career of her anti-americanism, beginning with her “Damn americans – I hate those bastards” comment prior to the Iraq war and ending with her stomping on a George Bush action figure on the CBC program This Hour has 22 Minutes. It’s the childish behavior, not only of Parrish but of her many supporters on Parliament Hill that was condoned by Martin that undoubtedly led to the refusal of the U.S. president to appear before a joint session. If Bush wanted to speak to a bunch of children, he would go to a kindergarten class.
The irony of the outspoken Parrish is that she would not have heckled the president. Before Bush declined the invitation to speak to Parliament, Carolyn said that she would not heckle the president in the House chamber. and, love her or hate her, Parrish hasn’t lied yet (her general truthfulness was reason enough to boot her from the Liberal caucus). after her “Damn americans” comments she went on television, laughed, and said that she wouldn’t promise that she wouldn’t do it again. and she did it again. What other Liberal ever kept a promise like that before? Besides, heckling in Parliament is not Parrish’s style. She prefers smaller settings where she can be the centre of attention and where she can use her little girl voice to beg the media not to report what she has just said.
In a twist of irony it’s the Bush-hating lefties in the Liberal Party and the NDP that are the most upset that Bush will not be addressing them. They are upset at the fact that his only appearance in Ottawa will be at a dinner at the Museum of Civilization, that the average MP will not be able to get anywhere near. NDP leader Jack Layton didn’t like the fact that he was deprived of an opportunity to meet Bush and discuss the evils of missile defense with him. any meeting would be a complete waste of time for all involved except Layton who thinks he can change the world and obviously has too much time on his hands.
although Bush declined to address Parrish and her supporters on the hill, he is going to visit Halifax. atlantic Canadians went out of their way to be hospitable to the thousands of americans who wound up in Halifax and Gander when their trans-atlantic flights were diverted there on the morning of September 11, 2001. at least Bush recognizes that many ordinary Canadians are not like the political elites; those Liberals, NDP and Bloq Members of Parliament that gutlessly and silently cheered Carolyn Parrish on when she spewed out her anti-american venom.
To all those america-haters in Ottawa who are disappointed that they will not get an opportunity to meet or hear (or heckle) the president of the United States--it looks good on them.