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Friday, October 03, 2003
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"THEN I'LL JOIN THE WAILERS ON THEIR SUMMER TOUR"
Ever since becoming Canada's Maximum Leader and President for Life in 1993, Prime Minister Jean Chretien has grown more and more insane. His mental health has spiraled in a way that could be charted on an almost daily basis. His increasingly erratic behavior is best indicated by the lies that he tells.
Lying in politics is not new and is often a necessity. Former President Clinton was accused of being almost genetically incapable of telling the truth. However, his lying was more often than not strategic. It was necessitated by changing political considerations as much as it was by a strongly held belief that the rules of politics didn't apply to him. Jean Chretien lies for reasons known only to himself if, in fact, there are any reasons at all.
During the 1993 election campaign, the result of which was never in question, Chretien went on a Toronto call in radio show and promised to "scrap" Canada's much reviled Goods and Services Tax (GST), a levy of 7% on every purchase, exempting basic foods. This declaration was not only broadcast but videotaped. Then, during a Canadian Broadcasting corporation (CBC) "Town Hall" meeting, the Prime Minister was asked when he intended to deliver on this promise. Chretien proceeded to deny ever having made it despite its being the centerpiece of his campaign and the existence of the videotape. Chretien was also asked by a woman from New Brunswick what he intended to do about poor job opportunities in the Atlantic provinces and Chretien counseled the woman that she should "move." The Prime Minister then accused the CBC of setting him up with hostile questioners, overlooking the fact that the CBC is owned and operated by the Canadian Government of which he is head.
In 1994, Chretien was asked how he formulates his homelessness policy. He responded that he took counsel from a homeless "friend" that he has on the streets of Ottawa. Of course, no evidence of such a "friend" has ever come to light.
Violence became a feature of the Prime Minister's psychiatric condition in the winter of 1994-95. During a public appearance in Ottawa, Chretien was approached by a protester who the Prime Minister began to choke, all the while clad in Ray Ban sunglasses, a black topcoat and black leather gloves. In short, the news footage that night made it appear as if the Prime Minister of Canada was engaging in a mob shakedown.
In March, 1995 a man more mentally ill than Chretien himself breached RCMP security and entered Chretien's bedroom at the Prime Minister's residence at 24 Sussex Drive. He was stopped by a blow to the head with a piece of inuit soapstone art delivered by Canada's First Lady. The Prime Minister then declared that he had been "saved by God" so that he may prevail in the upcoming Quebec sovereignty Referendum. Chretien took little part in the fall campaign, which was defeated by only 0.5% of the vote.
These are but three examples of the psychiatric diaster that has been Canada's leader for the past ten years. Finally, it came to be too much even for the party itself. The Liberal Party of Canada, which holds an impressive majority in the House of Commons, finally decided that its electoral future was in grave danger should Chretien stay on as leader. Fearing a caucus civil war that he could very well lose, Chretien announced in August 2002 that he would step aside as Liberal leader and Prime Minister....In February 2004. Usually, a change in government not resulting from an election defeat is dealt with in weeks. Never before has it taken 18 months.
One would expect in such circumstances that Chretien would preside over a caretaker government until the transition of leadership had taken place. Such an expectation overlooks the Prime Minister's psychotic lust for both control and the spot light. This summer Chretien has declared his intention to pass two highly controversial social policies, both of which have deeply split the Canadian people and the Liberal caucus itself. Firstly, Chretien decided not only to not challenge the Ontario Court of Appeal's ruling striking down Canada's laws regarding same-sex marriage, he has endeavored to rewrite the law itself. The Prime Minister, in a unilateral decision, has pressed for the decriminilsation of marijuana possession. This legislation may very well lead to incredibly negative consequences for Canada's relations with the United States.
But now we know why the Prime Minister wants legal dope available to Canadians. He's curious.
Christ,'even though I could never bring myself to vote for him, I'm going to miss Jean Chretien when he finally goes away. Assuming he ever does.
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