When the Reform party came rolling into Ottawa fired up with the demand for change, one of its major complaints was about Liberal-appointed, soft-on-crime judges who interpreted the legislation to fit their political leanings. That attitude still lives on in the Conservative party that absorbed the Reform, and the minister of immigration reignited that spark on Question Period this Sunday.
He denied it was pre-electioneering to the party base when he defended a speech he made to law students at the University of Western Ontario Friday. Kenney says long delays and endless hearings for appeals are hindering the efforts by his department to deport illegal immigrants. He says that many commit crimes during the years they remain in Canada pending their appeals. Coming right to the point on the show, Kenney insists these judges are usurping the powers of parliamentary lawmakers, whose intention is to write the law, clearly stating the desire to remove illegals quickly.
On another issue, Kenney did some artful dodging and ducking. His Conservative colleague from Quebec, Steven Blaney, intends to introduce a private member's bill which would prevent Muslim woman wearing the burka, or veil, from voting since they cannot be identified visually. Kenney told us he will support the legislation. But hold on there -- he also backs the right of Muslim woman to wear such religious garb.
On the issue of Quebec's unanimous decision to ban anyone wearing a ceremonial Kirpan from the National Assembly, the Minister was very clear. Kenny insists this has never been a problem in the House of Commons or any other legislature in the country, and said it was "all about symbolic politics." He called the Quebec's decision "unfortunate."
The government has been taking a lot of criticism over its Bill C-49, the proposed legislation to crack down hard of people-smuggling. The law was promised by the minister of public safety after the arrival of the migrant vessel the Sun Sea on the West Coast last August. The government insisted some of the people on board were members of the Tamil Tiger terrorist organization. So far, no one has been charged by the Mounties.
So why is the government not putting its so-called priority legislation before the Commons? Kenney says for the first time they don't intend to because the opposition parties all oppose it, and it would therefore be dead on arrival. Once again the Conservatives are paying attention to the hardcore base without the risk of defeat of the bill in Parliament. Nice work when you can get it.
Every now and then we like to bring in our ‘National Panel' who we think of as authentic voices from across the country. Interestingly, all three of our guests this week, Jean Lapierre in Quebec City, John Tory in Toronto, and Link Byfield in Edmonton, all agreed that the prime minister's proposed perimeter trade and security pact with the U.S is an exaggerated concern. None of these well-informed observers felt such a deal with the Americans is thus far a political danger for Harper in an election.
Lapierre, one of the savviest political minds in Quebec, advised the prime minister to formally back out of any suggestion Ottawa will pour millions into that ice palace in Quebec City. In his view it is a non-starter politically and will only drag the Conservatives down deeper until they cut their losses on it.
We also had some cheeky fun this Sunday with the prime minister's lack of eloquence in his first response to the world-shaking events in Egypt. While other world leaders were out there with profound and thoughtful opinions, Canada's prime minister could only come up with a comparison involving keeping toothpaste in the tube.
Advice to Mr. Harper from us: Get a speech writer. This one gave us a toothache.
