An Ire-Raising Letter

Unctuously soliciting the ethnic vote was always the prerogative of the Liberal Party of Canada. Pragmatic. Overt attempts by the party and its MPs to portray themselves as the assured friends of Canadian ethnic groups. Assiduously attending local ethnic events, ensuring that they be seen to be involved, present and accounted for.

Guess the Conservatives know a good thing when they see it. In terms of acquiring voting blocs, if they can. And surely if anyone could assume to have made some inroads into ethnic groups' consciousness, it's the current Immigration Minister, the truly hard-working, well-spoken, earnest and dependable Jason Kenney.

Still, it's a vote-seeking device that kind of reeks of opportunism. Easily understood why the potential seems so attractive. The Conservative Party of Canada is getting tired of being the perennial bridesmaid, and is reaching on tippy-toe to achieve its aspirational height as the bride. A majority government seems temptingly on the near horizon.

But wasn't that a mite clumsy, not having the good sense to check whose door those aides were knocking on? Those clever young parliamentary administrative aides aren't quite as careful as they should be, obviously. Too many late nights out. They really seem to be scuppering Conservative aspirations rather than advancing them.

Clumsy beyond belief to print a donation-wheedling letter in support of Conservative strategy in targeting ethnic communities on parliamentary letterhead. For this was not government business, but rather political partisan money business. The NDP, Bloc and Liberals must be hugging themselves with glee.

But calling for the minister's head on a platter? Any excuse to raise a ruckus far surpassing the purported reason for indignation over an unsupportable lapse of decorum and tradition will do, though.