Bad Faith and Optics

Stuff it, they said. No, really, they did. Apology not accepted. Not much of an apology, anyway. Kind of an oblique one, if anyone feeling insulted could take comfort from that. They did not. They had been slandered, after all. Two people who were doing their utmost to help their peers who had fallen on hard times. It's what people do, help one another.

Particularly if they'd shared some pretty dreadful experiences during wartime activities. Because they had, they knew how frail some people become, coming out of those experiences. How their self-reliance, self-respect, their ability to rejoin civilian life after a tour or two on uniformed duty with the military in a war zone, can be eroded.

These two men were upset at the very thought, let alone the sight, of former military men having fallen between the cracks, unable to care for themselves, living a miserable existence on the streets, homeless, incapable of fitting themselves back into normal society, among people who had not experienced the gut-wrenching, psyche-disturbing adventures in war that they had.

Jim Lowther and David MacLeod, former members of the Canadian Forces, and members, just incidentally of the Conservative Party, were slurred by Calgary MP Rob Anders after they accused him of an uncaring attitude, having fallen sound asleep while they were engaged in making a presentation on behalf of those forgotten soldiers at a Commons veterans affairs meeting.

Mr. Anders was fighting mad at the accusation, and lashed back, accusing the two men of being shills for the NDP, sneering at their purported admiration for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. They had made reference to Russia having given assistance as needed to returning Afghan veterans of their own; enough to tar and feather them as Putin-admirers.

"Mr. Anders, if you had a shred of integrity, you would provide both Jim and I with apologies and resign from the Standing Committee on Veteran[sic] Affairs. Veterans need people that are motivated, dedicated, are willing to communicate, and understand how a democracy works."

For his part, Mr. Anders had written: "I apologize for my comments and any offence they may have caused. I will continue to work on behalf of Canada's veterans through the committee." Wrong, Mr. Anders' intemperate and rash response to the annoyance expressed by two individuals involved in addressing an important issue doesn't let him off the hook that readily.

It seems that Mr. Anders has a problem; he falls asleep during meetings. That can certainly be taken as a sign of boredom, disinterest, lack of respect. On the other hand, it is entirely possible that Mr. Anders has a medical problem that results in his falling asleep at times when he should be fully alert and capable of responding to situations as befits a man in his position. Narcolepsy?

Let it be known, then, as a reason for what occurs. Denials, and accusations, counter-accusations and spiteful denunciations do no one any good; they are undignified and reflect a childish, rather than an adult response. Little wonder that the two men would not accept the apology proffered; it did not even mention them by name, nor the circumstances involved.

"On behalf of Veterans Emergency Transition Services (VETS), Jim Lowther and I do not accept Mr. Anders's apology. VETS is concerned that Mr. Anders is remaining on the Standing Committee of Veterans Affairs. We doubt that Mr. Anders has the best interests of veterans at heart. VETS and those veterans we have contacted demand Mr. Anders's resignation from the Standing committee of Veterans Affairs."

They could have talked it out. Mr. Anders should have accepted that his response to the indignation of Mr. Lowther and Mr. MacLeod was a very poor one, and apologized properly.