Privacy, Not Politics?

The Liberal leadership in the Senate of Canada is now issuing a public plea for privacy on behalf of Senator Joyce Fairbairn, dealing with "health challenges".  Fairly sanctimonious, under the circumstances, to attempt to appeal to the public sensitivity on behalf of someone who truly does have health issues of an impressive magnitude which hasn't stopped that same Liberal Senate leadership from manipulating the woman to their political advantage.

Knowing full well that she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia and with a formal acknowledgement from her geriatric psychiatrist that she was mentally incompetent, the Liberal Senate leadership felt far more comfortable exploiting the woman to ensure that she voted along party lines in a cynical ploy not to have their numbers and influence decline, with the opening up of another vacant Senate seat that might be filled by a political adversary.

"If someone is legally incompetent, can they be a senator?  And there's nothing in the Constitution about that.  The Senate should say she has resigned and be entitled to a full pension", proffered Ned Franks, a constitutional expert and historian from Queen's University in Kingston.  Senator Fairbairn's retirement date is not until 2014. 

Clearly, she is incapable of fulfilling her obligations in the Senate of Canada.  She might have chosen to retire early and gracefully when she had the mental acuity left to make that decision. Failing that, the leaders of the Liberals in the Senate should have had the decency to make that decision for her in honour to her, and in honour of their obligations to the people of Canada. 

Neither was done, and that does not redound to the credit of those involved.  There were decisions to be made, and none took the high road, no one felt obligated to behave in a worthy manner.  To now call upon the public for their 'understanding' on behalf of the Senator speaks of blase and utterly base cynicism.

If these are, as some insist "uncharted waters", then build out of this experience a protocol that will be useful for the next time something of this nature occurs.  "She could resign, but the problem is, if someone is not legally competent, how can they resign?  The Senate, in theory ... could declare the seat vacant", observed Professor Franks.

Because of the state of her mental health, Ms. Fairbairn will not be aware of the controversy that has arisen with these revelations that have advised the public of her personal health, and that have further informed the public of the invidious manipulation of the Liberal Senate leadership, where one of their members had assumed Power of Attorney, alongside Ms. Fairbairn's niece, yet knowing the sad state of the Senator's health, chose to have her vote on matters of public concern.

She was declared legally incompetent in February of this year, according to Ms. McCullah, the Senator's closest relative.  From February until late June, Senator Fairbairn voted a dozen times in the Senate, along party lines.  Her Senate office continued to spend on operating and hospitality expenses to the tune of $43,000. 

Where was the Liberal leadership accountability in this issue?