I first met Helena Guergis some years ago when she was starting out in politics. I’m not a friend but I certainly know enough about her to assume that her tantrum at the airport in Charlottetown was entirely out of character. In fact the Minister of State for the Status of Women is respected for being conciliatory, pleasant and fun. Thus making her somewhat different from most of her MP colleagues. She’s also referred to by friends as well as enemies as Helena Gorgeous because she is an obviously attractive woman.
And it’s this that particularly annoys some of her critics, especially one or two of the more homely women in Ottawa currently screaming for her to resign. Leaving aside the politically correct nonsense, the truth is that there are lots of female politicians who deeply resent the Sarah Palin syndrome; good-looking women allegedly being treated too well by media because of their sexiness.
What Guergis did at the airport was dumb and unacceptable, which is precisely why she has said it was dumb and unacceptable and made a complete apology. She is under a great deal of stress at the moment because of her husband`s antics and airport security can certainly be pedantic and crass, but there is no excuse for losing one`s temper and shouting at people.
Yet there are numerous politicians who are notorious for such behaviour throughout Canada and they are hardly criticised at all. There are also politicians who are liars, adulterers, incompetents, careerists, frauds and idiots. No resignations there though. This is a tempest not in a teacup but a thimble and the Liberals` pretend anger over it all says far about them than the issue itself says about Guergis.
Status of women? How ironic that critics of the Tories are using a single mistake to try to destroy one of the most successful women in Canadian public life. Not gorgeous but utterly grotesque.
“There are also politicians who are liars, adulterers, incompetents, careerists, frauds and idiots.”
Doesn’t that cover them all?
I’ve seen people take major abuse at airports for being slow to remove their flip flops. She should be grateful that she wasn’t tasered for her antics if what I read about them is true. What would’ve happened to the careers of those airport security personnel if they had acceded to her wishes and let her go without the full security protocol?
The Liberals will sink as low as a snakes belly to try and make a Conservative MP look bad. If only they knew how foolish it makes them look. We in Simcoe County have a local Liberal paper who publishes regularly, updates on Helenas husbands misfortune. It’s obvious the editor of this ‘rag’ has an agenda to discredit the Conservatives at all costs. It really is sad to see this when there are so many other local issues that are so much more important to us all!! I truly hate the Liberals………
Politicians make the policies and ultimately even the excessive airport security we must all live with if we want to fly. Seems only fair that she should be subject to the same rules the rest of us are subject too…even if she was in a hurry.
The only thing I wonder about is if her apology carries more weight than the ordinary Joe Blow’s apology? Somehow I think not. She will most likely fly again; Joe Blow on the other hand would most likely be labelled a terrorist and have to walk.
Vocal critic NDP MP Pat Martin is probably trying to draw attention away from flip flopping on Winnipeg’s Youth Centre of Excellence.
From “taxpayer-funded proselytization” to “Now that it’s over, I’m going to do all I can to ensure it’s a success,” to (don’t look at me, look at Ms. Guergis) “…acted like a petulant child.”
Guess we’ll just have to wait about a week before he changes his mind on Helen.
MP Anita Neville which the Star quoted her as saying, “(Harper) needs to ask her to step down. Ms. Guergis’s behaviour is completely unacceptable of any citizen, let alone a minister of the Crown,”
Neville is the same Jewish MP who says that Harper’s Conservatives’ support of Israel equal inciting anti-Semitism. She’s not as self hating crazy as Naomi Klein, but with logic like that, her opinion on some else’s behaviour in public, let alone on foreign policy has no credibility.
http://mooseandsquirrel.ca/2010/02/22/10:56/illogic-from-the-looney-left-conservatives-are-inciting-anti-semitism-by-supporting-israel/#comment-3547
And it was pretty rich of Senator Colin Kenny to say about an average traveler who acted the way Guergis did would have run into trouble, “I suspect he or she wouldn’t have got on the plane.” Because this is the same Senator who on 1 April 2009 convinced John Baird join him in breaking the law by breaching security at Pearson. What kind of trouble would an average citizen run into doing a stunt like that? I guess its’ OK for the Senator to purposefully run afoul of airport security, but not for others, even if just spontaneously, and not incognito.
Sarah and Helena are rising political stars.
The Liberals, Democrats… all the uglies, are powerless to stop their ascent.
Helena Guergis screams obscenities at airport employees; lovable sexist Micheal Coren helps her out by calling her (unamed, of course) critics “homely” and “jealous”. In this grand spirit of erudite, deeply intellectual rejoinders–perhaps Stockwell will weigh in with a hearty “fatty-fatty-boom-ba-latty”
My, you moral conservatives are a mature lot.
LHZ
And as the leftist media machine cranks its’ tired old bio diesel engine spewing more emissions than a fine tuned creation on harmless carbon, rather than just report the story, the angle is: “Guergis addresses UN conference days after alleged airport blow-up”.
I wonder if the Sun would even have covered the story had Guergis not offended some unknown Poli-sci retired professor from Queen’s.
Oh ya, how many Queen’s graduates does it take to screw in an eco-sensible light bulb?
Just one. They hold on to the mercury filled low watt contraption and wait for the whole world to revolve around them.
Oh, and Silva, you’re lack of humour, esp knowing where the criticism comes from, almost make you sound like someone who believes thin skinned people are naturally more moral, regardless of what they stand for.
There are also politicians who are liars, adulterers, incompetents, careerists, frauds and idiot.
Have the courage to name names Mr. Coren unless of course what you print is just a jumble of complete fabrications. More tea vicar?
By way of explanation for the minister’s behaviour you note “airport security can certainly be pedantic and crass”. Yes, it can, but this most certainly wasn’t the case here. Indeed, by all accounts, Ms Guergis received nothing other than courteous VIP treatment by all concerned, which included holding a plane until after its scheduled departure.
Look, the minister did far more than lose her temper and shout at people. She refused the security requests of a screening officer, tried force open a locked security door and pounded on windows. Still, you say “there are numerous politicians who are notorious for such behaviour throughout Canada”.
I dare say, you’ll be unable to name one.
Such actions would normally lead to intervention by the RCMP. That they didn’t remains a mystery.
Coren, sounds like you are Geurgis’ best friend. To the point of making apologetic assumptions about her behavior. Are you in love with her? Is it just lust? You seem to be obsessed about her physical attributes. While you are at it, why don’t you rationalize Rahims’ alcohol and cocaine abuse. Or maybe you would just like to get the three of you at a No-Tell motel with some Chianti and cocaine and see what pops up! Sintax out!
Way to go sintax. Attack the person and not the issue. Such a tired old leftist ploy you use. No wonder MC doesn’t bother answering.
Oh, Puhlease, Michael.
There’s no excuse for her behaviour and if it was me I’d have been tackled, tazered and hauled off to jail.
As for her “husband’s antics”… THAT’S what you call speeding while impaired and coked up? Antics?
If it was me, I’d have been… But I repeat myself.
They should both be in jail.
Not to add fuel to the fire but…..I grew up in the same small town (Angus, On) as Helena and her family. Her actions at the airport were typical of the actions that I have seen for many years. Anyone who defends her is a fool, all you need to do is some research on the Geurgis Family and you will see why she was outed by Harper………..There is not a closet big enough to hide all of the skeletons……It was just a matter of time before the public would find out…..