A Sordid Campaign Of Character Assassination

From Akaash Maharaj - Practical Idealism

The attempt by Irene Mathyssen to smear James Moore with false allegations of ogling pornography in the House are being rightfully ridiculed, but they are also being recklessly dismissed as the vulgar inanity of a single NDP MP. In reality, Mathyssen's actions reflect a calculated pattern of behaviour by her party.

During the general election, NDP leader Jack Layton accused Paul Martin of killing the homeless, an accusation he never withdrew.

To this day, the NDP web site proudly trumpets NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis' role in precipitating an RCMP criminal investigation into Ralph Goodale, but it makes no mention of the fact that the RCMP fully exonerated Goodale.

Fewer than twenty-four hours after Mathyssen's humiliating apology to Moore, NDP House Leader Libby Davies was also forced to apologise for her party's false allegations during the election that Liberal candidate David Oliver had attempted to bribe his NDP opponent into withdrawing from the race. Davies admitted that the NDP had induced their candidate to repeat the accusation some forty times before the national media and that the NDP had then suppressed a letter from the Elections Commissioner exonerating Oliver.

How is it possible for a party of such zealous political self-righteousness to engage so fervently in so sordid a campaign of character assassination?

One of the many ironies of politics is that there is little more ethically corrosive than the ideological certainty of virtue. It was because Robespierre "The Incorruptible" was utterly convinced of the morality of his position that he was able to sanction the immorality of the Reign of Terror. It is because the NDP believes that it holds a monopoly on the interests of "The People" that it is able to casually sanction the destruction of innocent people.

Jack Layton should remember that Canadians have the wisdom to know better and the decency to expect better. And he should remember that in the end, Robespierre was despatched by the same guillotine he had wielded so savagely against his political opponents.

Akaash Maharaj