“What’s up with Arizona politicians?” indeed

Only a couple of days after Napolitano’s ignorant remarks about the Canadian border and her assertion that the 9/11 terrorists crossed into the US from Canada, Arizona Senator John McCain tells Fox News, "Well, some of the 9/11 hijackers did come through Canada, as you know."

As Forrest Gump would say, “Stupid is as stupid does.”

 

You were elected ... we trust you.

With all the to-ing and fro-ing (ins-and-outs as it were – nudge, nudge, wink, wink) of l’affaire Bernier-Couillard, one key point has to be made. All those MPs who are screaming that a security check on Mlle Couillard should have been done, are conveniently overlooking the fact that none of their own spouses or significant others was ever subject to a security check.

According to CTV News, the ONLY check done on elected members of parliament (including Cabinet Ministers) is a police background check. That means they’re checked out only to determine if they have a criminal record or are facing financial difficulties that may be compromising. That’s it. Neither they nor any members of their families are investigated by the RCMP or CSIS as is the normal practice for any senior civil servants.

So there it is. The people who have access to, and in fact produce, some of the most sensitive secrets this country has, are not security vetted.

This is not new - it's always been that way - but perhaps it's time our elected representatives are held to the same standard as those they manage. Or those they would criticize.

Credit where it's due ....

As reported in the National Post:

Calgary Northeast MP Art Hanger says the Conservative government has the means to stop the sale of MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates of Richmond, B.C., to Alliant Techsystems of Minnesota.

"It is a waste of your money and a betrayal of the public interest," Mr. Hanger writes in a weekly newspaper in the Calgary area. "It's about time Canada stop playing the nice guy at the expense of our own security and sovereignty --not to mention our own research and development capacity."

He added: "Why do we so rarely stand firm and fight for what's Canadian? Isn't it time we started protecting our own interests in this country?"

Hear, hear!