Also off any Harper table is the nightmarish case of Abousfian Abdelrazik – only one man, sure, but one whose treatment tells us a great deal about the kind of Canada we’ve become, none of it flattering. A Canadian Muslim born in Sudan, Mr. Abdelrazik’s life has been shattered by the government of Canada, first under the Liberals, now the Conservatives. He’s guilty of nothing yet is treated as a terrorist. His cause has been taken up by a devoted Montreal-based group under the rubric Project Fly Home, which deserves all the support in the world.
Sometimes the victims of our governments have no names, at least none we ever hear. Extraordinarily enough, Mr. Harper and Jean Charest are determined to revive one of Canada's last remaining asbestos mines for export to poor countries. Even though every health expert in Canada and around the world agrees that asbestos kills, Mr. Harper offered his support for the industry during a campaign stop in the Quebec riding where the mine is located. After all, this could mean another seat, and nothing, but nothing, matters more to our Prime Minister. Or indeed to the Liberal candidate for the area, Rene Roy, who publicly supports the Quebec asbestos industry. The indomitable Kathleen Ruff continues to lead the crusade against asbestos mining and exports, and has won over everyone in the country—except the two governments that matter and the next MP for area. Great subject for a tourist ad: “Harper's Canada—We only kill workers in other countries.”
The bizarre Harperite attack on knowledge and evidence-based public policy, represented at its nuttiest by its attack on the long-form census (where there’s a fiasco there’s Tony Clement), has barely received a nod in the campaign. I bet most Canadians have never heard of Gordon McBean, who was Chair of the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences. He’s worth knowing. In the past decade or so, this group has distributed $120-million in research funds concentrating on crucial issues related to climate change. But this entire subject vies with women’s equity on Mr. Harper's never-do list, so he simply disappeared the Foundation by letting it run out of money.
Mr. McBean is furious and hasn’t hesitated to say so. “Budget 2010 was basically the nightmare scenario for scientists across the country—our community is gutted….Without sound scientific information, how will the government evaluate the effectiveness of green technologies, or build northern infrastructure, or develop our energy industry, or assure water supply and clean air?” Good questions, no answers. As Sergeant Joe Harper says, “Anything but the facts, ma’am.”
This contempt for facts, coming right out of the Bush/Cheney/ Rove playbook, infects every decision being made by the Harper government, from jets to jails to corporate tax breaks, as someone has put it. If you want to hear some sense about defence issues, don’t miss the Rideau Institute’s fine analyses. If you want to know how taxes can be fairer and how desperately needed public services can be paid for, check out the program of Canadians For Tax Fairness. If you want more on our growing democratic deficit, try Democracy Watch. But be warned: Groups like these have a weakness for facts, evidence, reason. If you fear the hard smack of reality in your political education, I have a new TV station you won’t want to miss.
