In a measure designed to really stick it to the Europeans, our MPs - every single one who was in the House of Commons - decided to vote unanimously in favour of a Bloc motion to save the sealing industry in Canada by insisting that Canada's Olympic athletes wear a stylish seal chapeaus in the opening ceremonies - or maybe seal skin underwear beneath their track suit. The motion was extremely vague about what seal clothing would satisfy parliament.
Bloc MP Raynald Blais summed up the motion succinctly:
"With the upcoming Winter Olympics that will be in Vancouver in 2010, the government has a chance to offer some concrete action to promote seal products...today we are tabling a motion aimed at studying the possibility to integrate [seal products] into the Canadian athletes' uniforms. Is the government ready to act to save an industry?"
I could not be more ambivalent about the seal hunt. It neither disgusts me nor do I think it is a save-at-all costs industry the way others argue. So I don't think it should be banned (silly Europeans) but at the same time, I don't think it is a great Canadian rallying point, either.
But that's not my problem with this vote; rather, it's that it is the epitome of empty symbolism over thoughtfulness or meaning.
The notion that Canadian members of parliament should have - or should have - any say whatsoever over Canadian Olympic uniforms is both wrong (it's not their decision) and silly (it shouldn't be their decision).
MPs might as well vote on what the Blue Jays uniform should look like next year, whether I should wear the blue or purple tie to work tomorrow (any help is much appreciated), or what Tim should dress up as next Halloween (a true populist play, if ever there was one). Those votes would be equally impactful and significant.
Moreover, MPs should not be trying to use Olympic uniforms - again, something they rightly have no say over - to make political statements. It goes against everything the Olympics stand for. And if do we feel the Olympics should be politicised, remind me: Why were we in China last summer when it was clear our athletes were being prevented from speaking out about Chinese human rights abuses?
Even if you disagree that the Olympics should not be politicized, of all of the political statements in the world that Canada could make in Vancouver next year - speaking out against genocide, advocating free speech, equality rights, aboriginal rights, I could keep going - is the seal hunt really the one issue that MPs should choose to make a point to the world about?
Again, that's if they had a say and if it was appropriate to use that voice in the first place - which they don't, and it isn't.
