Most of us are now familiar with the Erik Millett story. The school principal from NB who was said to have banned "Oh Canada" in his school... Well... there's MUCH more to this story than our wonderful national media has let on.
Here's the background: Millett had requests from some parents in his school to not have their children participate in listening to "Oh Canada" at school. To accommodate them Erik moved the anthem to the school assemblies.
Note: He didn't EVER BAN the anthem... he simply switched it from a cheap recording over probably cheaper school speakers, to a "live act" in the auditorium/gym.
One parent in particular (a Conservative one, we might add) was extremely peeved about the move. She quickly organized an outcry - almost a year after the initial changes. Her concerns got her daughter the role of "Oh Canada" singer. How's that for a benign act by the Principal???
FFWD a little bit and you'll notice a federal Minister speak out. "Why?" you ask? Well... turns out that this is the minister's riding.
But WAIT!!! This gets even MORE PARTISAN! Turns out that Mr. Millett RAN AGAINST OUR MINISTER (edit) in the last election.
Here we go again! An economy in tattered ruins, and a Conservative Minister is trying to score political points on a fake (lied about) issue of "patriotism". He leads a group of Canadians and MPs in a lie about poor Mr. Millett. They lie about a "ban" of the anthem - it was NEVER banned. They defame Mr. Millett's character indirectly by inciting others to attack and threaten him (even with physical violence). They try to destroy this man's career (sound familiar? think "isotope-gate"), and have left him an emotional wreck. All based on a lie.
THIS, my dear friends, is the modus operandi of our infantile Conservative government. Should group as sociopathic be allowed to lead a country?
Funny our national media did not care to investigate this "story"... Everyone but CBC, that is.
Shame.
6 comments:
Yes, our crazy, petty National government. Brought to you by Michael Ignatieff and the Liberal Party of Canada.
Thanks again guys!
I noticed you victory fund link and immediately thought maybe we should have a Sue the Pricks Fund and every time they do this to somebody outside the house where it sticks, we treat them to a little of their own medicine.
Was this defamation outside or inside the house?
Oh come on now. He didn't 'move' the anthem to school assemblies.
Going from singing the anthem every day to 5 times a year is clearly not banning it outright, but it's not the equivalent of a daily ritual. He drastically reduced the status of the anthem in his school, that's the central point.
The principal should have just allowed the offended kids (if there really were any) to leave the classroom for 2 minutes in the morning. 15+ years ago I had a classmate who did that very thing. In truth we thought it was weird (there were many reasons to think this girl was a little different), but the rest of us didn't get punished for her family's preferences.
It takes more strength to tell a squeaky wheel that they aren't going to get exactly what they want than to screw the silent overwhelming majority.
Not to say there isn't politics involved. There certainly is, but to discount Canadian's outrage about the decision simply because the one leading the charge is a Conservative minister who ran against the guy is ducking the issue.
Note: I doubt she paid much attention to the guy when he was a Green candidate anyway, and isn't likely the driving force behind her actions now.
Less of something equals banning it now?
So if the government lowers the speed limit they are banning driving?
Honestly, I don't know how this is even an issue, different schools handle this differently and honestly I can't understand how this is a federal MPs business.
"The principal should have just allowed the offended kids (if there really were any) to leave the classroom for 2 minutes in the morning. 15+ years ago I had a classmate who did that very thing. In truth we thought it was weird (there were many reasons to think this girl was a little different), but the rest of us didn't get punished for her family's preferences."
No, but 15+ years later you can remember how weird this kid was because she left the classroom. And I'd guess that 15+ years later she still feels that.
And not singing the anthem and getting down to doing some, you know, learning is a punishment?
Oooooooooohhhhh scary!
This is the govt that Iggy and Liberal MPs supported to stay in power - way to go!
I think its obvious that this is a non-issue when you factor in from the cbc story, that other schools don't even play or sing the anthem.
Instead they go after this guy who just coincidentally ran against the neo-con MP who is now flapping his jaws.
None of the schools I went to growing played the anthem. I wonder if its just staunch conservatives that do this because we all know they need constant prodding to stay on track and need threats of life in prison to keep them in line. Even their kids.
Maybe daily anthems are required to keep them from joining the USA. A reminder of which country they are actually living in not dreaming of. Regardless, it has failed.
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