Federal immigration minister Jason Kenney calls Alberta deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk an asshole
Federal immigration minister Jason Kenney thinks Alberta's deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk is an asshole.
Last week, Alberta MP Blaine Calkins's office emailed a request on Lukaszuk's behalf for a lunch or dinner with the federal Conservatives' Alberta caucus. However, Kenney quickly shot the proposal down—but instead of replying only to Calkins's office, the entire Alberta caucus plus assistants received the not-so-flattering dismissal.
Kenney's email:
“I say a definite ‘no’ to Lukaszyk. [sic] I don’t think it makes sense to create a precedent to do a special caucus meeting for every visiting minister from the provincial government. Plus he is a complete and utter asshole.":
Tsk tsk, Kenney. With a mouth like that, Stephen Harper's never gonna let you lead the party.
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Comments
4 Comments
DavidH
Jun 19, 2012 at 1:35pm
If God really did exist, all politicians would be forced to say exactly what they were thinking.
It's not a bad thing that Kenney described Lukaszuk as an asshole. It's not even a bad thing that Kenney got caught. The bad thing is that "we" care. We shouldn't care. We should say to ourselves, "Oh well, that's fair comment I guess."
I think Kenney is an asshole. But if I chose to run for office, I would no longer be able to describe him as precisely what he is ... which is an asshole.
Why do "we" insist that our politicians tell lies ... to us?
Arthur Vandelay
Jun 19, 2012 at 2:50pm
@DavidH - we expect our politicians to behave diplomatically whether or not they are actually diplomats. Our leaders set an example for civility in our society. A simple "no thanks" would have been appropriate. Profanity is only appropriate on the Real Housewives of Vancouver.
You would seem to be advocating for telling the waitress at White Spot that she should lose 10 pounds so that her blouse wouldn't muffin top over her slacks. Hardly "fair comment".
DavidH
Jun 19, 2012 at 5:16pm
@ Vandelay: Why do you equate being an asshole with being overweight? Or do you not understand the difference?
And if you believe that "diplomacy" trumps "honesty", then you're part of the problem.
It would be like me describing you as "misguided" rather than "stupid". ;)
Arthur Vandelay
Jun 19, 2012 at 10:49pm
@DavidH - your conversation string is about fair comment and how people relate to each other. Calling someone an asshole (or you calling me an idiot) because that's your opinion, doesn't make it fair comment the same way that if I thought the white spot waitress was overweight, it wouldn't be fair comment for me to tell her that. Get it? You can couch it as your view of honesty, but at the end of the day, it's just good old fashioned grade 7 name calling.
I'll leave it at that. Have a good night.