[Newsbot]

Filibuster Cartoon
Title: Bucket of talent (click to view)
Date: July 08, 2008
A bunch of people were given the Order of Canada last week, the nation's highest civilian honour.

Among the recipients, Buzz Hargroves, a loony far-left union boss in Ontario, Kim Campbell, a four-month prime minister notably only for leading her party to Canada's greatest electoral defeat, and Dr. Henry Morgentaler, a crusading abortionist whose court challenges resulted in all of Canada's existing abortion regulations being overturned by the Supreme Court.

These people are among Canada's best and brightest living citizens, apparently.

[Soulcleaver]

This comic owns. I doubt anyone else would have the courage to criticize these choices.

[JJ]

Naw, the Morgentaler choice has gotten nothing but bad press. At the expense, I would argue, of at least two other exceedingly bad appointments as well. The National Post has basically run nothing but anti-Morgentaler letters for the last week straight.

[EyeBrock]

Hardly fair JJ.
I read the Post and they have gone out of their way to have the same number of pro vs con letters published on this subject. Pretty much the same on a lot of the articles they have published although I'll have that they ran an anti-gong editorial.

[Taospark]

We used to have the same problem in the United States with the Medal of Honor, the highest military honor. Up until about World War I, people were given the honor for relatively minor feats and in some cases, was given simply for a bribe or as a token prize in place of a promotion.

Some apologists might say that it was because the US had only fought one major ongoing war before the 20th Century but more likely, the factors were good old bureaucratic corruption and laziness. The only reason it changed was good old moral outrage.

[CanadianJeff]

Go go Moral outrage!

Seriously though I think JJ has a point. These are all really crazy and controversial people rather then people everyone stands behind and cheers which is what the awards supposed to be for.

But here's the big question. Can and will Harper revoke the medals? I can't see him sitting by for long if people start to suggest he supports Morgentaler and abortion by letting him keep his mdedal.

[phill]

Oh, bollocks to that.

Morgentaler deserved an order of canada by now.
I was astonished at all of the negative press.

Be snide towards Campbell or Hargrove, but not Morgentaler.

[CanadianJeff]

Can you clarify I hardly see how any of them have really earned it. If anything Campbell is the only one there that should have even been considered.

[Chumley]

EyeBrock wrote:

Hardly fair JJ.
I read the Post and they have gone out of their way to have the same number of pro vs con letters published on this subject. Pretty much the same on a lot of the articles they have published although I'll have that they ran an anti-gong editorial.

Should they go out of their way to publish an even number of pro vs con?
I think it would be better to reflect public opinion if they published them to reflect the ratio of pro vs con.

[Jabrwock]

CanadianJeff wrote:

Seriously though I think JJ has a point. These are all really crazy and controversial people rather then people everyone stands behind and cheers which is what the awards supposed to be for.

So the Order of Canada is merely a popularity contest?

Member: awarded for

Quote:

a lifetime of distinguished service in or to a particular community, group or field of activity

I don't know much about Kim Cambell beyond her short PM-ship, but Buzz has been, whether you like him or not, a driving force in unions in the auto industry for nearly 20 years. He transformed it from "just another union", to a group that had the clout to even sway federal elections (he's taken down the NDP a few notches when needed).

And Morgentaler, well, he spent a good chunk of his life helping shape the way Canada deals with the line separating where the woman's rights end and the fetus' begin. At great risk to his career and life. If that isn't a lifetime of service to a particular community and field of activity, I don't know what is. Whether you agree with abortion or not, you must admit he fundamentally changed how Canada deals with the issue, on the legal side at least.

So, are they unworthy because they're not popular? Or unworthy just because they don't mesh with your ideals?

[Psudo]

I don't understand such medals and recognition. The best recognition for a politician would be achieving the ends you've spent your career pursuing, wouldn't it? If you actually achieved your goals, a medal is just a token. If you didn't, it's a consolation prize; "You didn't actually accomplish anything, but you tried real good! Here's a medal in memorial of your impotent attempts at power."

On a totally unrelated note, I had a dream last night wherein JJ was interviewed by Barbara Walters. My only mental image of JJ comes from that video report that showed up in this forum about a year or so ago. Also, isn't Barbara Walters retired now?

[Jabrwock]

Psudo wrote:

The best recognition for a politician would be achieving the ends you've spent your career pursuing, wouldn't it? If you actually achieved your goals, a medal is just a token. If you didn't, it's a consolation prize

In this case, I think it's more a recognition of the effort put into realizing that goal, whether or not it was achieved. Sort of an "A for Effort" type award.

Most "for the betterment of the country" goals are pretty vague anyway. "Advancing womens' rights." "Increasing the influence of the workers." Even "Bettering the country" itself is pretty vague.

Or how about someone who spent their lifetime trying to eradicate cancer? I think they're worthy of recognition, even if they haven't achieved their goal yet.

[CanadianJeff]

"So the Order of Canada is merely a popularity contest?"

No but it sure does say something when half the population of Canada disagrees with something that you were fighting for. These medals should be awarded to those that we cheer on for their heroism and heart. People like Terry Fox. People who make a diffrence with love rather then debate.

"Or unworthy just because they don't mesh with your ideals?"

Don't assume. I happen to agree with Pro-Choice and women's rights causes a lot of the time. But even if I agree with the goals I still realize "it's no the destination that's important. Maybe it's the journey" (yea a Star Trek reference so shoot me).

I see the struggle that Campbell had to get a leadership spot in a field dominated by men. Her story for me was touching. It spoke volumes about the values of being a minority rising to the top here in Canada. In short it was a reaffirmation of the value of racial and gender equality that we stress in Canada.

I just don't see how the stories of a union boss and an abortion activist are inspiring tales that define what we love about our country.

If you do then please do share. My ears are open.

[JJ]

The problem is that Kim Campbell was never elected, and was in fact quite aggressively un-elected in the biggest landslide in Canadian history, ruining a political party and her own career in the process. I don't think this was actually the case, but if anything her story only proves that when given the choice, Canadians don't want a female prime minister.

I really have a hard time imagining a prime minister NOT getting the Order of Canada. You just wait till they get old enough then give them one for being an "elder statesman" even if they were an unpopular failure during their time in office. I like that A for Effort analogy, because really, in many cases all you have to do is attempt something, anything, and if you're part of the right circle you'll get your medal in the end.

[CanadianJeff]

Fair statement. I can see where your coming from.

I just wonder exactaly who appoints the people to hand out these awards and if they have some kind of "Quota" becuase with picks like these you have to wonder if they are just handing them out at this point to meet the mark.