Conservatives support their terrorism supporting candidate

[Rick]

In a rare act of dissent in the midst of an election campaign, Conservative cabinet minister Peter Kent has criticized his own party for allowing a man who hosted a tribute to the Tamil Tigers to run as a candidate.

It is certainly a reflection on the partys lack of due diligence, Mr. Kent told The Globe and Mail on Thursday, referring to the candidacy of Gavan Paranchothy, a Tamil broadcaster running in Torontos Scarborough-Southwest riding. Someones obviously dropped the ball.

Last November, Mr. Paranchothy hosted a sombre program to mark Heroes Day, an annual commemoration of Tiger fighters killed in the Tamils bloody separatist war in Sri Lanka. He called the dead militants freedom fighters and heroes, though Stephen Harpers Conservative government labelled the Tigers terrorists in 2006.

This program … is unacceptable and it flies in the face of the fact that our government listed the Tamil Tigers as a terrorist organization, said Mr. Kent, a former foreign correspondent and the current Environment Minister, after he watched the program on YouTube, where it has been displayed for nearly five months.

His criticism came a full week after The Globe reported Mr. Paranchothys involvement in the controversial program. At that time, Mr. Harper brushed aside questions about the broadcasters candidacy, while his spokesman, Dimitri Soudas, said Mr. Paranchothy had been crystal clear in denying any Tiger sympathies during prenomination screening.

Mr. Kent, who said he completely missed the story last week due to a heavy campaign schedule, provided an endorsement to Mr. Paranchothy this week based on assurances he had been properly vetted by party officials. Jason Kenney, the Immigration Minister and a key Harper lieutenant, provided a similarly glowing testimonial.

Both ministers comments were circulated in an e-mail from Mr. Paranchothys campaign manager, Bret Snider, to potential party volunteers this week.

When The Globe questioned him about his endorsement Thursday, Mr. Kent withdrew it and said Mr. Paranchothy should no longer be a candidate.

The Tamil Tigers, in no context, can be portrayed as freedom fighters and heroes; they were terrorists, Mr. Kent said, adding that he was unaware of the video until The Globe sent him a link to it Thursday morning. It was a tribute, and its unacceptable even if he didnt write it, even if he didnt believe it.

Neither Mr. Kenney nor Conservative Party officials in Ottawa responded to requests for comment.

Read the rest of the truth that the Conservative party has a terrorism supporting candidate running for them here

Edited April 22, 2011 by Rick

[kimmy]

The reason this has been out there for a week without any of their opponents attempting to capitalize on it is pretty obvious.

-k

[RNG]

The reason this has been out there for a week without any of their opponents attempting to capitalize on it is pretty obvious.

-k

Are you implying that the NDP and Liberals support terrorism?

[kimmy]

Are you implying that the NDP and Liberals support terrorism?

I'm implying they're not attempting to use this to their political advantage because they're afraid of making Tamil voters angry.

-k

[Topaz]

I'm implying they're not attempting to use this to their political advantage because they're afraid of making Tamil voters angry.

-k

Well, the NDP and the Libs could, all they have to say, Harper says one thing and does another.

[Rick]

I'm implying they're not attempting to use this to their political advantage because they're afraid of making Tamil voters angry.

-k

So that makes it acceptable and honourable for the Conservatives to support this guy as their candidate then?

[Shady]

So that makes it acceptable and honourable for the Conservatives to support this guy as their candidate then?

So are you saying that the Tamil's are in fact terrorists?

[kimmy]

So that makes it acceptable and honourable for the Conservatives to support this guy as their candidate then?

Of course not.

Sadly, they (other than Peter Kent, apparently) won't say anything about it, for obvious reasons.

And sadly, their opponents will let it slide for the exact same reason.

I think it's a sad indictment of the state of politics in Canada all the way around.

-k

[Rick]

So are you saying that the Tamil's are in fact terrorists?

I'm saying that the Conservative party of Canada is supporting a candidate who is known to have supported a terrorist organization.

Sure says a lot that they would turn a blind eye to his terrorism supporting activities in order to garner some ethnic votes.

In other words...supporting terrorism is acceptable as long as you're on team Harper's side.

[Scotty]

I'm saying that the Conservative party of Canada is supporting a candidate who is known to have supported a terrorist organization.

Sure says a lot that they would turn a blind eye to his terrorism supporting activities in order to garner some ethnic votes.

In other words...supporting terrorism is acceptable as long as you're on team Harper's side.

Let's not forget that the Conservatives were the only party with the balls to risk the anger of the Tamil community, and their votes, by outright putting the Tigers on a terrorist list and banning all support for them. The Liberals sure as hell wouldn't do it, and the first election after that they promised to see about getting them removed form the list! As I posted just the other day, Paul Martin went to a fund raiser for these people, despite being warned by CSIS, the RCMP and the American embassy that they were supporters of the Tamil Tigers, and he and Jean Chretien, when questioned about it in the House, implied the questioners were racists for daring to suggest there was anything wrong with this group.

So I think that tells us all the difference between the Tories and Liberals on the subject of the Tamil Tigers. Now clearly this guy slipped past their scrutineers and now they clearly don't want to admit they made a mistake, probably because he has virtually no chance of winning anyway. I'm thinking after the election is over he'll be quietly dis-invited from the party, and will never be permitted to run again.

[RNG]

I'm implying they're not attempting to use this to their political advantage because they're afraid of making Tamil voters angry.

-k

All 17 of them?

[Rick]

Let's not forget that the Conservatives were the only party with the balls to risk the anger of the Tamil community, and their votes, by outright putting the Tigers on a terrorist list and banning all support for them. The Liberals sure as hell wouldn't do it, and the first election after that they promised to see about getting them removed form the list! As I posted just the other day, Paul Martin went to a fund raiser for these people, despite being warned by CSIS, the RCMP and the American embassy that they were supporters of the Tamil Tigers, and he and Jean Chretien, when questioned about it in the House, implied the questioners were racists for daring to suggest there was anything wrong with this group.

So I think that tells us all the difference between the Tories and Liberals on the subject of the Tamil Tigers. Now clearly this guy slipped past their scrutineers and now they clearly don't want to admit they made a mistake, probably because he has virtually no chance of winning anyway. I'm thinking after the election is over he'll be quietly dis-invited from the party, and will never be permitted to run again.

I remember Conservatives villifying Martin and the Liberals for this.

Which makes this all the more hypocritical of the Harper Conservative faithful to now be supportive of their own party actually running a candidate with clear ties to the terrorist organization which the Harper government themselves put on the list of banned organizations in this country.

As I said previously, apparently terrorism support is acceptable as long as you're doing it in support of team Harper.

[mikedavid00]

If he has been associated the Tamil Tigers, then get him OUT of the CPC.

[YEGmann]

If he has been associated the Tamil Tigers, then get him OUT of the CPC.

This depends on what one means "to be associated". Does taking an interview mean "association"?

[mikedavid00]

Are you implying that the NDP and Liberals support terrorism?

Well when you attend Tamil Tiger fundraisers, then yes you are supporting terrorism.

When the Liberals aid and protect families terrorists causing trouble abroad, then yes you are supporting terrorism.

When the NDP hired Mehar Arar's wife in Ottawa to work for the NDP with a full time salary, and then she ran for office after that, yes, the NDP are supporting terrorism as it's widely known and confessed that Arar has ties with the Islamic Brotherhood terrorist group. He spilled the beans and named names in Syria and was already being followed by the RCMP.

[mikedavid00]

This depends on what one means "to be associated". Does taking an interview mean "association"?

Yes it does.

They need to be kicked out of the party if they took an interview from a terrorist organization. These known terrorists should also be expelled from Canada. The RCMP knows who they are. Everyone knows them.

Get them OUT of the CPC, and get them out of Canada.

We don't want the CPC heading down the same road as the Libs and NDP. The CPC is already soft enough now.

[Guest peterb]

Email to CTV Newsnet

I don’t want to be an alarmist, but inadvertently, there was something very disturbing, told Canadians on the CTV News Network this morning, that should be of great concern about the neutrality, impartiality and the role of some members of the media in this election campaign.

In reporting about a Harper rally this morning, and the questioning of the Prime Minister, Robert Fife told Jackie Milczarek “We’ll get him”.

This conjures up a picture of some sort of conspiracy by some members of the media, to undermine or carry out some subversive attack in the dying days of Harper’s campaign, to influence the results of this election or worse – certainly not the role of a supposedly impartial media.

I think it behooves Robert Fife and CTV, to make public who all constitites the “we”, because otherwise, this is a suspicion and smear of other members of the media who are innocent , professional and not deserving of this accusation of unprofessional conduct.

Are Canadians , Elections Canada , CRTC and Harper’s protective detail entitled to an explanation of this threat? Has the media watch dog been alerted?

At best Canadians should be warned of the objectivity and neutrality of some members of the media, in their coverage of this election campaign, and that some individual media types are not above distorting and misrepresenting their reports to Canadians.

The report that include that threat of “we’ll get him” aired shortly after 11:00 A.M. CST, and I see any reference to it has been removed since in Fife’s reports – for a cover up, and what I would say are obvious reasons. Does CTV brass think that Robert Fife should remain as a reporter on the campaign trail or are their viewers entitled to a more ethical and reputable coverage? Here is the opportunity for CTV to demonstrate to Canadians who have expressed concerns about biased coverage, that they will not countenance any hint of it, on their network coverage of the election campaign and that their integrity is more important than a reporter’s personal vendetta.

I expect CTV will be issuing an apology to their Canadian viewers.

[betsy]

Btw, didn't Dosanjh almost lost in the last election? They had to do a re-count?

He must be sweating profusely now....Ruby Dhalla too, what with the nanny-gate!

[Rick]

And after having Harper's mob pay him a visit to smarten him up...

Peter Kent flip flops and is now singing in tune like a good little choir boy would when told not to say anything by his priest...

Conservative cabinet minister Peter Kent has reversed course and fallen back into line behind Stephen Harper after criticizing his own party for recruiting a candidate with apparent Tamil Tiger sympathies.

“I regret any embarrassment that my remarks may have caused the Prime Minister,” Mr. Kent said in a statement sent to The Globe and Mail after Mr. Harper defended the candidate, Gavan Paranchothy, during a weekend campaign stop in Mississauga, Ont.

Conservative MP now backs his terrorist supporting new best bud

[Rick]

And after having Harper's mob pay him a visit to smarten him up...

Peter Kent flip flops and is now singing in tune like a good little choir boy would when told not to say anything by his priest...

Conservative MP now backs his terrorist supporting new best bud

Hmmm.. there's a strange silence and lack of outrage from the Harperites.

They must have been told not to talk about it.

Edited April 25, 2011 by Rick