A petition spearheaded by Curtis Mullen to rename Calgary's Airport after Stephen J. Harper has run into serious headwinds. Allan Freeman writes:
At last count, 6,875 Canadians had signed Mullen’s petition — while more than 28,000 signed a rival petition calling the idea a “disgrace” and another 5,000 joined a petition calling for Calgary’s main landfill site to be named for the soon-to-be former prime minister. (Another 15,000 have signed a separate pro-Harper Airport petition sponsored by conservative commentator Ezra Levant.)
The petition has produced the kind of material that writers for late night television love:
At Harper International, departure and arrival times would be kept secret. No planes would ever take off because they would “be just not ready.” Planes landing there would only have right wings. You get the drift.
Other airports -- Montreal, Toronto -- have been named after prime ministers -- but only after they have shaken off this mortal coil. There's a reason. The case of Wheaton College, in Illinois, provides a cautionary tale:
Think of the leaders of Wheaton College, a small Christian college in Illinois whose motto is “For Christ and his Kingdom.” Its most famous graduate is Dennis Hastert, a onetime high school teacher and wrestling coach who rose from obscurity to become the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, one of the most powerful politicians in the land. Hastert was showered with honours by his alma mater, including the naming of the J. Dennis Hastert Center for Economics, Government and Public Policy.
Then, news emerged last spring that the long-retired Hastert had been charged with making illegal payments of millions of dollars to a former student to keep him quiet about allegations of sexual abuse that took place decades ago — and then lying about it. Faced with news of the sleazy affair, Wheaton College had no choice but to remove Hastert’s name from its Economics Center and issue a statement in which it said it would pray for Hastert, his family and “those who may have been harmed by any inappropriate behaviour.”
History needs time to put things and people in perspective. Perhaps Harper will have a school named after him. But, even then, history may catch up with him. Until recently, there was a public school in Belleville, Ontario named after MacKenzie Bowell -- who briefly succeeded John A. Macdonald as prime minister. But the school was closed because of low enrolment and sold into private hands.
Let history judge Mr. Harper before any public institutions are given his name.
20 comments:
" a petition calling for Calgary’s main landfill site to be named for the soon-to-be former prime minister." Ahh, the possibilities are endless but this and the other 'material' gave me the best chuckle I have had in many months. Thanks Owen.
I think the best suggestion I've read, Owen, is that one of the tailing ponds in the tarsands be singularly honoured with Harper's name. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense: both are extremely toxic to the environment and are graphic symbols of indifference toward climate change.
Given all the effort Harper put into developing those tailing ponds, Lorne, that's an excellent suggestion. He would be remembered for what he cared most about.
Hmourists have just been handed a wealth of material, Rural.
.. at the very least, surely we can see the multi-stage Duffy Trial attain escape velocity.. before showering the former Harper Party leader & Harper Government leader/PM with his just deserts? And surely we cannot ignore the obscured accomplishments of the mysterious Ray Novak? Those two - with the unblinking devotion of Jenni Byrne, Arthur 'next breath' Hamilton, Peter Van Loan, the late Saint Flaherty, Peter 'poison the wolves' Kent, Dean Del Mastro.. all the stately Senators, the humble n pious PMO.. thousands of 'Justice Lawyers' enablers, friend donors, the stalwart Base.. and courageous spies datawankers robovote consultants.. all bestrode Canada.. to build the Harper Nation, reflect its 'values' saving us all from two scary women in niqabs, delivering us to China as partners in its economy along with our resources.. and slithering through fire and water on behalf of Israel in defense of their holy war on the palestinian (heathen) populace.. Whew ! Its exhausting just listing what the Harper Caucus by Order of Council did on our behalf! Did I mention how they saved us from our dastardly Supreme Court? And staved off The First Nations (also heathens).. Soonly we can begin the re-naming of buildings and public properties, utilities and scenic landfills.. even diverted rivers and former salmon streams.. but let us wait for the fulsomeness of time, to truly reveal how simply wonderful sparkling & heroic The Harper Hordes truly were - towering guardians of monarchy economy truthiness accountability & freedom of information & privacy... We must stand ready to erect statues honoring all these Nation Builders.. and the wondrous Harper Nation it was really all about.. Their evangel credo certainly sums it all up for us lesser new & ordinary citizens.. The Old Guard Old Snot adhered to God Helps Those Who 'Help Themselves' & all us less ambitious citizens perhaps should try to emulate these near gods who bestrode Canada.. for a while eh ....
Here in BC we had the absurdity of disgraced premier Gordon Campbell being nominated through a bent system to the 'Order of BC' before being quarantined in the UK.
With Harperman gone I guess we'll have Campbell back on our shores infecting us with BS.
I read that Harper's ambassador to Washington. Gary Doer, is returning, Anon. Gordon Campbell can't be far behind.
The good news is that they bestrode Canada "for awhile," salamander. We must work to see that they never return.
It might seem like a fun, good idea at the time, but you're right. People would start to feel sorry for that land-fill site and then they'd have to go through the expense of changing it's name and replacing all the signs.
Ezra Levant should have some vile pestilence named after him though.
I signed the petition. Noone who crashed and burned like Harper should have an airport named after him. I have no objection, however , to the Harper Memorial Cleaning Closet and Emergency Hidey Hole.
Instead of calling it flesh eating disease we could call it getting Harper.
If Levant continues to get himself in legal trouble, thwap, he may be given a moniker which suggests disease.
That suggestion would light up the twitter-verse, Steve.
I can see the sign on the door, rumley.
There may just be a good side to this Airport thing. It is customary to only name an airport after after a Prime Minister AFTER he is deceased. Perhaps we can call on his god to do some good old fashioned christian smiting. Then the doors would be open but only the right doors to the Stephen Harper International Terminal. Does Calgary really want an airport with those initials? So I like the dump idea better the initials would be less offensive and should remain generic since he is not dead yet. So just the PMD and would be fun as he no longer controls the PMO. Then to keep the terrorist's out they need to have security. That should be armed and called Ezra's Ethical Lookout's or EEL and have the boys in short pants reemployed from the PMO to the PMD EEL goon squad.
Those plans may be in the works, Mogs. But I doubt they'll get very far.
Yes, let us start a petition for the Stephen J. Harper Hideaway Closet in Parliament where he bravely hid.
I suspect we will many thousands signing the above, eh?
I suspect the signatures will go on for pages, Anon.
You understand Owen I'm up for giggles analogies and metaphors I hope to be soon writing a tongue in cheek book that nails reality so those deniers can no longer avoid the hooks....>
It will be interesting to read what you have to say, Mogs.
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