During World War I, the warring factions took a break from fighting for Christmas to play a friendly soccer game. After that, they went back to killing each other. That seems to be what happened today in Canada, with a disingenous olive branch from the Cons on the bill to ban so-called conversion therapy...
. . .
A CPC MP decided that continuing to cuck for the bigots on this issue was and is a losing battle, so introduced a motion to have the new and improved Liberal bill — that they spent months obstructing in the last Parliament, and saw sixty-two of their MPs vote against — be adopted at all stages without a recorded vote. So that nobody has the chance to see behind the curtain that the haters are still there. They just see "results" and a "new true blue" which is really the same old shit.
It's a cynical and slimy PR move aimed at depriving the Liberals of further opportunities to point out the rot in the caucus, by papering it over with procedural cowardice. One that the media will no doubt lap up. And I'm getting sick and tired of the usually smart Aaron Wherry's tiresome take that "politics is politics" as of late. It's a lazy cop-out to avoid actually holding garbage people to account.
Here's a reminder of who those garbage people (still) are.
Now, I'm glad in a general sense that on a day when the religious right is rearing its ugly head in the U.S. as Roe v. Wade nears closer to being overturned, conversion therapy is getting closer to being outlawed in Canada, which continues to be (for now) the sanctuary away from Gilead that people want to run away to as shit goes sideways here. That being said, I'm pissed off that O'Toole will get a pat on the head from the media for clearing the absolute lowest of bars and supposedly "outmaneuvering" the Liberals, "gaining control of the caucus," "moving to the centre," etc. etc. etc.
The fact that he was still equivocating on "conscience votes" only this afternoon should be a clear sign that this party has not changed one bit. The party brass just hired someone to put a brighter shade of lipstick on a true blue pig.
Mind you, despite the easily duped media's inevitable narrative that O'Toole really has civilized the savages, make no mistake: those 60+ MPs are still there, and they will have plenty of opportunities to show their "true blue" ugly colours in the future as this Parliament drags on.
Like the upcoming bills on hate speech that would crack down on their own deplorable voters.
Like the upcoming bill that would criminalize anti-vaxers and the anti-abortion freaks obstructing medical facilities and intimidating patients and medical practitioners.
Like any number of upcoming bills on gun control.
Like anything having to do with COVID-19.
What this was today was a Christmas truce and a temporary raising of the white flag. They chose not to die on this hill, because it's the holidays and because at least some of them have enough self-awareness to know that they've punched themselves in the dick enough times not to want to do it all over again.
Call it a draw. Justin Trudeau is far too gracious as a human being.
But no one should think that this olive branch doesn't have thorns. I'm old enough to remember when Trump was going to be the "most LGBT-friendly Republican president in the history of ever." We know how that omicron variant of "compassionate conservatism" turned out. Dick Van Dyke avoided tripping over the ottoman every so often, and even Charlie Brown got to kick Lucy's football once in his life — but only by making himself invisible.
As Leonard Cohen once said, love is not a victory march.
For the Cons, it's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah.
Slow clap. Enjoy the holiday ceasefire for now. Old habits die hard... with a vengeance.
And we'll be there every step of the way. Welcome to the party, motherfuckers.