The Disgrace of Julian Fantino and the Shame of Stephen Harper

Well he wasn't available to answer questions in the House of Commons yesterday, no doubt having decided that discretion ducking and covering was the better part of valour. 

After having revealed his ghastly colours, again, by first bullying a group of elderly veterans in the most disgusting manner. Then "sincerely" apologizing, sort of. Only to claim it wasn't his fault, and that the vets had been duped by the unions. 

But Julian Fantino did manage to crawl into the Commons later in the day, to join his fellow Cons in crushing this NDP motion. 

An opposition motion calling on the Conservative government to keep Veterans Affairs district offices open went down to defeat Monday in the House of Commons, but the fight over the treatment of ex-soldiers appeared far from over. 

Both Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino voted against the motion, which also called for additional mental health staff at National Defence and urged the government to complete some 75 outstanding suicide investigations.

Which not only proves that the cowardly bully is unfit to be the Minister of ANYTHING. And should resign immediately.

But also that Stephen Harper should shoulder his responsibility and bear his full measure of SHAME. 

It's easy to dismiss Fantino as miserable and insensitive, and demand his resignation. Indeed, he should be gone. But he's only a symptom of what's wrong with this government. Stephen Harper is the source of the problem. Fantino has no independence of thought or action. He's just doing what he's told.

Diminished services. Closed help-centres. Reduced staff. Under-funded programs. More than 20,000 families of recently-deceased veterans denied support for dignified burials. Vets dragged through the courts by the government for six long years. A new court fight now in which the government says it owes veterans no special duty whatsoever. Soldiers tossed out of the Forces just before they qualify for a pension. Seriously deficient resources to cope with mental health problems -- a situation so bad that even retired General Rick Hillier called for a public inquiry. 

These are Stephen Harper's policies. Fantino and other Ministers are the stooges sent out to implement them. But Mr. Harper is the instigator. He's the one who cut the budget. He must shoulder the responsibility and bear the shame.

And not just for all of the above. 

But also for having made Fantino a minister, over and over again.

For no good reason...

It will be said of Julian Fantino, that after a promising start as a mall security guard it was all downhill http://t.co/uRIgUTLAsb #cdnpoli
— Simon (@montrealsimon) January 31, 2014

Along with so many other bad appointments...



Which clearly demonstrates, once again, that our mad king has no judgement, his corrupt government is way past due, and he himself is unfit to remain in office.

You know, to be honest, the thing I wish the most is that out of this horrible situation,  this scandalous betrayal, will come more help for the veterans old and young who desperately need it. 

But I also hope that this shabby episode will do great damage to the Cons, and help defeat them in the next election. So we can make this country clean and Canadian again.

And in the meantime I wish to announce, that if the veterans need my help in their continuing struggle for justice, Private First Second Fifth Class Simon is willing and able to serve.

For while I would probably be the worst, the laziest, and definitely the most undisciplined soldier this country has ever produced eh?

I would follow those vets to Hell Harperland and back. 

And like so many other Canadians who are sick to death of that foul Con regime.

I know my duty when I see it...



Please vote here to recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers.