The King of Mean and the Bullying of Harperman's Tony Turner

It has been several days since the Harper regime suspended the federal scientist Tony Turner for writing and singing the song Harperman.

And as expected it has triggered a debate over whether public servants can be political activists.

And while some Cons claim they can't, and that they must remain loyal to their monstrous master.

The Supreme Court settled that question twenty-four years ago. 

The court ruled that banning political activity infringes on workers' Charter rights to freedom of expression. Public servants can now volunteer for election campaigns, post political lawn signs, make phone calls and deliver flyers — so long as they don't use office resources and their activities don't impede their ability to do their jobs.

It freedom of expression includes the right to speak, it must surely include the right  to sing. Turner's singing doesn't affect his job. And his union couldn't be more right.

"When we look at this individual case of an Environment Canada scientist who studies migratory birds, it's quite difficult to make the link between the work he does and any impact that video might have on his ability to do his work," said Debi Daviau, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, the union that represents public servants. 

"If there's anyone who's guilty of getting in the way of our members doing their jobs impartially, it's the Harper government and their policies."

It's Stephen Harper's thuggish Con regime that is guilty of trying to politicize the civil service, or bully it into submission.

And it is, as Michael Harris points out, just the latest example of the King of Mean's reign of fear. 



Stephen Harper never surprises. He just keeps on getting worse. Amongst other things, he proved this week that he is the king of pettiness. A federal scientist, Tony Turner, has been suspended for singing. Only Steve, it seems, can sing.

And they call this a breach of the code of values and ethics for a civil servant. Say what? How about Harper’s inner circle and members of his PMO senior staff? In Harperland, criticism set to music is worse than lying, cheating, bribery, breach of trust and peaking into other people’s forensic briefs?

Just the latest example of how he has terrorized civil service bosses, the RCMP brass, Harper's generals, and so many others, into dancing to his ghastly tune.

Everyone in Steve’s servitude is merely trying to please the Boss, including the starched-collar types in the Privy Council Office and the top mucky mucks at Environment Canada. A plague of pileated woodpeckers hasn’t descended on Ottawa. That tapping noise you hear is just federal bureaucrats’ knees knocking.

Or if you're an ordinary citizen, face the wrath of his ex-military private security force, for daring to speak out in the presence of Great Leader...


David Parkins/Globe and Mail

Because this is Harperland, where fear RULES. And even a gentle scientist like Tony Turner must be suppressed and punished, even as he prepares to retire, for daring to criticize a depraved dictator.

And the good news? Two days ago the Harperman video had 48,000 views, now as I write this it has more 400,000. And is still growing.

So the message is spreading:

We want you gone (gone, gone) 
You and your pawn (pawn, pawns)
No more con (con, cons) 
Time to move on (on, on) 
Get out of town (town, town ) 
Don’t want you round (round, round) 
Harperman, it’s time for you to go.

And as a bonus, I came across another song by Tony Turner. Which isn't political but is equally inspiring...



And yes, enough is ENOUGH.

The Con regime and its hapless stooges should stop persecuting and trying to silence the gentle, decent, and very Canadian Tony Turner.

And we should join in a circle of resistance. All of us.

And defeat their depraved leader, that monstrous maniac. 

Before he strips away even more of our freedoms.

Before he muzzles us all...



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