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Saturday, August 26, 2006
Liberal MPs continue to express support for terrorist group
Jason Kenney, Conservative MP, has been called a hypocrite for criticizing Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj who spoke in support of Hezbollah this past week, but who himself appeared at a rally for yet another terrorist organization in April 2006. That group was listed as a terrorist group, under a different name, in May 2005.
Jason Kenney's appearance at this rally has caused some grief:
The Liberals accused Jason Kenney of hypocrisy on Thursday, after it was revealed the Conservative MP had appeared at a rally earlier this year for an Iranian group with terrorist links.
A photo of Kenney, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's parliamentary secretary, at the April rally appears on a website for the National Council of Resistance of Iran, the political wing of the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran.
The PMOI is one of the names used by Mujahedin-e-Khalq, an Iranian rebel group put on Canada's official terror list in May 2005. The U.S. and Britain have also designated it a terrorist organization.
Kenney didn't even know that the rally was for the PMOI:
The NCRI website says the April rally that Kenney attended was organized by "the Committee in Defence of Human Rights in Iran."
In an interview with the Star, Kenney said he did not remember attending the rally, then recalled an invitation from "something called the Committee for Human Rights in Iran."
The invitation came from a man Kenney said he met at the foreign affairs sub-committee on human rights.
Kenney, MP for Calgary Southeast, said he "would be shocked" to hear his picture was posted on the group's political wing website.
For this, the Liberals are tearing into him:
Liberal interim leader Bill Graham, who accepted [Borys] Wrzesnewskyj's resignation, condemned Kenney's actions on Thursday.
"I think it's so hypocritical when you heard the words that came out of his mouth a couple of days ago about the observations made about one of our members and then you find he himself is standing there embracing a terrorist group."
Liberal Denis Coderre, who was criticized for marching in a peace rally in Montreal earlier this month where Hezbollah flags were present, said Kenney should apologize and denounce the group.
"Jason Kenney, who likes to play politics and is as subtle as Barney Rubble in politics, should know better," Coderre said.
I suppose that Liberal MPs Alan Tonks and Derek Lee can expect to be at the receiving end of similar abuse. Why? Because each wrote letters to Peter Mackay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, demanding that the government support the PMOI.
The letters were written sometime after mid-July.
And unlike Jason Kenney's situation, no one was changing names to obscure their identities. The Liberal MPs call for help for PMOI, explicitily:
From Alan Tonks:
In a letter addressed to the Honorable Peter MacKay, Minister of Canada's Foreign Affairs, Mr. Alan Tonks, M.P. of the House Commons asked the foreign ministry to put its weight behind an investigation in to the water pipeline explosion which left Ashraf residents and other surrounding villages without water for over a week during Iraq's hot summer days.
It is alleged that the theocratic Iranian regime attacked the pipelines in order to disrupt the Water supply of an internationally recognized and protected Iranian resistance group known as the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran. The PMOI, currently seeking refuge in Iraq, have long been advocates for democratic reforms in Iran.
Members of the PMOI are sheltered by international conventions and should be respected by lawful governments. I would urge you to intervene in this matter.
From Derek Lee:
Canada's Member of Parliament, Derek Lee in his letter addressed to the Hon. Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign affairs in Canada wrote:
Questions have been raised about the PMOI's longer run asylum status protected by Iraq and the UNHCR and water supply which has been sabotaged twice recently.
Other members of House [of Commons] have also written to you about this and I want to indicate my support for Canadian efforts to assure status quo safety and treatment to these displaced persons.
I eagerly await Bill Graham's pronouncements on the issue of hypocrisy with regards to Tonks and Lee.
[On the other hand, maybe we're not seeing the whole picture.]
[Extended entry at Angry in the Great White North]
Posted by Steve Janke on August 26, 2006 | Permalink
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Comments
PMOI/MEK is a terrorist group and shall remain one forever.
Posted by: Winston | 2006-08-26 1:54:30 PM
BTW, I firmly believe Kenney didnt know about this Iranian terrorist group as much as he should since this is the MEK/PMOI's tactic to call for a gathering to support the people of Iran and then all of a sudden, out of the blue, they pull banners of support for their cult leaders Rajavi's.
I think Mr. Kenney's intention was okay while the liberal MP stood with a terroris group which every one of us know what they are up to.
MEK/PMOI is a terrorist group and must remain on the list of terror organizations forever.
Posted by: Winston | 2006-08-26 1:59:22 PM
It's desperate and almost pathetic the way the Liberals pretend there's no moral difference between doing something accidentally and doing it intentionally. Kenney was obviously mislead/uninformed about who it was he was speaking to; based on his record, and the Conservative party's, it's ludicrous to suggest that he would knowingly speak to a gathering of supporters of a terrorist organization.
BTW, Andrew Coyne has written an absolutely superb column in today's National Post germaine to the larger, more important issues surrounding this tempest-that-isn't.
It's required reading. If you can't get your hands on a National Post, damienpenny.com has posted excerpts.
Posted by: EBD | 2006-08-26 2:20:30 PM
The Liberals are in the most desperate, pathetic mess they could possibly be in. It looks like all their friends have let them down and there is no one capable of pulling them out of the quagmire.
The Kenney story is another attempt by them to shift the headlines from their sorry state of affairs.
Tonks and Lee. Give me a break. Those two are so blocked off from the real world outside the Liberal enclave they have no grasp of what's fact or fiction, listen to either one for two minutes and it's obvious.
We have to remember the Liberals carelessly allowed refugees and immigrants from places known to harbour, sponsor and breed terrorists. They know full well they are now in our midst. Anyone could meet and talk to one without knowing and that includes politicians.
There is no "story" with Jason Kenney, it's just a pathetic, juvenile , ha, ha you did too! It's looking like the Libs, by their behaviour, could use a bit of Dryden's child care he droned on so much about.
They have so many choices for leadership and not a saviour among them. GOOD SHOW!
Posted by: Liz J | 2006-08-26 2:53:43 PM
MEK is notorious for frequently changing their name to hide their true identity.
There's a big difference between being duped into attending a rally by dishonest representatives, and making pro-hezbollah statements and calling for their removal from the terrorist list.
BIG DIFFERENCE
Posted by: C.H. | 2006-08-26 4:29:53 PM
A bit off topic, but not really ... all thing are about America and the war on terror.
This bit is about America and it needs to be heard or read over and over.
http://tinyurl.com/gyh45
Posted by: Duke | 2006-08-26 7:23:32 PM
Duke:
Right and true. It should be heard and read by all. Getting through to the numbskull America bashers is a tough order. The world would be a much more diminished place without the United States of America.
Posted by: Liz J | 2006-08-26 7:46:01 PM
Duke:
Right and true. It should be heard and read by all. Getting through to the numbskull America bashers is a tough order. The world would be a much more diminished place without the United States of America.
Posted by: Liz J | 2006-08-26 7:58:55 PM
oops! 2 for 1 day?
Posted by: Liz J | 2006-08-26 8:02:31 PM
Liz,
Agreed
We know that a mental disorder is not something one can get over merely by being exposed to common sense and facts, it sometimes take a terrorist bomb right under one's ass to make the point.
Toronto will eventually get it and I fear I may be wanting to dance in the streets and toss pita into the air.
Posted by: Duke | 2006-08-26 8:04:02 PM
A number of Canadians think it quite unfortunate that the Rt Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada has such a bumbling, fumbling, inept Parliamentary Secretary that he just stops and speaks to any old group that asks him to ... Get real ... Jason Kenney is more worried about trying to save his job that he has to get the big guns to try and blow smoke you know where.
The double standard here is glaring. The Lib and NDP MP's merely suggested that talks occur with a terrorist organization. Kenney actually DID what he accused his opponents of merely suggesting. To even defend him validates a double standard.
Many of us still believe in things like parliamentary honour. Does Mr. Kenney?
Posted by: leftdog | 2006-08-28 11:15:51 AM
Parliamentary Honour, Mr.lefty dog? Liberals don't know the meaning of honour given what went down under their watch and governance. They got caught, remember? Sorry, just can't link honour up with Liberals unless you wish to go back to Pearson, might find a bit there.
Posted by: Liz J | 2006-08-28 2:21:11 PM
Liz J,
it is a fallacy to believe that the precious "conservative" Government won't do the same things in similar situations.
Power Corrupts, always has, always will.
To paraphrase another "lefty":
"You may start out with the noblest of intentions, but as you climb the latter to power you make compromise, so by the time you reach the top your ideals are meaningless because of all the deals and promises you made while trying to get into power."
That was written by John Ralston Saul in "On Equilibrium". A good read, I'd recommend it, asks some wonderful questions about morale, and in order to appeal to the masses here: It even has stories about moral decisions made during WWII.
Posted by: Snowrunner | 2006-08-28 2:49:34 PM
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