Jason Kenney Strikes Again

  If you are a follower of Canadian politics you'll know the name Jason Kenney. He is the Conservative MP for Calgary Southeast. Under PM Steven Harper he was Minister of National Defence and Minister for Multiculturalism. He seems to be one of the most misunderstood MP's in history. At least what he says seems to be taken the wrong way. Note the sarcasm.

  Let's go back a few months to October. He met with some new refugee's and tweeted this about one of them...."11 yr- old Xavier is an Iraqi refugee who arrived in CDA via Syria last yr. Already speaks perfect, unaccented English"

  The tweet was deleted very quickly. If there was nothing inappropriate about it why delete it? By itself it seems rather odd but we all could word things better and a tweet is unforgiving. I'll give him that.

  Now lets peek at the comments he made on the issue of the niqab and the response of Calgary's Mayor, Naheed Nenshi, who believed the Conservatives take on the issue to be dangerous. Mr. Kenney said "it seems to me that the Mayor and people like him who are politicizing it"

  Again another explanation needed. It sounds bad. Especially since Mayor Nenshi is Muslim. He obviously took it as an insult or racist remark because his  response was "people like me". Jason Kenney went on to explain what he actually meant by it. Damage was done. But we move on.

   On Monday, yet again, he has made another comment that, yet again, he has to explain. This time involving the new Minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan. This time saying he needs an "English to English translation" to understand the Minister's comments. In case you aren't aware Minister Sajjan, a 26 year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, came to Canada at age 5 from India. Now it becomes clearer.

  If you look at each one individually you might be able to say well he needs to think before he speaks or tweets. But when you start showing them together it seems a pattern emerges. This is only three examples from the past year or so. 

  Do I think Jason Kenney is a racist? No probably not. Do I think he comes across as one in the press? I would have to say yes. What he really needs is someone within his own party to say shut the hell up! Surely he has people for that.

  I think Mr. Kenney needs some sensitivity training. A few lessons on civility in the workplace. Perhaps he needs to check out Lew Bayer and The Civility Experts at  www.civilityexperts.com/ for some tips!

  Ang