Discovering Jean-Daniel Lafond, Remembering 9/11

Jean-Daniel Lafond and September 11, 2001 seem to be years apart. September 11, 2001 was a day of tragedy and loss the world has never encountered previously. Jean-Daniel Lafond is a much lesser tragedy that Canada has faced before.

Officials in New York have released 15 hours (plus) of FDNY and EMS tapes being released that vividly describe the last moments and thoughts of the victims caught in both towers and below. The tapes (available for download on some sites) bring that horrible day back to families of the victims in a rushing torrent of emotion and to those of us who played witness to the events through the media.

John Ralston Saul, the outgoing coattail rider, had some opinions on the tragedies of that day that I have and never will remove from my head. In an interview with Charles Adler he stated that he could not believe the humanity shown from the people trapped in the towers given that they were in the financial sectors (I do not have the exact quote, Mr. Adler may be able to provide). He implies that these people generally do not show human traits and he, as a profound human, was surprised that they were in the end, human.

As it seems our incoming coattail rider, Mr. Lafond, seems to share a tangential opinion of 9/11.

Following the attacks in America that day, Mr. Lafond was doing an interview with the Montreal Mirror about documentaries he was making and had made. The interviewer, Matthew Hays asks the then Rencontres president Jean-Daniel Lafond about 9/11. Here's a quote from the Montreal Mirror's site:

Filmmaker and Rencontres president Jean-Daniel Lafond waxes philosophic on the state of the art of documentary filmmaking practice, particularly in the wake of 9/11. "How many September 11ths will it take," Lafond asks, "for our societies to question their own acts before dropping bombs?"

Mr. Lafond, a CBC-described philosopher, implies that we need to face the guilt of our past as a continent before taking action on the worst attack on our soil in history? Past guilt should be left to those who choose to live in the past and who cannot live in the present or think in the future because they will lose their most valuable ability, hindsight.

Perhaps now that the events of 9/11 are in our past Mr. Lafond would like to consider them, think on it and provide us with a philosophic view that casts the guilt upon our western ways once more.

The media is reporting today that Jean-Daniel Lafond has been asked to pledge his commitment to Canada because of his FLQ leaning views and close friends with FLQ ties. In addition to the questionability of Mr. Lafond's status as a warm-blooded Canadian, it must be asked if he is as well a warm-blooded human.

G-G to Supercilious Canadian Public: I Am Here Now

Spielberg couldn't have directed it better. The Canadian media running down the avenues like a panic-stricken Tom Cruise.

The Globe, The Post, everyone had their special two-page pull out sections with cheat sheets on the who's and why's of the next Canadian Governor General. But much like the slumbering alien ships of War of the Worlds, the lady for the job has been buried under Canadians noses for years.

Michaëlle Jean was announced on Thursday as the next G-G with all the fanfare and coloured balloons of a Paul Martin news conference. And she wasted no time in bursting out from under two tons on packed concrete.

Ms. Jean opened her eyes to the press and began the moral slaughter. "I've never been a token, and never will be" she commented adding, "I have come a long way. My ancestors were slaves.". With heads hung down in shame, the press anxiously awaited the Prime Minister's thoughts on the appointment.

"This has nothing to do with ... partisan matters, hers is a story that reminds us what is best about ourselves and about Canada - a nation where equality of opportunity is our most defining characteristic, giving testament to our longest-held values."

Consistent with all other Paul Martin comments, you can take any three words and place them in front of any other three words and continue building a statement. But there are three words that describe Ms. Jean's speech that day, "best about ourselves".

She seems to be placing her foot steadily above the Canadian public assuming her place high and above, threatening a moment’s notice before crushing us all with her stories of triumph and tragedy. She's a refugee from Haiti who fled violence from a murderous regime that, blah, blah, blah...end with pulling a nose hair for a big juicy tear.

This type of self-righteousness is well preserved in her past mumblings to the mother corporation and other Quebec media. "I have a feeling that a page of history was written, just by my simple presence.", a comment to the Montreal Gazette in 1994. I think she wants us to roll up the whole Haitian, immigrant, black, woman situation and bow down to her presence, her being in some sort of servitude.

All this has happened (and will continue to happen) while Paul Martin sits in his leather-padded office trying to decide which colour Smartie to cheat on next.

So for those of you with the distinguished honour of meeting our new G-G in the coming months and years, remember to bow your head in respect and lower you soul in shame.

Here's to Wendy Mesley in 2010!

Michaëlle Jean: The Good News and the Bad News

Michaëlle Jean deserves a discussion reserved only for her. As for this discussion, let's just fly by the G-G car wreck and assess the immediate good and bad from 1000 feet up.

Always start with the bad.

We (taxpayers) are funding a 'position' within the federal government that is as decorative as a newly polished Christmas ball. Funding to the tune of $19 million (plus) per year. Royal ascent? C'mon, we got rid of Royal Ascent with the Spice Girls right? We are a sovereign, independent country from all CBC reports I've heard lately. Or are the words sovereign and independent relative only to the American 'frienemies' we have to the south? Royal Ascent, piss off!

Now the good news.

After one year longer than we should have, we as a nation have finally picked off the scab that was John Ralston Saul. Here's a guy who should be a top candidate for CSIS, after all he managed to go almost unnoticed and on the payroll for six years.

Just for fun, John Ralston Saul's name as an anagram:
NATURAL JOHN LOSS

And after enduring those six long years we have finally experienced natural john loss, and we feel a lot better as a country.

More to come on Ms. Jean, later...