Helena Guergis deserves a medal. Maybe two. We’ve been winning plenty of them in Vancouver, maybe someone can send one of the spares her way.
The minister-of-something-important threw a tantrum in Charlottetown. Why? She was late for her flight. She was in a rush. She was tired. She just wanted to get on the plane. But you’re not allowed to do that in Canada.
Nope. her bag was too big for carry-on. She’s lucky the airline allowed carry-on at all, since a month or so ago it was still insisting anything bigger than a magazine might contain nuclear explosives and had to be stowed in the hold, down where they freeze the cats. She had to remove her coat. She had to remove her boots. She had to stuff them in a little bin so the could be X-rayed for nuclear explosives, wandering around the security area in winter in her stockings.
She got a little lecture on being late. “Passengers are normally requested to be at the airport two hours before flight time,” you know. Because the whole world has nothing else to do but hang around the airport waiting to be patted down and have their boots examined. Once she was cleared, she couldn’t get through the glass door to the apron. The Air Canada representative wasn’t there. Could anyone contact her? Of course not, why would the security people want to have direct communications with the airline people? She was supposed to wait, passively, like good Canadians are always supposed to do when confronted by mindless, soul-destroying bureaucracy. She wasn’t supposed to get upset. She was supposed to be pleasant. She was supposed to turn her thoughts to the difficult lives of the security personnel, who were just doing their jobs, after all. And if their jobs don’t call for using a lick of sense — because federal security regulations don’t stipulate sense — that’s not their fault.
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Notes:
Kelly is taking a thumping in the comment’s section (quelle surprise) over this article he wrote but I can see his point. And Helena has apologized. In my view that should end it.
I was of two minds when I read that story… on the one hand I can sure understand the frustration of anybody who has to endure the dehumanising process of airport “security”… but on the other hand… had it been you or I who had the meltdown, we’d have been led away in handcuffs. The irony was impossible to miss… Helena being a member of the political elite who crafted these pathetically useless security rules.
Kinda reminds me of when the the late Ted Kennedy found himself on a “no fly” list.
Well she was dealing with Air Canada staff……..nuff said.
Ms. Guergis claimed PEI was a hellhole.
If that is the case heaven must be quite wonderful; probably something like Ottawa.
Re: #3 — She was tired and she was angry because all she wanted to do was get home. Completely normal reaction in my view. A lot more people should take up her cause because she spoke for all.
Hog wash Jack I should know cause she’s my MP and has been a total embarresment to her constituents. Shes been a ‘no show’ on a number of occasions after agreeing to speak at public functons in our riding. Its not the first time shes been in trouble being accused or poorly handling the Canadian Martin capor who was locked up in a Mexican prison for sometime. Its all there on the inter-net for viewing.
The PM needs to put her back as an ordinary Tory MP until she matures and gains more experience,
I don’t blame her your being upset with Air Canada. Been there done that, and now fly West Jet!!!!
I must say she looks to have a quick temper and she hasn’t even hit menopause yet!!
Come on people, the comments of off the mark. It has nothing to do with Air Canada or so-called “dehumanising” requirements at airports these days. There is absolutely nothing normal or acceptable in the way she acted. She behaved like a spoiled brat who has no respect for anyone or anything. Had this been a Liberal, you would all be calling for blood. Look at it without partisan glasses and I think you will come to the right decision. This is a woman who thinks she is far better than the lowly airport personnel that were just doing their jobs, who thinks she is far too important to follow the existing regulations, and who not only demands but expects special treatment.
If Harper and his PMO had any sense of decency, they would find a quiet means of getting rid of her. She is not fit to be a cabinet minister or, indeed, a member of parliament. Her constituents cannot but be ashamed of her. The only person who might legitimately be cheering her on is her husband, since it might take some the legal heat he is feeling (for cocaine possession!!! – what a wonderful couple) off of him.
My thoughts exactly Cunctator
A competent cabinet minister would have shown up somewhat more on time and realized that everybody else has to be put through meaningless indignities in the name of safety and moved on from that lesson to work toward safety screening that works rather than throw a tantrum because she should be treated special.
My time is at least as valuable as hers. I’m a lot older and statistically can expect a lot less time left. Yet, if I protested unreasonable actions/inactions only partially as vigorously as she did I would be arrested.
We went through a day’s delays and stupidity in the Calgary airport heading south after Christmas because the “USA insists on it” only to arrive in America airports where it was business as usual. I concluded that the Canadian airport security apparatus is hopelessly dysfunctional and paralyzed by a bureaucratic mindset that is incapable of developing effective, efficient solutions.
We spent part of January traveling in Mexico by Mexican buses. We traveled by luxury, first-class and second-class buses. Part of the operation of one second class bus dropped it below Aeroflot Canada standards, but other than that most operations were ones that could teach Aeroflot Canada/ Air Jazz a thing or two about customer focus and efficiency.
Good observation Cunctator and because of her continued childish behaviour, our riding may go to the LIEberals the next time around.
The Conservatives are far from being perfect, but their a better choice than their lieberal ‘kissing cousins’
Reading the entire article and a few of the comments at the article site generated a bit more thought and the additional observation – It looks like what happened was that the self importance of the cabinet minister trumped the self importance of airport and airline staff and one of them disliked that unusual event enough to send an anonymous letter.
If other staff reports that Ms. G. was “baited” are true it still doesn’t reflect well on her. Effective cabinet ministers don’t get mad they change things.
As far as costing the cons a loss to the Lieberals in the next election. The way the Cons are governing they probably don’t deserve a majority. They are following the world herd off the cliff with global warming belief and fighting carbon dioxide. They spend more than they bring in. They may be doing this to appease the mass of Canadian voters, but maybe as Canadians we don’t deserve good government if most of us that vote are in favour of such stupidity. I have let my CPC membership lapse in protest. What’s the point of backing a party that doesn’t live up to its principles? Or mine?
I agree with the original post defending her frustration since I have experienced similair situations at airports, However she has no one to blame but herself and possibly her entourage that plan her schedule for being late. Maybe she should have borrowed some weed from her husband and taken the edge off of her frustration
Re: #12 — “I agree with the original post defending her frustration…”
I agree also, John. If we count the number of MP’s that have been screamed about over the years for a small lapse in judgment they would number in the hundreds. But nobody else is being screamed about today. That would be because Canada is such a “no news” country and there is nothing else to write about.
If the media is not picking on our soldiers they go elsewhere in great excitement.
Truth be told — this is a five day story and then it will go away as Harper makes another “mistake”. And each time they pull this stuff they look worse as their credibility takes another hit.
Helena will remain where she is. Harper will not give her up to the sharks (I wouldn’t) and I think you should not have given the “pinheads” on the left any ammunition. That was bad judgment.
Exactly Jack!, It boils down to bad Judgement, simply said, now lets move on to other daily “bad judgments” of others that we will no doubt feel compelled to comment upon.
Cheers to fellow casual observers!