Bad Day at the Office ? Conservative MPs Outbursts, Private Remarks reflect on Harper

How do you feel when you see somebody making a scene in public ? Do you cringe while he or she yells and stomps their feet ? Do you avert your gaze when they curse the world and everyone within spitting range ? Do you feel bad that others sharing the temper tantrum thrower's space have to put up with such juvenile behaviour ?

What if the tantrum thrower in question was a federal cabinet minister ?

That's exactly what happened last Friday at the Charlottetown airport on Prince Edward Island. Helena Guergis, Minister of State for the Status of Women, threw a massive tantrum (with help from an assistant) when she arrived 15 minutes before her flight was due to depart. According to the Globe and Mail's story about the incident, Guergis threw a mother of a tantrum (aided by the assistant) after arriving 15 minutes before her flight was due to depart. Apparently, Guergis and her lovely assistant kicked at the gate's glass security doors while the junior minister made a fool of herself.

Even before the pair reached the flight's boarding gates, "When (Guergis and her assistant) reached security, she ran through the metal detectors, (the source) said, setting off the bells. 'She took her boots off and she threw them at a security official, he said, berating them the whole time."

Guergis has since apologized, although her contriteness hasn't stopped the opposition Liberals from calling for her resignation. As a happy coincidence, this was the same day that Transportation Minister John Baird announced the introduction of a new airport security fee. Of course Baird had the inside scoop — he knew the tax is intended to protect Canadian travelers from mean-spirited federal Conservative MPs.

If Helena Guergis's lapse in judgment had been an anomaly I wouldn't be writing this post. But it wasn't. Since Stephen Harper came to power there's been a string of incidents, probably more than I could count on both hands if I chose to, where his MPs and cabinet ministers make asses of themselves in public. But it's more than that — these instances show what kind of office culture flourishes in Harper's government.

I'm sure most people reading this have had an experience with a boss from hell they would like to forget. Working in an office where you're berated constantly, or where the boss is just a garden variety bully, is unpleasant. And if the person is running a company (or a government) that attitude could easily trickle down. Why, it might even be adopted by his or her top lieutenants (in this case, cabinet ministers)

Canada is not alone here. Recent news from Britain has revealed that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has a rather nasty temper.

Here's a few examples of Conservative ministers who thought they were speaking 'off the record':

1) John Baird's infamous telling off of Toronto. While attending a meeting in British Columbia, Baird wandered into a meeting room. Speaking to aides (and unaware of a reporter listening in) Baird vented about Toronto mayor David Miller's desire to use stimulus funding from Ottawa for the purchase of new TTC streetcars. Toronto's plans for these federal dollars didn't match the Conservatives' guidelines for how the money would be allocated.

"Twenty seven hundred (cities) got it right. They didn't. This is not a partnership and they're bitching at us. They should fuck off," Baird said.

2) MP Lisa Raitt, formerly the Natural Resources Minister, was caught on tape dishing to aide Jasmine MacDonnell about Canada's medical isotope shortage. Said Raitt, "(the isotope issue is) sexy. Radioactive leaks. Cancer." That embarrassment lost MacDonnell her job, but Raitt held on, at least until Harper shuffled (demoted ?) her to Minister of Labour.

What a nasty work environment these people must have to deal with to behave in this fashion. And despite the fact that apologies were forthcoming in all cases, I firmly believe that what somebody says in private is more truthful than any public remorse that might follow.

I, for one, can't wait until the next federal election comes. I eagerly await a Liberal platform. And I'm also going to be closely following the party's conference in Montreal at the end of March, Canada at 150: Rising to the Challenge.

On another topic, U.S. President Barack Obama held a marathon 6 hour meeting on health care with powerful Democratic and Republican politicians yesterday at Blair House in Washington. I continue to be impressed that Obama is reaching out to his political opponents and asking for their constructive contributions to reforming America's health care system. I hope those who cared enough to pay attention came away from viewing the debates with an understanding of the stubborn and exhausting opposition to his legislative proposals that Obama has to put up with every day from Republicans.

One more point of interest; in yesterday's Toronto Star fire-tongued columnist Rosie DiManno published two 'Babes of the Games' lists — one for the men and one for the women. I'm quite pleased that U.S. figure skater Johnny Weir, an inspiring human being, made Rosie's list. Weir deserves the praise for his poise, thoughtful quotes, and overall class and dignity.

Toronto the Protestant ? Valentine's Day in the Ice Box

Valentine's Day is tomorrow. Yes, February 14, that day every year when couples are expected to exchange overpriced, tacky Hallmark cards to profess their love. Chocolates are also big. But even the most amateur coffee table sociologist will tell you that Valentine's Day is really about getting laid.

With that said, I turn to two of Toronto's alternative publications for their takes on V-Day. The current issue of NOW Magazine on the stands is the Love & Sex issue. In 'Toronto the Cold' by Joshua Errett, the writer digs for answers about why Hogtown is so harsh when it comes to finding other horny sluts who want it as much as you do. Errett interviews Justin Parfitt, CEO of dating company FastLife, who puts his finger on the psychological baggage that weighs heavy on Torontonians. "We put up barriers that seem to come from previous generations... there's a sense of reserve here that simply doesn't exist elsewhere," Parfitt told NOW. Maybe we've taken our mothers' advice not to talk to strangers to heart.

What barriers from previous generations would those be ? Shawn Hitchins nails them in his cover story for the current Fab Magazine, 'Are Toronto gays heartless ?' Hitchins writes, "Toronto has white Protestant roots, a work-based culture and an identity that disseminates into the smaller communities and municipalities that feed its' workforce." My own experiences after living in Toronto for 6 years confirm this. A shared sense of reserve and uptight morals dominates this city's social environs.

Last night I asked an acquaintance if he'd ever cruised at a certain Starbucks on Church Street. His answer: "I'm not that kind of girl." This is admittedly a very general example. But I've seen so many similar instances over the years I've been here that the sum of my impressions have formed a nearly complete portrait of the city's psychology when it comes to sex and relationships.

That said, I don't mean it's impossible to meet people or form lasting relationships in Toronto. But there's certainly a high level of difficulty involved. This isn't to say that everyone can, or should, get along. But we can certainly make things easier by finding a way, collectively, to ditch this useless religious baggage. There's no point in being burdened in the 21st century. We should realize by now that nothing is true and everything is permitted, to borrow Hassan-i Sabbah's famous quote.

On an unrelated topic, the 2010 Olympic Games opened in Vancouver last night. I'm looking forward to catching some of the Figure Skating competitions. I'm curious to see what U.S. competitor Johnny Weir will perform. You can watch him performing to Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face' here to get an idea of how talented and tight the man's routines are. And here's a short interview clip where Weir shows his thoughtfulness and intelligence.