Retire this Lieutenant

April 18th, 2005: "Stephen Harper is a more ardent provincialist and separatist than even Gilles Duceppe," said [Joe] Volpe, who's also the Liberal Party's Ontario lieutenant.

May 3rd, 2005: The Conservatives want an apology from Immigration Minister Joe Volpe for comparing them to the Ku Klux Klan. The Opposition party is made up of racists, Volpe said Tuesday, calling members recognizable "notwithstanding that they don't have their cowl and their cape..." "The Klan looks like it's still very much alive," the minister added.


Memo to the Prime Minister:

Hey. Remember your address to the nation a few nights ago? When you said: "My father was a cabinet minister in four Liberal governments. He taught me that those who serve in public office have a duty to protect the integrity of government. My pledge to you tonight is that I will live up to that ideal. I went into public life because I believe in the good that government can do. And I will do my all as prime minister to make sure that your government is worthy of your respect."

You want to be worthy of my (anyone's) respect? Then put a stop to this fearmongering, this name-calling, this base hypocritical campaign strategy. Stop perpetuating this descent into gutter politics and try and win on something more than the simple demonization of the Opposition as separatists, rascists, bigots, etc...

You talk about government integrity? Set an example. Get Joe Volpe out of your Cabinet. And start cleaning this hyperbolic nonsense up. Please?