[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Jacob]

Okay, I have to draw the line here.  There is no "overt racism" at The Rebel.  You can probably say there is some hidden racism by some of the contributors, but it's not in the open.

Do you think "stoking the fires of overt racism" is equivalent to exhibiting "overt racism"?

[Grey Fox]

I am so happy with what Julie Payette had said. I liked her before, now I love her.

It appals me that the conservative are all bent out of shape because the GG is now somehow political. Religion is not politics.

[Jacob]

I am so happy with what Julie Payette had said. I liked her before, now I love her.

It appals me that the conservative are all bent out of shape because the GG is now somehow political. Religion is not politics.

What did she say?

[Grey Fox]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/governor-general-speech-julie-payette-climate-change-1.4384481

On Wednesday night, Gov. Gen. Julie Payette appeared as keynote speaker at the Canadian Science Policy Conference in Ottawa. From her podium there, she took on everyone from climate-change deniers to religious observers:

"Can you believe that still today in learned society, in houses of government, unfortunately, we're still debating and still questioning whether humans have a role in the Earth warming up or whether even the Earth is warming up, period," she said.

Payette's delivery was theatrical, her tone incredulous:

"And we are still debating and still questioning whether life was a divine intervention or whether it was coming out of a natural process let alone, oh my goodness, a random process.

"And so many people — I'm sure you know many of them — still believe, want to believe, that maybe taking a sugar pill will cure cancer, if you will it!

"And every single one of the people here's personalities can be determined by looking at planets coming in front of invented constellations."

The article author also goes on on how the GG is apolitical. I disagree.

[Malthus]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/governor-general-speech-julie-payette-climate-change-1.4384481

On Wednesday night, Gov. Gen. Julie Payette appeared as keynote speaker at the Canadian Science Policy Conference in Ottawa. From her podium there, she took on everyone from climate-change deniers to religious observers:

"Can you believe that still today in learned society, in houses of government, unfortunately, we're still debating and still questioning whether humans have a role in the Earth warming up or whether even the Earth is warming up, period," she said.

Payette's delivery was theatrical, her tone incredulous:

"And we are still debating and still questioning whether life was a divine intervention or whether it was coming out of a natural process let alone, oh my goodness, a random process.

"And so many people — I'm sure you know many of them — still believe, want to believe, that maybe taking a sugar pill will cure cancer, if you will it!

"And every single one of the people here's personalities can be determined by looking at planets coming in front of invented constellations."

The article author also goes on on how the GG is apolitical. I disagree.

The GG may be apolitical, but are these really political matters? She appears to be ridiculing belief in provable nonsense - I don't see any harm in doing that. People are allowed to believe in nonsense if they want to, but there is no reason why the GG should be prohibited from mocking them for doing so.

[crazy canuck]

Nothing in what Scheer had to say was anti-science.

Payette would have been fine if she kept her comments to horoscopes and climate-scepticism.  But she crossed the line when she said "We are still debating and still questioning whether life was a divine intervention or whether it was coming out of a natural process let alone, oh my goodness, a random process"

Yes.  We are still questioning it.  I do believe that life (and human sentience) are as a result of divine intervention.

Her reference was to creationists who deny evolution. We are not still questioning that.  You might be.  You are the one Scheer is speaking to.

[Camerus]

Believing that "life was a divine intervention" isn't necessarily the same as not believing in evolution. She's basically stating that God had zero role in the creation of life, and if you don't believe that, she's incredulous at your stupidity.  Now that may be your view and it is perhaps a reasonable one, but it's also reasonable for religious people to take issue with her tone, manner of framing it, and use of her platform to do so.

[crazy canuck]

Believing that "life was a divine intervention" isn't necessarily the same as not believing in evolution. She's basically stating that God had zero role in the creation of life, and if you don't believe that, she's incredulous at your stupidity.  Now that may be your view and it is perhaps a reasonable one, but it's also reasonable for religious people to take issue with her tone, manner of framing it, and use of her platform to do so.

No, she is basically stating that if you still think evolution is a debatable, then she is incredulous at our stupidity.

"We are still debating and still questioning whether life was a divine intervention or whether it was coming out of a natural process let alone, oh my goodness, a random process"

[Camerus]

You may read that statement as referring specifically to evolution, but it is far from clear that that was what she meant. It could just as easily be talking about the origin of life - and in fact the phrase "life was a divine intervention", while making no reference to evolution, supports that interpretation.

So if she was speaking solely of evolution, it was not clearly worded.

[PRC]

This current GG has a background in computational linguistics... not that this particular background gives her any credibility as an orator or speechwriter, but I do imagine that her speech was calculated.

[Jacob]

So that's the story in Alberta then? That the Liberal appointed GG is making inappropriate anti-religious political statements?

[Barrister]

So that's the story in Alberta then? That the Liberal appointed GG is making inappropriate anti-religious political statements?

Not just Alberta.

http://nationalpost.com/opinion/rex-murphy-governor-general-places-herself-as-umpire-of-questions-of-faith-science

[Jacob]

Rex Murphy 

... but point taken. Not just Alberta. Guess we're in for the religious right getting offended as a political force. That'll be great.

[Camerus]

I'm not sure it's great either importing clichés from the US political landscape to try and marginalize legit criticism of the GG overstepping her bounds.

I'm hardly much of a militant rightist. I supported Trudeau last election (but don't think I'll vote for him again to be honest) and plan to vote NDP in the next provincial election. However, I don't find it appropriate for the GG to make those statements. Is it a huge deal? No. But it's big enough that she deserves to be called on it.

[crazy canuck]

Rex Murphy 

... but point taken. Not just Alberta. Guess we're in for the religious right getting offended as a political force. That'll be great.

That's the main reason I posted the story.  From Conservative supporters chanting "lock her up" when talking about Notley, Conservatives defending the Rebel, to this, the parallels with the Right in the US are at least worrying.