A short time ago, Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer made a major speech in which he boldly and correctly stated that the Conservative Party of Canada rejects all those who espouse racism and Islamophobia. Quite correctly he stated that they were not welcome in his party.
Then along comes Conservative St. Albert-Edmonton MP Michael Cooper, deputy chair of the House of Commons justice committee and deputy Conservative justice critic. He insulted a committee witness, the respected president of the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council.
Cooper had the audacity to read into the record excerpts from the manifesto of the alleged New Zealand mass murderer, child killer and Islamophobe (maybe he could have read excepts from Mein Kampf as well). Cooper's reaction to the witness's testimony was planned. It was not an emotional reaction to what Cooper heard.
I am not surprised by Cooper's behaviour. After all, he is the most partisan MP in Canada, having been named by the Speaker more than 16 times for heckling (something the St. Albert Gazette has never condemned). What is most disturbing is Andrew Scheer's mild slap on the wrist for Cooper's behaviour. Cooper should have been expelled from the caucus and the Conservative Party and not be allowed to be a Conservative candidate in the fall election. Otherwise, Mr. Scheer's speech against racism and Islamophobia is just so much gratuitous hot air.
MP Cooper is a disgrace to Albertans, Canadians, the St. Albert-Edmonton constituency association and the Conservative Party of Canada. Perhaps the local Conservative constituency association will show more intestinal fortitude than Mr. Scheer and will deny Cooper the Conservative nomination. Constituents can only hope. We deserve better than Cooper.
Bryan Corbett, St. Albert
