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Cooper's actions disgraceful, Scheer's response vapid

I write about remarks made by Mr. Michael Cooper, MP, at the May 28 justice committee meeting in Ottawa.

I write about remarks made by Mr. Michael Cooper, MP, at the May 28 justice committee meeting in Ottawa. As has been noted elsewhere Mr. Cooper clearly came to the meeting “loaded for bear” with prepared remarks and a quotation by the alleged Christchurch shooting terrorist ready to use to insult witness Mr. Faisal Khan Suri and to make a pitch that people like him are out to smear “conservatives.” The Gazette’s editorial on Wed., June 5, was a good summation of what happened and enunciated outstanding questions Mr. Cooper really needs to answer.

Mr. Suri did not disparage “conservatives” in general. He did reference a truism that extreme right-wing groups do foment hatred and that they’re on the conservative side of the political spectrum. Mr. Cooper’s actions and words, however, made an outstanding example of bias and bigotry toward a Canadian Muslim and his organization.

It's unbelievably ironic that Cooper actually proved the point he falsely accused Mr. Suri of trying to make. Even worse, all he got as a result was a laughably small hand slap from CPC leader Andrew Scheer.

Cooper and the CPC are using Trump-like “dog whistle” politics to appeal to right-wing voters. They’re actually worse than Trump because even he didn’t directly insult either the neo-Nazis or anti-fascists during the Charlottesville, Virginia violence of August 2017. Cooper, unlike Trump, came right out of the blocks at Mr. Suri.

Cooper’s disgraceful actions and Scheer’s vapid and two-faced response should be punished by St. Albert voters in the federal election this fall.

David Merritt, St. Albert

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