We’ll begin today with the CPC leadership convention. Maxime Bernier said to be the front runner, but odd twists happen during political leadership conventions which by 3rd or 4th ballots have seen non-favourites at the outset squeeze up the middle as an eventual consensus pick. We’ve heard the names of Erin O’Toole and Andrew Scheer as such possibles, but long shots, particularly with Kevin O’Leary having thrown his support behind Maxime Bernier?
It looks to me as though the Conservatives do indeed have some strong possible successors to Stephen Harper who in the lifetime of political candidacy, will not have a great deal of time to convince uncommitted Canadian voters to opt for them in 2019. However, as recent history shows, politics is if anything, unpredictable.
The spectre of urban terrorism reared its violent head days ago in Manchester. Is facing terror delivered by individuals who blend seamlessly into the communities they are attacking, the alarming scenario for the future? Are political leaders really leading, or repeating talking points following mass killings of civilians? Dr. Christian Leuprecht, political science professor at Queen’s University and the Royal Military College and international expert on the issue of terrorism, joins us today.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s personally driven Bill C-6 is assuring Zakaria Amara of the Toronto 18 terror group whose plan was to explode a truck bomb in downtown Toronto, will see Canadian citizenship returned to him (he is a dual Jordanian/Canadian).
Trudeau specified in a speech in Winnipeg in 2015 that convicted terrorists who are dual citizens will not have their Canadian citizenship rescinded as the Conservative government of Stephen Harper’s Bill C-24 permitted. Do you support Mr. Trudeau on this? We’ll take your calls.
Gord Bibby’s cousin Robert Hall was beheaded by the Philippine-based terror organization Abu Sayyaf almost one year ago. Mr. Bibby and his family are challenging Ottawa’s determination that no ransom will be negotiated for any Canadian hostages held by terror groups. Abu Sayyaf was attempting such negotiations.
There was also a military option to free Robert Hall and his Canadian co-captive John Ridsdel in the Philippines, but word is Prime Minister Trudeau refused that choice.
Mr. Bibby will join me to express his and his family’s disappointment in a letter they received from interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose, in which Ms. Ambrose supports the ‘no ransom’ policy.
Lesley Bikos is a former London, Ont., police officer and PhD candidate in sociology at Western University. Ms. Bikos is studying Canadian police forces for the impact of police life on the personal lives of Canada’s police. There is a correlation between RCMP sexual harassment of women on the force and police work, says Ms. Bikos.
She will be joined by Atoya Montague, civilian employee of the RCMP against whom the force has initiated dismissal proceedings and who has been on air with us regularly to detail her plight.
She was acknowledged as a victim by the federal Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale, but even though former auditor general Sheila Fraser’s report on Ms. Montague’s and three other RCMP female officers’/employees’ experiences within the force support the claims of harassment, the force and government appear indifferent, and Montague is almost financially destitute fighting her court battle against the RCMP. There have been developments this week, and Atoya joins Bikos.
It’s Saturday, so Beauties and the Beast time with Catherine Swift (WorkingCanadians.ca) at the CPC leadership convention, Linda Leatherdale (former Money editor of the Toronto Sun) and Michelle Simson (former Liberal MP and seatmate to Trudeau) have their say with me about the issues we’ve chosen from this week’s headlines.
Roy Green is the host of The Roy Green Show and a commentator for Global News.
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