Will Jason Kenney Apologize to Hungarian-Canadians?

James Bezan is a Conservative MP of Ukrainian descent. He took a few seconds of Michael Ignatieff's Gemini award winning documentary: Blood and Belonging, to paint Ignatieff as a bigot, for comments made in the piece, reflecting on the memories of his youth.



Every now and then a small group of protesters will show up at an event, demanding an apology. One that Michael Ignatieff already formally gave, though I really felt that there was nothing to apologize for.

Had Bezan read the book without a partisan bias, there is a passage that he would have kept with him.

Ignatieff had interviewed the well known Ukrainian nationalist Mykola Horbal, who had been imprisoned many times by the Russians, for refusing to denounce his language, religion and customs.

Horbal's vision for the Ukraine was of one that would welcome Russians, though he certainly would have little reason to. But he says "One Russian defending the interests of Ukraine is more dear to us than a Ukrainian who does the same, for that is expected of him."

Isn't that what multiculturalism is about? People of all nations defending the interests of Canada? And if you prefer something less "head in the clouds leftie", Scott Brison says that muticuluralism represents natural bridges to global markets.

I really detest the Conservative approach to immigrants, exploiting them for votes, and even pitting one group against another. Their newest attack ads suggesting that Ignatieff supports human smuggling. It's just so dirty and so un-Canadian.

The news yesterday was that Michael Ignatieff's wife had not yet received her Canadian citizenship. She was born in Hungary, holds a British citizenship, and has applied for her Canadians papers.

It's a cute human interest story, because it means that she won't be able to vote for her husband, but some of the spin put on this, even by those in the MSM, is deplorable.

When Jason Kenney was being interviewed for Paul Well's book, Right Side Up, he said: "What’s Ignatieff’s wife’s name again? [Ignatieff is married to Zsuzsanna] Exactly. So in the next election it’s Steve and Laureen vs. Count Michael and What’s-Her-Name. It’s almost a dream for us.”

"Count Michael and What’s-Her-Name"? Choosing to keep her Hungarian name makes her unworthy somehow? The brunt of jokes? I've met her and she is one of the nicest, down to earth people.

I don't remember a time when ethnicity was such an issue in this country. It's horrible. And if the media allows this, and in fact continues to fuel it, they should be ashamed.

Let's stick to what's important, beginning with why they are giving Stephen Harper a free ride on Contempt of Parliament, allowing him to instead suggest that his party fell because of a budget that was never voted on.