Stephen Harper Comparing His Losing an Election to the Japanese Tsunami Sums up His Five Years in Power

When Stephen Harper first compared the possibility of an election and his losing power, to the horrible Tsunami in Japan, I was livid. I posted a rant on my blog that I later deleted, feeling that it was a little over the top. But then I was mad at myself for deleting it, because it reflected my anger over the arrogance of a man, who would try to turn a tragedy into a political talking point.

As Aaron Wherry so succinctly put it: This is no time for democracy

I've since realized that Stephen Harper's response to this disaster sums up his five year hold on power. There is one thing, and one thing only, that drives this man, and that's his love of self. Everything those around him do, must be to the benefit of Stephen Harper.

If there is nothing in it for him, then there's nothing in it.

His reaction speaks to his narcissism, in the same way that his removing all historic portraits in his surroundings on Parliament Hill, and replacing them with photographs of himself, does.

It speaks to his contempt for those less fortunate, that allows him to blatantly ignore recommendations to help alleviate poverty in Canada. His party recently lost another high profile candidate who claimed that "... there's no humanity, no soul, there's no kindness, there's no femininity — the things that give people the greatest pleasure in life are absent. Feeling acknowledged, feeling understood, feeling respect, they're just not there." And what were her crimes that earned her a stripping down from the party elite? She spoke to the media without permission and advocated for the homeless. Two cardinal sins in Harper's world.

His crass comments also speak to his disinterest in helping Canadians abroad. From Brenda Martin to Suaad Hagi Mohamud. And now he is also failing Canadians living and working in Japan, by refusing to help evacuate the stranded. "The situation is very critical, ... we are probably going to die here unless the Canadian government gets us out."

And in a more literal sense, this also speaks to the imminent danger imposed by Japan's nuclear stations, where safety warnings had been ignored. When Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission president Linda Keen warned the Harper government of safety concerns at Chalk River, she was fired, and there are now traces of nuclear waste in the Ottawa River. Of course, his allowing companies to dump it there doesn't help.

Which speaks to his commitment to profits coming before people, and makes us wonder just how safe our own nuclear stations are, especially in light of the small earthquake this week, where tremors were "felt from Ottawa to the Greater Montreal Region".

So maybe the current political situation in Canada is like a Tsunami. A huge wave is exposing this government's corruption, secrecy and disdain for democracy. And there is a loud thunderous roar from the disenfranchised while the sirens are blaring.

Time for Stephen Harper and his gang of thugs to head for higher ground.

I hear the Himalayas are nice this time of year.