This is not good television

I was appalled by Peter Mansbridge’s questioning of Steph Dion last night. I only saw one part of the interview, the part where Mansbridge rather nastily raised the non-issue “issue” that Dion’s mother is from France.

When did the CBC become xenophobic?

Clearly we are meant to suspect that if he became PM Steph would annex Canada to France because, well, his mother’s from France, so he has no loyalty to Canada, right? What an assholian question that was. Mansbridge could hem and haw all he wanted and claim that he wasn’t attacking Steph, but of course he was. Just by raising the fact he implied that’s there something wrong with having a leader whose mother is not Canadian. Because surely nobody else in this country has a parent born outside Canada. Even Mansbridge himself admitted he had a British parent. But I guess that doesn’t matter. Maybe Petey can get a job at the BBC.

Steph to his credit, though angry, didn't say anything rude. Basically he told Mansbridge he had no right to question his loyalty to Canada. End of story.

Personally I found Steph’s mother to be a hoot. On the day after his election, she was asked if she was excited about the possibility of her son becoming Prime Minister. She lifted her shoulders in a classic gallic shrug and said “well, if that’s what he wants.” I believe the correct word for her is apolitical.