Monday, June 11, 2001
Insulting courage, the Anders/Mandela affair - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- Forget the MP pay hike or Stockwell Day’s comedy of errors in retaining the Alliance leadership. The latest point of news and public affairs captivation from Ottawa late last week, was that of the twenty-nine year old Rob Anders and his caustic comments with regards to Nelson Mandela. Anders, the Alliance MP for Calgary West, prevented the House of Commons from adopting a motion that would grant honorary citizenship to Nelson Mandela. The motion was proposed by Markham Liberal MP, John McCallum. (McCallum, if you’ll recall was touted as the star candidate of last November’s election. He’s late of the Royal Bank, where he was a well-respected economist; he’s also been touted as cabinet material.) Anders vociferously denied the unanimous consent needed for the motion to stand in the Commons. After that incident, he was quoted as calling Mandela “a terrorist and communist.” Prime Minister Jean Chrétien called Anders’ assessment “horrible” and “stupid.”
I have always admired Nelson Mandela. He was a champion for the end of apartheid and he has twenty-seven years of imprisonment on his life as a testament to his unwavering commitment and conviction. However, while totally disagreeing with Anders’ point of view, one must take stock and admire the stance Anders is taking. Anders, is a through and through conservative. While being interviewed by the CBC he said, “I would say that in thirty years from now, Nelson Mandela will not be lionised as much as he is today.” That, while behind him hung a giant photograph of Margaret Thatcher. (Bashfully, I’ll admit I have that same photograph hanging in front of my desk as I type.) Now, it’s clear he’s a blue conservative, bluer than most will care for, but he does make a hapless yet understandable case.
This story has brung the brunt of political correctness to the forefront. It’s obvious -- with the admiration and friendship of people like Prime Minister Chrétien, Brian Mulroney, Margaret Thatcher and others -- that Nelson Mandela is a revered giant in our collective consciousness. I have an undying admiration for Mr. Mandela, but what troubles me is this ‘power in numbers’ concept. While I believe that Mr. Mandela is a true example of what we could all aspire to, I find it quite scary Rob Anders is getting hell for what he’s said. Sure Anders appears a belligerent fool, but just because he goes against the grain -- he goes against the popular and current frame of thought -- why should he get pilloried so.
I’ll admit he could have gone through it all with a bit more class and dignity. I believe in the adherence to the rule that easy does it. Rob Anders went for passion, rather than reason. I don’t applaud Anders for speaking out, because I just don’t agree with him. What I do acknowledge of his humiliating actions is that he did what he felt he had to do, just as Mandela did fighting against apartheid and being such a courageous example of freedom.
McCallum’s motion will be debated upon on Tuesday. That’s what Anders wanted first and foremost last Wednesday. He did not feel the granting of citizenship be done right there on the spot, as proposed by Mr. McCallum. Anders felt that there be debate. There will be. I think that’s a testament of freedom, that Rob Anders, the ultra-conservative from Calgary gets his chance to debate on Tuesday. It is totally unnecessary to debate whether an upstanding man like Nelson Mandela be given honorary citizenship, but I think it’s the same freedom, Nelson Mandela fought in his land for. It’s the same freedom Nelson Mandela spent twenty-seven years in prison for.
Rob Anders rightfully deserves the disrepute and shame for the embarrassment he’s caused on himself, his party and our country. But perhaps in thirty years, he could become a mere footnote as someone who utilised a system that is fading as we speak. Democracy is not the simplest and most conventional of systems, but it’s the one we pay lip service to today. Democracy is best served with a whole gamut of experiences and personalities, not just those that are politically expedient, fashionable, or those that are endorsed by the majority. It may be that Nelson Mandela was a communist. It may be he was a terrorist. But this is a clear case of hindsight always being 20/20. Down the road, history may exonerate Rob Anders and Mandela may fall from his elevated grace. Whatever the case I find it refreshing to have such a debate. It totally bolsters the fact Canadians can come together and divide. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing if you ask me.
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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .