Deepak Obhrai, CPC Calgary-East, isn’t in the mood to debate.
Why should he be? Calgary East has been various shades of conservative since the end of the Second World War. You could paint a pig blue in that riding and it’d get a thumping majority. So it shouldn’t matter that he’s not the sharpest sword in the armoury. Or that he was implicated in the mistreatment of Canadian citizen Abousfian Abdelrazik.
This is, after all, a part of the world where Rob Anders coasts to easy victories. Don Martin’s sardonic comment, “In a Commons loaded with lightweights, Calgary West’s MP almost defies gravity” applies equally well to Obhrai. But the problem with lightweights becomes apparent only when they open their mouths.
Well, Obhrai went and did.
Conservative Calgary East MP Deepak Obhrai says one reason he will not attend an all-candidates forum next week in his riding is that he is not interested in debating “a Liberal from Toronto.”
That would be his Calgary-born Liberal opponent, Josipa Petrunic, who grew up in the riding and is employed as a researcher at the University of Toronto, but conducts her work at the University of Calgary.
Obhrai’s insulting condescension towards Petrunic, whom he describes as “just visiting” Calgary, is appalling. She is the daughter of Croatian immigrants and fluent in English, French and Croatian, competent in Italian and German, and studying Arabic and Mandarin. Her international academic credentials are impressive. In addition to her post-doctoral research, she runs a small business. Young, savvy and politically engaged, she would be a credit to any party.
Obhrai enlarges:
“I do not wish to debate a Liberal from Toronto,” Obhrai added. “I debated (Ontario Liberal incumbent) Bob Rae from Toronto on (television). I don’t see why I should debate with another Toronto person.”
Harper is presently trying to woo Toronto. But Team West apparently considers the T-name to be an insult of some kind. Even going to university there is enough to taint a born-and-raised Calgarian, like his Liberal opponent.
Toronto, take note. This is what Harper’s bedrock base really thinks of you. You know what to do on May 2.
Call it Eastern alienation.
