Irony alert: the Senate edition

When Mike Duffy stood up in the Senate chamber on Tuesday, he delivered a blistering speech full of allegations about blackmail and extortion involving the Prime Minister’s Office.

It’s brutal stuff for Stephen Harper’s government, and the press are having a field day.

What you likely won’t read is the rich irony underlining some of Duffy’s zingers. Here’s a sampling:

Irony alert #1:

“This motion is something one might expect to see in Iraq or Iran or in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, but not in democratic Canada” — Duffy says to a room full of unelected people who actually pass laws – and even kill bills passed by the elected folks in the House of Commons.

Irony alert #2:

“Today you have an opportunity to stand strong and use your power to restrain the unaccountable power of the PMO” — Duffy says to a room full of unaccountable people who have been appointed to Canada’s Parliament until they turn 75. 

Irony alert #3:

“it deprives me, not only of a paycheque but of a health plan, of life insurance… Who is going to buy the heart drugs I need” — Duffy says while the Conservative government, with the support of Conservative senators, continues to fire thousands of federal public servants as part of its cost-cutting measures.

Bonus irony:

David Smith, Liberal senator and longtime party activist (who did double duty as Liberal campaign co-chair for the 2011 election), speaking out against the government’s motion. Who said the Senate isn’t a place for party hacks?

Photo: chocolatedisco. Used under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0 licence.