August 31, 1999

Patronage vs. Peerage - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

I was on hiatus a couple of weeks ago when media baron, Conrad Black’s lawsuit was put forth on Prime Minister Jean Chretien. Black was set to receive a peerage to Britain’s House of Lords, but at the last minute was barred from receiving the honor. Black, who owns Holinger Inc., the company that owns Southam, the nation’s largest newspaper chain, had been conferred the honor, but had to obtain dual citizenship. Through Black’s buddy, Tony Blair, Great Britain’s Prime Minister, he obtained all the proper paperwork, and at the last minute, Privy Council, which had the last say, blocked Black’s peerage. Conrad Black who is one of the country’s richest men, is suing the Prime Minister for $25,000 for embarrassment he had received. The PMO has said they were upholding an archaic precedence, The Nickel Resolution, which prevents Canadian’s from receiving foreign honors. Prime Minister Blair, to avoid embarrassment for The Queen, has since canceled Mr. Black’s entrance into Britain’s House of Lords.

Now, honors for the rich may be deserved. I’m not a fan of Conrad Black, nor am I a fan of Mr. Chretien, but I have to take Conrad Black’s side. Many many Canadians have received peerages from the House of Lords, but never have they been denied on the sole precedence set by The Nickel Resolution. The Prime Minister is hiding beside this lame excuse just to punish Conrad Black, because his papers, mainly The National Post have not been giving him the most favorable of coverage. Once again, Mr. Chretien is abusing the powers of his office. What was he thinking? Blocking an honor to Black would punish him? Hell, our Prime Minister knows damned well he blocked the peerage, for revenge. I am sick to death with this administrations arrogance and utter contempt for the people. If Mr. Black were a Liberal, if he didn’t publish against the PM, he would have gotten it no problem. Mr. Chretien does not understand the difference between peerage and patronage. He practices the later, and does it in a most conniving of ways. Its okay for Chretien to give good Liberals Senate appointments, or loyal assistant’s ambassadorships, but when a Canadian citizen who doesn’t agree with him is honored by a foreign body, he throws up the roadblocks.

Mr. Chretien said years ago he wouldn’t be like the Tories, the party we sent packing years ago, but he, like Mulroney are just the same. They love to grease their own palms and if you cross him, they’ll spurn you. I cannot wait until Mr. Chretien is sent into retirement. I’m sick to death with his arrogance and lies. Conrad Black should have received his honor, I am embarrassed for him, because our Prime Minister has shown his disregard for the freedoms of the people he is supposedly representing. Mr. Chretien is so happy when Canadians get prizes like The Nobel, Oscar or Grammy, in this instance, he has showed his other side, the petty and vindictive man that he is.

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