LeBlanc funeral puts Harper in communion controversy

[daleo]

Prime Minister Stephen Harper should not have accepted communion at Roméo LeBlanc's state funeral in Memramcook, N.B., the archbishop of Moncton said Wednesday.

Msgr. André Richard said the church law is clear, but he is not looking for any apologies or explanations from Harper or the Prime Minister's Office.

Cameras were rolling when communion hosts were offered to people attending the funeral for the former governor general on July 3.

Harper, who is a devout Protestant, accepted the host but appeared to put it in his program or his pocket, according to some onlookers.

However, a review of videotape shot at the event was inconclusive, and the Prime Minister's Office says Harper consumed the wafer, in accordance with Catholic law.
...
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2009/07/08/harper-archbishop.html

[CHIMO]

1. Maybe

Just maybe this could be turn into something that the PM brought about by being so smart.

Flaherty recalls days at Loyola High School
http://www2.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=0ab6f2bf-9758-4bd1-896e-d55eb3b0a649

[HeresyLives]

2. Here's the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTH9b6YJ6mc&feature=player_embedded

[CHIMO]

3. I Didn't

See him put in into his pocket.

If one watches the video looking for a consensus, then I would say just look at the people around him. They accepted the host and then consumed it.

He seemed oblivious to what was happening.

Either he is a complete idiot or he is a bigot.

How can one plan elections, gaining margins and pitting one group against another, without understanding fundamental aspects of your constituents.

Painting Quebec as a bad guy falls in line with the Reform philosophy.

Painting the Catholic religion as a bad guy falls in line with the Reform attitude.

[HeresyLives]

4. His hand is never near his mouth.

It is however, near his pocket.

Story now is that he ate it after he got back to his pew.

It gets more bizarre by the moment as Cons thrash about trying to salvage this mess.

[daleo]

6. I wondered about this point

There is usually a method to Harper's madness.

I have to wonder if this wasn't a subtle anti-Catholic, anti-Quebec signal to a certain part of his political base. Harper seems to have given up on Quebec (e.g. criticizing Dion's English skills, calling BQ traitors and pedophile enablers). He seems to be courting rural Ontario now, so this could all play into an effort to placate the anti-Quebec elements of that part of the country.

He also has to watch out for the rise of a right wing party, similar to the Reform party, especially in Alberta. Pandering to anti-Quebec and anti-Catholic sentiment would make sense from this point of view, as well.

This would all be based on mixed messages - "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" stuff. But the current version of the Conservative Party seems to be quite adept at that.

[Spazito]

5. Geez, for a micro-manager like harper to screw up like this is....

even more a hoot than usual. How hard would it be to 'google' Catholic religious ceremonies, etc, before attending a funeral at a Catholic church.

Oh, and 'slightly' OT, harper was LATE for a 'family photo op' at the G8......again! :rofl: