Bernier's Brainless Blunders

Thirty nine weeks after assuming the minefield post as Canada's Foreign Minister, Maxime Bernier has resigned, leaving behind a trail of diplomatic gaffes and blunders. The resignation is about failure to uphold standards regarding government documents, insists Prime Minister Stephen Harper, regardless of who the minister is, regardless of his personal life. Bernier admitted to leaving secret NATO briefing documents at his "Ex-girlfriend's" apartment in April, a relationship he claimed was over after questions were continuously raised about the propriety of maintaining personal relations with one who has links to organized criminal groups.

Julie Couillard came to prominence when Bernier was promoted by PM Harper from Industry Minister to Foreign Minister. Their relationship came under scrutiny by virtue of Couillard's relationship with a biker gang member who was assassinated. She subsequently married a member of the same gang whom she quickly divorced. Bernier's judgment in pursuing relations with Couillard in contrast to his position was considered reckless, and his returning to her apartment after a supposed break-up raises more questions. The fact that he forgot the classified documents in her home shows a careless, unfocused, and disoriented disposition unfit for a position he holds. Speculations suggest that the resignation is a result of a series of errors Bernier has committed as Foreign Minister, and the document issue is the last straw. Others point to a deception he undertook regarding the break-up with Couillard.

On a tour in Afghanistan, Bernier blurted out that President Hamid Karzai should replace the controversial Kandahar governor, implying that the Afghan government was being dictated upon by foreign powers. In Rome, he volunteered to assist the aid effort to Burma by committing Canada's new C-17 cargo planes to airlift the World Food Program's relief goods. The problem was that the aircraft was not ready and the Canadian government had to rent the Russian version - an expensive and embarrassing mistake. He also mixed up the Haitian President's name with that of the predecessor. His entire term as foreign minister was compared to his unapproved distribution of Jos Louis pastries in Afghanistan, that he was better at giving pastries than anything else. His pathetic lack of preparation during the regular question hour at the House of Commons made him a regular opposition target.

Bernier burst into the political scene in January 2006, after winning 67% of the popular vote in the rural riding south of Quebec, a position held by his former MP father for over 10 years. He was tapped by Harper as Foreign Minister to promote the Afghan mission to the politically influential province of Quebec. Bernier was chosen because of political considerations. He had the background, looks, charisma, youth, to go with being high profile, telegenic, bilingual, and electorally bankable. He was considered the key figure for the Conservative Party's renaissance in Quebec, and was on the rise faster than others. He was like the most upwardly mobile Greek since Icarus. But his stint unmasked what was woefully a function totally out of his depth. His unceremonious plummet from grace is made worse by insinuations that he was emotionally unstable as a result of the pressures on his relationship with Couillard.

There are doubts about his return to fame and glory in the immediate future. Perhaps he should lie low for some years, do some baking or sell Jos Louis pastries. Better yet, get himself a bike and ride into the sunset. Or, he could abdicate everything and marry Couillard and forsake politics altogether, to save the voters of Quebec from further shame.

Harrrrwwwwk...Twooooooph...Ting!