We have now learned of a second conservative cabinet minister who flipped out at an airport security screening. Minister Helena Guergis flipped out on February 23, 2010 and whined and yelled at security officials at the Charlottetown airport. Veteran Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn flipped out at the Ottawa International Airport when he was returning from his vacation in Mexico. He flipped out when security officials seized his bottle of tequila because it exceeded the 100-millilitre liquid limit rules for carry-on items. I guess the vacation in Mexico should have been a little longer.
Is it is time for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to expect more than a simple apology when his cabinet members flip out in public? It is the Harper government that promotes strong security at our airports to protect Canadians from criminal elements like terrorism. Why should his cabinet members expect to be exempted from the rules that other Canadians must obey? Harper isn’t soft on security so why is he soft on his cabinet ministers? Can it possibly be that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has lost the iron grip he has had on his cabinet and caucus? Either way, having what amounts to a tequila tantrum is an unacceptable behavior for any member of Harper’s cabinet. Is it reasonable for the public to expect more from our elected officials? I believe it is!