What are Stevie and Stockie up to?

They've been so quiet for the last year or so, with little evidence of Harper's suspected Hidden Agenda showing itself. Until last week, when without the benefit of parliamentary debate, Harpie and Stockie unilaterally decided that Canada was cool with allowing people to get the death penalty in other countries. The move put capital punishment, an issue that's been dead for years, front and center again. Suspicion. But...

"Naaahhhh, nothing to see here... move along..."

However, it's hard not to think of hidden agendas when the move follows a comprehensive opinion poll of 4,000 Canadians last summer, a poll in which, among questions about media usage and global warming, were hidden questions about capital punishment. To our credit, the poll showed we're opposed to it by a massive margin -- the Conservatives couldn't be seriously considering bringing back something that unpopular. And the principle of opposition to capital punishment is part of our international identity. Isn't it?

"The Conservative government will not co-sponsor a United Nations resolution calling for a global moratorium on the death penalty, breaking with a nearly decade-old tradition.

An official with the Foreign Affairs Department says Canada will vote in favour of the resolution when it comes to the floor of the UN General Assembly in December, but will not sponsor it."

Why not?

Something's going on here, something bad and wrong in every possible way. I haven't decided if this is some cynical attempt to secure those ultra-conservative votes that Harper's lost by not being more extreme or if it's leading to some way of forcing an election. Or if it's a policy the Conservatives really intend to pursue. The fact that we're even thinking about this at all means we're already on the slippery slope, just a little closer to being in the proud company of capital punishment shitholes like Saudi Arabia and Iran. Hang on tight.

What a relief

No need to worry about the implications of the Conservative government's sudden refusal to ask for clemency on behalf of Canadians facing the death penalty in other countries, because -- "Tories deny hidden agenda on death penalty":

"The Harper government scrambled yesterday to clarify its position on capital punishment amid opposition accusations that the Tories are harbouring a hidden agenda to bring back the death penalty in Canada.

The accusations followed Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day's surprise announcement Thursday that Canada will no longer seek clemency for Canadian murderers sentenced to death in other democratic countries after a fair trial.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper insisted the new policy is not a prelude to bringing back the death penalty in Canada. "We have no desire to open the debate on capital punishment here in Canada," he told reporters in Halifax."

Well of course they deny it; it wouldn't be a very "hidden" agenda if they fessed up to it, would it now? But seriously... one couldn't be blamed for wondering what's up with the sudden reversal in what's become standard procedure for such cases. Opposition to the death penalty being a Canadian principle, when a citizen -- no matter how much of a douchebag he may be -- is so sentenced in another jurisdiction, our government seeks clemency. This isn't interference in another country's due process, it's standing up for a Canadian principle.

I wondered if this was a way of gauging public opinion of capital punishment, especially when Stockie, in that sly, stupid way of his, insinuated that asking for clemency wouldn't send a good law and order message. Red herring alert!!! -- capital punishment has nothing to do with Canadian law and order. But it's hard to believe that even this current crop of Yeehaw Conservatives would consider a move as negative and controversial as bringing back capital punishment. It has little support even among Conservatives... or does it?

There's no better place to get a reading on the pulse of wingnut opinion than the good old Western Standard. If the Standard isn't grunting out its unequivocal support for capital punishment, it's safe to say none exists. Over at the Shitgun, I mean Snotgun, I mean Shotgun Blog, they're talking about it. But as I read through the comments I was surprised to find that although most felt the convict "had it coming to him", there was little enthusiasm for reviving capital punishment here. ("Little" meaning there was some -- "The death penalty saves lives!" squealed one character -- and Irony is alive and well at the Shotgun.)

So. Breathe a cautious sigh of relief. Judging by response at the Shotgun, it's unlikely that there's any hidden agenda to reintroduce the death penalty -- support for it would certainly be strongest in that rabid venue.

But it doesn't hurt to keep an eye on things!

UPDATE: On the other hand...

UPDATE 2: Mike has a more eloquent explanation than I'm capable of as to why the refusal to seek clemency is so wrong.

Calling all Catholics

Especially the Conservative-voting ones... here's a chance to prove your so-called "pro-life" cred. Mobilize Catholic opposition to the Harper government's decision to allow Canadian citizens to be executed in death penalty countries rather than fighting for commutation of death sentences:

"Canada's Conservative government said Thursday it will no longer fight to commute the death sentences of Canadians facing execution in a foreign country.

Canada abolished the death penalty in 1976 and the government has long opposed use of the death penalty abroad in cases involving its citizens.

But Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day said they will not plead for the life of Ronald Allen Smith, who faces lethal injection in Montana for the 1982 murder of two men."

...and it's not unreasonable to expect Canadian Catholics to ask the big cheeses at the Vatican to make the same threats of excommunication, denial of communion etc. that they've been making against pro-choice and pro-gay marriage politicians.

EDIT: Vanity Press sums it up.

UPDATE: Via SUZANNE in the comments, an article from just a couple of days ago that states the Vatican's position on working to eliminate torture and the death penalty. Will Catholic Conservative politicians step up? Afterthought: And if not, will they be reprimanded?