Tuesday, February 9, 2010

He’s Baaaaaaaaack!

Jim Pankiw. What else can I say? This infamous Saskatchewaner is known everywhere as Canada’s most openly-racist politician. In parts of Saskatchewan, however, he is hailed as some kind of folk hero, a dare-to-tell-the-truth warrior, valiantly fighting the good fight against the evil political correctness police. Never mind the fact that he has the IQ of a gopher hole and a hatred for aboriginal people that makes my dislike of Saskatchewan look like Mother Theresa’s work in Africa. His only political platform is a dislike of native people and he's more tan willing to talk about it. Apparently this is all you need to get elected in Saskatchewan. While not everyone in the province likes him, he certainly has a legendary following among many. He also seems to have no trouble getting local press. Boy, is that a sad thing.


Jim "Workin' Hard" Pankiw

Many thought that Mr. Pankiw’s political career was over after he lost his seat in the House of Commons and then came in third in the Saskatoon mayoralty race. But like a bad case of jock itch, he is back, and with a vengeance. He announced a few days ago that he will be running in the next federal election as an independent.

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Pankiw+announces+return+politics+says+doesn+need+media+federal+riding/2522595/story.html
(check out the video and the comments section)

I’m reluctant to poke too much fun at Mr. Pankiw – if you watch the full video it seems pretty clear that he is either suffering from a mental illness or is indeed intoxicated, as one suspecting reported asked him (see 10:05). Still, I can’t help but find it hilarious that he claims to “have the internet now,” that he invited the media to hear him speak just to “rub it in their face,” and that he equates native headdress with a KKK Klansmen hood. Apparently wearing anything on your head makes you a racist by his logic. I also love how he nearly forgot to mention the reason for calling the press conference in the first place, that is until the very end. And to think - when I lived in SK, I thought Maurice Vellacott was a nut!