Environment

Uproar over duck 'tragedy' is getting silly

by ppeggy | May 6, 2008 at 07:30 am

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It really is too bad about the poor ducks. But Don Martin has a very good point. To call the incident a "terrible tragedy" a is a bit over the top. It's one of those issues that practically demands tsk tsking from every politician and high-profile person wanting a good public image. If you compare the unfortunate demise of 500 or so ducks with the death of 25,000 people in the Myanmar cyclone, there's no contest in terms of tragedy. Perspective, people. Perspective.

url="http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/columnists/story.html?id=afe86f0e-1e56-4f7f-963a-fa1e499ce38f"]Stephen Harper doesn't empathize easily.

The prime minister values self-reliance and a suck-it-up mentality in Canadians confronted by difficult circumstances and, except for cats, this feline fan doesn't fret problems in the animal kingdom.

Which is why Harper's "terrible tragedy" designation for 500 unfortunate ducks that picked a toxic Syncrude oilsands sludge pond for their final dip last week -- a casualty count that could be inflicted by just 62 hunters in a single day under Alberta duck-hunting limits -- was so uncharacteristic.

Harper rarely spews political sensationalism, embellishment or misty-eyed hyperbole. He tends to feel people's pain in measured bits and sound bytes.

But it doesn't pay to underestimate the public heartbreak caused by traumatized waterfowl. To hint at callous disregard for the flock's unfortunate demise would turn any politician into a sitting duck for voter wrath.