Expat Texan

Remember, this is the oft edited version, and it still reads like something a spiteful pre-teen would write.

The corridors of power are abuzz today with the news that Sandra Buckler, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s communications director is in hospital for surgery for thyroid cancer, fortunately one of the more curable versions of a very nasty disease. The press gallery is sending flowers - although a flowering cactus might be more appropriate given Ms. Buckler’s prickly relations with most members of the fourth estate on the Hill.

That said, we wish her well and urge her to take a long, long time off to get completely better.

The angry comments to the original post quickly resulted in multiple (unseen by us) edits.  Followed today by an “apology”. I do, however, have reason to doubt the veracity Ms. Thompson’s claims in things she has learned #4:

4 - Past donations to cancer research, helping friends with cancer and asking your employer to transfer some of your vacation days to a colleague so they could spend more time with a spouse dying of cancer do not make up for writing something insensitive.

I can’t believe that anyone who actually helped friends with cancer would make such a joke.  Ever.  Especially not if they had ever watched a friend or family member die of the disease.

I’m a little taken aback by her #5 as well:

5 - Despite the adversarial atmosphere that has descended on Parliament in the past couple of years, the Hill is still a classy place.

I wonder who Ms. Thompson would hold accountable for the adversarial atmosphere that has “descended” on Parliament - does she even realize the irony of that comment after what she posted?  Especially the original version of her post?  One also wonders how she defines “classy”, as she had no problem with making light of a competitors potentially fatal illness with no thoughts about the consequences.  It might help to remember that not all curable cancers are cured.  While true that most thyroid tumors in women can be successfully treated - there are many different variants and grades of thyroid malignancy.  Making fun of someone’s disease because it is “probably” curable is incredibly juvenile and insensitive.

Finally, it seems like perhaps there should have been a 6th lesson learned - not to act like a spiteful bitch when posting about a political opponents health concerns.  But not to worry, a bouquet of flowers has been sent, so all sins should be absolved.