Airport Tantrums

I am writing a blog about this because I think I am the only person in political life who remembers Alan Redway. Alan Redway was a Progressive Conservative MP in the Mulroney government.  If memory serves, he was a Minister of State in a lesser portfolio until his airport misadventure.  Unlike recent bad behaviour from Cabinet members, he was a real gentleman, so no tantrums were involved.  But Alan Redway made the mistake of a little joke in the security line up.  He suggested with a laugh that the businessman traveling with him might have a gun and to be sure to search him properly.

The fact he was a Cabinet member did not merit him any latitude at security.  He was charged.  He was demoted.  And he was very contrite and genuine in his apology.

Perhaps if people could be reminded of how these incidents used to be handled (penalty for foolishness, not expecting MPs to get away with behaviour the average citizen could not evade, real apologies), perhaps if we remembered how a more minor incident was handled, we might insist on consequences for those in public life today.