by Aloy Perera, a freelance writer based in Toronto writing from Colombo, Sri Lanka

Bob Rae has gone down in history as the man who destroyed whatever was left in Canadian Socialism and the Ontario New Democratic Party and as one who performed an unprecedented act of perfidy and betrayal throwing to dogs the lofty ideals he cherished in his Oxford days as a Rhodes Scholar by joining the Liberals thus becoming a national disgrace. This rolling stone of a politician could not hide his ultimate goal/motive of becoming the PM of Canada (by default) when he frantically tried to block (his own leader) Michael Ignetief not so very long ago.

The bottom line is that this man is a very selfish politician who thinks only of himself and uses all others, including the Tamil Diaspora in Canada and Sri Lanka to achieve his own personal greed for self-aggrandizement.

Always and invariably he advocated that LTTE was the sole representative of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka despite mounting evidence to the contrary which he deliberately ignored. He treated the LTTE as an alternative government and wanted Sri Lanka to negotiate with this ruthless terrorist group – as equals. Having followed his carefully calculated self serving moves in the past, I could clearly see that like many others in the West he could not stomack the ignominious defeat of the LTTE which he personally regarded with great respect. It is no secret that he was lavishly entertained and showered with tokens and gifts by the surrogates of the LTTE in Toronto.. Probably, by his greed to be in the limelight made him turn a blind eye to something that was so blatantly clear!

I have attended many a speech or discussion given by Bob Rae over the past two decades and often he made it no secret that he admired the ‘feats’of this ruthless band of criminals. He never called them terrorists!

After the glorious victory of Sri Lanka’s armed forces, he was waiting in the wings expecting the Federal Conservative Government (Mr. Harper) to name him for some important position connected with Sri Lanka’s reconstruction and reconciliation efforts parading his unrivalled knowledge & experience in Sri Lankan affairs – often posing as an expert on the subject and a champion of human rights. But fortunately for us and unfortunately for him, the ‘call’ never came or at least was slow in coming… So he made a little miscalculation taking for granted that a valid visa to Sri Lanka was equivalent to a guarantee that he would be permited entry to Sri Lanka – a matter entirely at the discretion of the Immigration Commissioner of Sri Lanka.

I wholeheartedly support Commissioner Abeykoon’s decision that the fellow is not a suitable person to be welcomed into Sri Lanka especially at the present juncture when the entire West, instead of praising, is demonizing Sri Lanka for its bold stance of decimating the Terrorist outfit, the LTTE and bringing peace and a normal life free from fear to millions of Sri Lankans; Sinhalese, Tamils and others….

Any way, who the hell is Bob Rae to demand such privileges that reserved for only friendly guests of a nation?

As for Bob Rae’s reputation/popularity here in the Capital, Colombo, Sri Lanka, people reading this morning’s newspapers ask…, “Bob Who?

I tell them not to worry and that the man is inconsequential! A modernday example of a pathetic failure in Canadian politics!

Aloy Perera