The Very Public Humiliation of Bernard Drainville

Who me? ....NO! NO! NO!,..It's not my fault!!

If there's anything the public loves, it's to watch a self-important, arrogant or pompous public figure, a movie or television star, politician or a mega wealthy person suffer a humiliating fall from grace.

I never thought I'd get back to the subject of schadenfreude so quickly, but Bernard Drainville has shown us once more how we much we enjoy the suffering of those we either dislike or disrespect, especially when they are among the high and mighty.

There's a subtle difference between those whose pain and humiliation we relish, as opposed to a fellow like Rob Ford, an example of a demon-stricken politician who most of us are actually pulling for, a likeable fellow whose problems are amusing, but not in a schadenfreude type of way. Most of us are hoping that he licks his substance abuse problem and that he makes a successful comeback, he's much too much fun putting the stodgy, holier-than-thou Toronto city council members to shame.
There may be those in Toronto who are humiliated and angered by his actions, but for the many, he is the best thing that hit Toronto in many a decade. It may not be politically correct to say, but his antics have elevated Toronto from its stodgy Kraft Dinner reputation to something a bit more risqué and exciting. (Hmmm.... I can't wait for the comments) 

But then there is that detestable owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Donald Sterling, whose fall from grace over some disgusting racist remarks qualifies him quite justifiably for our scorn and delight in his very public humiliation and downfall.
Who can forget Mel Gibson, who became a pariah in Hollywood overnight for a drunken antisemitic rant and Anthony Weiner, a New York congressman forced to resign over a lingering sexting scandal that lasted for months, playing out salaciously across the New York tabloids much to our prurient delight. 

Of course we cannot forget the religiously fallen preachers, televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, Oral Roberts and Pat Robertson, all who suffered a very public and humiliating comeuppance.
Visit the: The Televangelists' Hall of Shame!

Not many survive the humiliation to make a comeback, with perhaps Tiger Woods the exception that proves the rule.
Although Woods went through a couple of tough years over disclosures of his philandering and humiliation of his wife and family that saw him lose sponsors left and right, he has climbed back somewhat into the golf world's good graces, perhaps his talent just too much to ignore.
But for others like Alex Rodriguez, Lance Edwards and various Olympic cheaters, including Canada's very own Ben Johnson, there's no coming back from cheating and lying scandals.  See slideshow of dopers.

Which brings us back to our own Bernard Drainville, whose very personal public disgrace is all the more delicious because with his re-election, he will be around for quite a while to entertain us, despite calls for his resignation, which isn't likely.

For those who don't know, Drainville has been pilloried in the media for lying and misleading Quebecers over the Charter of Values, claiming or intimating that he and the PQ had legal opinions backing the constitutionality of the proposed law.
That turned out to be a lie and a deception of monumental proportions and when the new Quebec government revealed that the Justice department had never even been asked by the PQ to provide an opinion, the you-know-what, hit the you-know-what.

Drainville's sad attempts to deflect blame are as delicious and amusing as Anthony Weiner's defence of his depraved behaviour in his sexting scandal. Drainville has the audacity to tell reporters that he did have legal opinions, just not on the whole Charter, but parts of it. Ha!
In fact, the constitutional jurist that the PQ most cited as having provided an opinion, Henri Brun, denied the whole thing!

"Bernard Drainville says essentially to have had legal advice on parts of the bill, but not the entire project. The MP said he had received notices from a dozen lawyers. He said he had obtained an external legal opinion, one written by Henri Brun, a constitutionalist. But Mr. Brun  published a letter in Le Devoir, in which he claims not to have produced any reviews on the draft charter. In respect to this confusion about the contribution of Mr. Brown, Bernard Drainville offered by way of explanation, that Henri Brun ruled on the guidelines, not the entire project. Link{fr}

Drainville defended his handling of the file Tuesday morning amid mounting pressure to resign his seat in the National Assembly.
In September, Drainville said the proposed charter was on a solid legal footing based on judicial advice that the PQ government had received. . Read a sad defence by Drainville

Drainville reminds me of a gifted and experienced con artist, who once exposed by his target as a cheat, attempts to brazen it out and further defraud the poor sap once again.

And so it has become evident that the Charter of Values was never an attempt to 'regularize' Quebec society, it was a law designed to goad the Supreme Court into declaring it illegal, all in a naked and cynical attempt to enrage and humiliate Quebecers into supporting a sovereignty referendum.
Drainville's unwavering refusal to compromise with the CAQ over the harsher aspects of the law was puzzling at the time, Franocis Legault actually begging for a compromise, bit is easily understandable now that the true motive is exposed.

As one of the Charter's biggest supporters in the media, Richard Martineau  wrote dozens of article over the months in a passionate defence of the proposed law. After events played out, he sadly noted that had Drainville compromised, 80% of the Charter would have passed, but the PQ's steadfast refusal to budge an inch, led us to where we are today. 

"Thus, no legal opinion was requested by the government Marois on the constitutionality and legality of the entire Charter  bill...
Amazing ...Basically, they did not care that if Charter passed the Constitutional test or not ...
If it did, the better. And if it did not, they could say, "Look, this is proof that we must separate ..."
Finally, it was all a farce. We used the Charter as an excuse, it was exploited ... To win votes and boost support for the sovereignty Option" ...  Link{fr}

What is making this so enjoyable is that Drainville remains in a fantasy bubble, thinking that he can somehow recover from the fiasco, oblivious to the situation, while every one else is enjoying the joke on him, pointing and snickering at him like we would at a chic and haughty restaurant patron who leaves the bathroom with his nose in the air and toilet paper trailing after him.

Now the fact that federalists and other assorted enemies are mocking Drainville unceasingly doesn't really matter, that is par for the course and politicians are immune to criticism from them, but the fact that his erstwhile friends and colleagues as well as hitherto supportive journalists have washed their hands of him is the real story. 

That Lise Ravary, one of the few federalists at the Journal de Montreal has called for his resignation is of no matter, but the pointed rebukes and denunciations from those on the sovereigntist side is, as they say, that's the whole enchilada.

Nothing stings as bad as this denunciation from  Gerald Bouchard;

Of all the examples we could mention here, the bill on the charter and the way it was promoted attracts attention. We know the rather sinister part that was played by the Marois-Drainville duo. It has been widely commented on and strongly condemned, with good reason. We must go further. There is a major cleanup to be done within the party. All those who guided it along the path of intolerance, hypocrisy and amateurism must go. As for those who completely poured out the most shameless demagogy, either by multiplying their lies to the public, or by encouraging the practice by their complacent silence, one wonders if they still suited to occupy political office or even a public position. Beyond the harm that was done to the Parti Quebecois , these Duplessis-esque maneuvers have disappointed many honest people. In their eyes, they discredited the entire political class.

....Two members of the party, more than the others, embody its disgrace. First, it’s Marois ; she had the decency to resign. Then, it’s Bernard Drainville ; we’re waiting for him to do as much. For nearly a year , he propagated inflammatory and misleading statements in order to build up the Quebec majority against minorities and immigrants. He led a primary role on the subject of the false legal opinions. As long as this person remains associated with the PQ , a shadow will continue to be cast over it. CJAD    Original letter in French

Ester Begin 
A question arises.... Does Mister Drainville really believe that he still has the required qualites to one day become the leader of the PQ or any any other political party? Link{fr

But Drainville is still furiously trying to bail water out of a sinking boat, claiming innocence in the face of total public repudiation;

"It's been two or three days that I'm been pegged as a liar , with some saying "Drainville told us that there were legal opinions and the new Minister of Justice said there were none." There were, I would like to confirm, "said PQ MNA Tuesday morning, in an interview with Radio-Canada HERE First and RDI. "But I did not want to comment on those legal advices because I think it is irresponsible to do that. From the moment you reveal  that they exist, you give ammunition to those who would challenge the law in the future. I did not want to agree with the liberals, "added MNA Marie-Victorin. Link{fr}

Ha! Ha!
He's been making the rounds of all the TV and radio stations, trying desperately to repair his reputation, but the the verdict is in.
Drainville can tap dance all he wants, the stink won't rub off, once branded a liar in the court of public opinion, a politician can never come back.
He can't even go to rehab like Rob Ford and perhaps make a comeback, there is no forgiveness for being caught deceiving the public so cynically.

When they start laughing at you in politics, it's just about all over.

(Headline) LIAR! LIAR!...... (Caption) Have confidence in me

Those left in the PQ are no dummies, they understand the toxicity of those closely associated with the Charter and while it will take while for Drainville to realize what everyone knows already, the painful delay is what schadenfreude is all about.
 In the meantime, let's sit back and enjoy his pain. When the penny finally drops on him that he is toast it remains to be seen if he will resign or play out the string. (Sorry readers, I'm running out of idioms......)

I'm hoping he stays.
At any rate, as they say in the McDonald's commercial... I'm loving it!