Jerome Kennedy - Wrongfully elected?

Goodbye Jerome? - you have left your mark on the political landscape of our province.

Yours was a reign of arrogance, belligerence, intolerance, and prejudice.

Prior to becoming a "politician" - Mr. Kennedy was a defense lawyer of note - fighting against injustices, protecting the wrongfully accused. The lion of of a lawyer standing between them and the zealous prosecution, them and sloppy police work and more between them and the judges. Don't forget how Kennedy once described the judiciary: "It's the trial judges, some of whom don't know what they are doing" and "Part of it is as a result of political appointments. Part of this is as a result of intentional or unintentional biases."

Well what has Kennedy become?

I can certainly say that he acted on some policy issues where he did not know what he was doing and part of that was because of political influence. He certainly has biases whether intentional or unintentional.

He has punished people or threatened to punish people without any fair hearing or process.

With respect to those who have plead guilty of violence - who are sexual offenders - I say that Minister Kennedy had no problem celebrating such a criminal because he was successful in a hockey game. he stood in the House of Assembly, our Legislature and said: "The CeeBees rode stellar goaltending by Mark Yetman and were led on and off the ice by their captain, veteran Keith Delaney, and assistant captains, Mike Dyke, Donnie Gosse, and Robert Slaney."

So when Jerome Kennedy was fortunate enough to be elected and sit as an MHA and as a Minister - how did he handle his new found power?

Did he try to bring what he learned as a lawyer fighting for the innocent and challenging how the judges handled the power they had?

No he became what he complained about and fought against. His power was so intoxicating he lost sight of all the little people. He condemned without ever meeting. He issued threats to small business owners and professionals to get his way. He was vindictive toward critics of his government. He was a bully. Then hockey prowess trumped the rights of women who were violated by a person - he chose to celebrate.

Poetic justice is probably more suited to our Mr. Kennedy.

Was he able to take constructive criticism? No.
Was he able to use his power wisely, justly, and with humility? Yes - however he chose not to.
Did he practice what he preached when given the opportunity? No
Did he treat all citizens fairly and without prejudice? No
Did he become a political hack? Yes

All that was done in his previous career has been greatly diminished by his approach when holding a powerful position.

Is it time for him to go? It was - for me - the day after his first appointment to Cabinet.

How he looked up into the galleries of the House of Assembly and mocked ordinary citizens who were there to fight for what was right. That's the last memory I have of Jerome Kennedy - for after that - there was no need to listen to anything else he said.

I leave the allegedly departing - student of poetry - Minister with the following:

Wrongfully Elected

His potential was great, his ability - exceptional, his timing ideal 

He however squandered, underperformed, abused political power.

Contempt became his noun, as he sentenced others without

trial, representation, or financial clout to fight him.

His act of despising defined him, clouded him, 

ruled him.

Injustice he bemoaned became justice he delivered,

power he protested became the legislative hammer he wielded.

Society should hold no favorites; therefore society was unnecessary.

Brave when times were celebraTORY when actions could be retaliaTORY words deprecaTORY - cowardice abound when polls are in the lavaTORY, or a rogaTory process was replaced with the number 29; a bill of ill repute. 

So great was his opportunity that his deeds seem so feeble.

This adieu is doubly sad; that when there he retreated and when retreating is irrelevant.

The mark left is big - broad - bold - but bush-league. An oxymoron? No - for when so much was possible yet so little realized - the resulting scar can be profound.