The Conservative Party and Hamas: more in common that you might think Oh, supreme gods of irony, I thank thee for the sweet bounty you have provided.

I knew there was something strange about the CPC's decision to cut all contact and aid to the Palestinian Authority because of Hamas (the only country to do so...we out-americaned the Americans on this one). Thanks to my endlessly clever friend Andy Astritis, I now know what it is: Hamas and the Conservatives are political cousins.

Now before I get brutally flamed by my esteemed friends in the tory blogosphere, I'm not suggesting that Hamas and the Conservatives have the same policies, goals or structures. I would not be so crass. There's no comparison. Except one.

The circumstances around both parties' ascendency are almost identical. A weary electorate, tired of government corruption and arrogance, decided to vote in a challenger party. Unfortunately, voters got a lot more than they bargained for. The Palestinians got an international crisis and a derailment of the peace process. Canadians got a vaguely authoritarian government who claim a minority government gives them the mandate to screw up a good daycare program, cut funding to environmental programs and unilaterally commit the military to a combat role in Afghanistan without so much as a squeak of debate. At least Hamas managed to get a majority.

I'm being a bit flip here, but I think you get my point. Conservatives, behave yourselves! You lucked out once, but the Canadian people will only tolerate your shenanigans for so long. That's right. Shenanigans.  ¶ 9:26 a.m.