Here at the Fitzhugh we receive press releases updating us on our prime minister’s media availabilities. On July 5, I received one that got my blood boiling to the point where I furiously started typing.

On July 5, Stephen Harper’s media activity for the day was the opening of a Humane Society in Ottawa. 

Now I know, Mr. Harper, you love kittens. We’ve all seen the creepy, nightmare-inducing photo of you snuggling a tabby with your unmovable hair. Then there was the contest you started on Facebook to name your new kitten. Due to multiple news reports on the obviously earth-shattering matter of what your damn cat’s name is, I am pretty sure you named it Stanley.

The reason this Humane Society stunt – and I will now refer to it as a stunt – gets me absolutely enraged, is that on the day that you opened a home for kitties, puppies and other members of the animal kingdom that are so misfortunate as to end up in a shelter, slain police officer Const. Garret Styles’ funeral was held. 

Are you sure, Mr. Harper, that there wasn’t somewhere else you should have been?

Don’t get me wrong – I adore animals, and I’m sure a chance to tour a shelter was a wonderful way to spend a day. I have rescued a dog, multiple horses (Have you ever tried leading one of those into the yard to explain to Mom and Dad? I was a gutsy nine year old,) and a few cats. 

When you were elected you told everyone who didn’t vote for you that you would strive to create a Canada we can all be proud of. As one of those Canadians you promised, I am absolutely appalled that you were not involved in the funeral of Const. Garret Styles. 

The distance between Ottawa and Newmarket, Ont., where the funeral was held is 468 kilometres. I’m absolutely positive between your military-issue Boeing 747 (oh wait! I forgot! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were borrowing that, my mistake!), the Cadillac DTS your taxpayers bought you as a state car, or the governor general’s limousine you’re allowed to borrow when David Johnston is not using it would have got you there on time. 

You know what? You could have called me up, and I would have zoomed to Ottawa in my trusty Toyota Echo and given you a ride. Don’t mind the empty coffee cups and Big Mac wrappers – I was obviously in a hurry to get my buddy the prime minister somewhere he should have been in the first place, I had no time to stop! Don’t worry about the rattling from the right front tire, I’m saving up to get it fixed. Oh, and the muffler? I’m working on that too. And yes, I’m sorry my fan belt screams when I start it up. I notice you’re peaking at the cigarette burn on my back seat. That’s a funny story. See, I was a designated driver one time, and someone decided to ash their cigarette on the fabric. Silly me! You’re used to much fancier digs than this, aren’t you? It’s embarrassing I know – but I pay taxes, you see, so you can zoom around in your Cadillac. My own car maintenance slides a bit sometimes.

Mr. Harper, I’m disappointed, ashamed and saddened that you were not there to salute Const. Styles. Your actions have shown how truly out of touch you are with the average Canadian.

On June 22, the Prime Minster’s Office (PMO) sent a press release about the death of Harley Hotchkiss, the former owner of the Calgary Flames. On June 25, the PMO issued a press release about the death of a Canadian Air Force soldier. On Father’s Day a press release arrived in my inbox about the occasion; but on June 28, no press release came to my inbox about Const. Styles, but on the 29th I received two: both about the duke and Duchess of Cambridge arriving in Canada. 

On March 3, 2005, four police officers were killed in Mayerthorpe – the single largest loss of life in one day the RCMP had experienced in 100 years. At Constables Peter Schiemann, Anthony Gordon, Lionide Johnston, and Brock Myrol’s funeral on March 10, Prime Minister Paul Martin and Governor General Adrienne Clarkson were in attendance. On May 19, Queen Elizabeth II attended a ceremony honouring the four officers in Saskatchewan.

I couldn’t dig up any more information on prime ministerial attendance to police funerals, and I was a bit shocked. Why aren’t our leaders attending all of these events? Is this sending a clear message to the families left behind that their sacrifice doesn’t matter? Sure if there is some life-altering event happening, attend that, but the opening of a Humane Society is no where near as important. 

Const. Styles’ death in the first place upsets me, and I hoped that on behalf of Canadians who couldn’t be there, like myself, Mr. Harper would have made an appearance. 

Rest in peace, Const. Garrett Styles, and I hope your sacrifice to Canadians is never forgotten.  

DISCLAIMER: The Last Word is an opinion column, it is meant to provoke thought and debate. As such, any opinions written here are the writer’s own and do not reflect the viewpoint of any other Fitzhugh staff member or the directors of the Jasper Media Group Inc.