More Librocon betrayal

Thanks to the sleazy Librocons, private member's Bill C-300 went down to defeat this evening. Former human rights advocate and American ex-pat Michael Ignatieff arranged to be out of the House of Commons for the vote, and he took twelve disciples with him.

That was sufficient to kill the Bill: even if the four absent New Democrats (and I'd like an accounting here) had been present, the Bill would have lost 140-139. Liberal Whip Marcel Proulx is reported to have told Liberal members to stay away.

The Bill was meant to ensure that Canadian mining companies guilty of human rights or environmental abuses would be denied funding by Ottawa. CIBC and the mining industry cried bloody murder, of course, and their Librocon shills dutifully fell into line.

We can't have human rights and the environment getting in the way of corporate profits--don't the bleeding hearts realize that? Who cares if a bunch of Third World types are assaulted or killed for trying to form unions? Who cares if their countries are buried under toxic mine tailings? Not our problem, and there are no voters in that neck of the woods.

The Blue Wing of the Librocons had their talking-points ready:

Accusing the opposition of siding with “international special interest groups,” Stephen Harper’s team added: “During the thick of the global recession, overseas contracts kept the mining industry afloat. At a time when the economic recovery is still fragile, why does the Coalition want to make it harder for Canadian companies?”

Note the reference to a "Coalition." Harper's crew are blowing smoke, of course. The real Coalition--the de facto Librocon merger of Blue and Red wings--has once again trampled on human rights and environmental protection, as they did when they ratified the free trade agreement between Canada and the genocidal narco-state of Colombia.

Make no mistake: there is now fresh blood on their hands.

UPDATE: (October 28) More on Iggy's congenital cowardice and lack of principle here. [H/t Chris Selley]

UPPERDATE: Some documentation on Canadian mining companies. [H/t reader briguyhfx]