Harper, our own Iago. . . . .

Am I the only one who has noticed the similarity of our Prime Minister to Shakespeare's Iago? For those not entirely familiar with Shakespeare's Othello, a brief explanation might be in order. Othello is a General in the Venetian military and Iago is a close friend and military associate. Iago feels hard done by because Othello has failed to promote him over Cassio in the manner that he thinks appropriate to his merit. Here is the first similarity with Harper and his conservatives who feel that they have been historically misrepresented in the 'liberal' media and who think they have not received the promotion (read - majority) that their merit deserves. As an act of revenge Iago plots the down fall of both Cassio and Othello. He achieves this revenge by portraying himself as motivated by only the best of intentions and compelling others to act in ways that they would not normally act. To this end Iago gets Cassio demoted by tricking him into a drunken brawl. Iago then attempts to orchestrate Othello's downfall by creating evidence that convinces him that his wife Desdemona has been unfaithful causing Othello to murder his innocent wife.

Thus Iago attempts to gain his revenge on his advisories in the same manner that Harper as attempted to do, by creating an adversarial atmosphere of hate and paranoia.People who are actually good and want to act in accordance with their positive values, are driven by a poison atmosphere to negative acts. Iago is the force of evil in the dramatic narrative of Shakespeare's play. He is secretive, conniving, desperate, and completely absorbed by his own interest. Harper is similarly driven  by a blood-lust to destroy all those who he feels are against him and that stand in the way of his own promotion. He is taking revenge on the people of Canada and all political opponents by poisoning the entire body politic.

And the similarity between Harper and Iago is made clear by his reaction to being caught in his acts of evil. "Demand me nothing," Iago says, "What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak a word." Sound familiar? This is indicative of Harper and his secretive milieu. Iago and Harper are born of the same spirit and motivated by the same secretive feelings of hatred and revenge.