Tory gaffes -- what do they mean

I don't think politicians (Conservative or otherwise) are, as a group, worse than other people. But they are watched more closely especially if they are in government.



The tainted meat joke -- while grossly inappropriate and offensive -- is the sort of thing that someone under stress might stupidly say.



The reference to First Nations and alcohol, by contrast, is not a sign of stress but a revealing of otherwise hidden bias.



I know lawyers who will make similar comments. But no one cares. And for good reason because dumb jokes by lawyers, even nasty bigotry by lawyers, though wrong doesn't do much harm. But politicians have power and so should be held to a higher standard.



And while I can (sadly) imagine any Party having someone making a tainted meat joke I think the First Nations comment reflects a broader unfortunate attitude. Not that all Conservatives are biased -- I know that's not true -- but the failure to remove the offending individual is troubling.