Our publication has been critical in the past of close contacts and friendly relationships between the prior Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and representatives of Hungary’s Orbán regime. The Hungarian Free Press, its contributors and many of its readers have on numerous occasions informed different layers of the Canadian political establishment of the systemic rule of law violations in Hungary, as well as government-sponsored hate campaigns against ethnic minorities, foreigners, refugees and migrants. In more recent years, nearly every major media outlet in the western world has reported on the autocracy and rampant racism of the Viktor Orbán government. The ruling Fidesz party is currently suspended from the conservative European People’s Party (EPP). Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) has a history of purporting to be a sort of moral voice in Canadian politics for social justice. Sometimes the NDP approaches questions of policy and politics from a moral high ground–or at least higher ground that the Liberals or the Conservatives.
This week, however, MP Don Davies was very pleased to meet with representatives of the Orbán regime. Nine years of reports on rule of law violations in Hungary and state-sponsored racism did not dissuade Mr. Davies, Member for Vancouver Kingsway and NDP Health Critic, from meeting with Ambassador Bálint Ódor and the Hungarian Consul in Vancouver.
Mr. Davies tweeted: “Great meeting with the Hungarian Ambassador and Vancouver Consul to discuss opening a new Hungarian Consulate in Vancouver and cultural/economic issues. Fun fact: I’m currently the only Canadian Parliamentarian of Hungarian descent (thanks, Mom!)!”
Mr. Davies listens to Mr. Ódor. (Photo: Don Davies/Facebook)
Mr Ódor listens to MP Don Davies. (Photo: Facebook)
Writing on Facebook, Mr. Davies added: “Productive and interesting meeting with the Ambassador of Hungary and the new Consul-General for Vancouver.”
Responding to Mr. Davies’ Facebook post, NDP candidate for Leeds-Grenville Michelle Taylor commented positively on the meeting with the Hungarian regime’s representatives and noted she “needs to brush up on (her) Hungarian again.” The discord between this and the same Ms. Taylor accusing the governing Liberal party of “letting their progressive mask slip” on the Indigenous file could not be deeper.
One quickly cedes the right to lecture on being a good progressive when one meets with, or supports meetings with representatives of an overtly and systemically racist autocracy.
