Retribution can be a swift and terrible thing.

Hey, boys and girls, remember NDP MP Nathan Cullen? Well, that backlash didn't take long, did it?

B.C. official chastises MP over police shooting comments

Victoria — B.C.'s solicitor general says federal NDP leader Jack Layton should force one of his MP to apologize to the RCMP for saying he fears retribution if he speaks out about the case of a young man who was shot in the back of the head while in police custody.

John Les called MP Nathan Cullen's comments "despicable" and "absolutely asinine."

"Mr. Cullen's comments were completely unbecoming of a member of parliament," said Mr. Les. "They are despicable and I would expect that his leader, Jack Layton, forces him to issue an apology to the RCMP."

Ian Bush was 22 when he was arrested for holding an open beer can outside an arena at a Houston, B.C. hockey game last October.

He was shot in the back of the head at the local detachment and his parents say they are waiting for answers but police say it could be months yet.

Mr. Les said the Mounties do not go after their critics.

"That's simply a completely baseless allegation," he said. Later in the legislature, he called the comments asinine but was asked to retract them by the Speaker.

Mr. Cullen, the MP for Skeena-Bulkley Valley, told the Globe and Mail he was cautious about getting involved in finding out why it's taking so long to get answers in the Bush case because he worries about angering the Mounties.

"I think I probably went too far in some of my comments around that," Mr. Cullen said Thursday in an interview from Ottawa.

"I respect the RCMP and want them to do their job. I think when the RCMP mix with politics and politicians mix with the RCMP, usually it's a bad mix."

Mr. Cullen said he hasn't spoken with Mr. Layton about an apology.

"We'll cross the bridge when we come to it," he said.

He said he was lobbying on behalf of Mr. Bush's parents, who are constituents in Mr. Cullen's vast riding in northwestern B.C. Houston, a mill town, is located about 250 kilometres northwest of Prince George.

Mr. Cullen said he remains baffled about the length of time the investigation is taking.

"It's a long time," Mr. Cullen said.

RCMP spokesman John Ward said the Mounties want to ensure the investigation is complete before making its results public.

"Does the public have a right to know, you bet," he said. "Will we be held accountable, absolutely. But there is a time and a place for that to take place."

The investigation is now in the hands of the city police in New Westminster, who are examining an earlier RCMP review of the incident, Mr. Ward said. The New Westminster police will make recommendations about how next to proceed with the case, he said.

Mr. Ward acknowledged the process has been lengthy.

"Listen, we're the first to say that we wish we could do it like they do on CSI: have it done in 60 minutes," he said. "We know how difficult this is for the family. We know how difficult it is for the member and for other members and we know how difficult it is for the public."

Mr. Ward said the police do not go after people who criticize them in public.

"Absolutely not," he said. "The public, law abiding citizens, have nothing to fear of the RCMP. As a matter of fact they should look to us for their safety."

Mr. Ward said he wouldn't address Mr. Cullen's statements other than to say "this is a free country and people have the right to express their views as they see fit."

I particularly like this part:

Mr. Ward said the police do not go after people who criticize them in public.

"Absolutely not," he said. "The public, law abiding citizens, have nothing to fear of the RCMP. As a matter of fact they should look to us for their safety."

"Unless," continued Ward, "they're holding an open beer outside an ice arena. Then they are so fucked, know what I mean?"

COMPARE AND CONTRAST.

This:

Thousands of tiny candles lit up the Windsor riverfront last night, a unifying note showing the city's support for the family and friends of slain police officer Constable John Atkinson.

The city invited all residents to attend a vigil held at Windsor's Riverfront Plaza to honour Constable Atkinson, shot and killed last Friday outside an east-end convenience store.

Two 18-year-olds have been charged with first-degree murder.

and this from earlier:

RCMP spokesman John Ward said the Mounties want to ensure the investigation [into the shooting of Ian Bush] is complete before making its results public.

"Does the public have a right to know, you bet," he said. "Will we be held accountable, absolutely. But there is a time and a place for that to take place."

The investigation is now in the hands of the city police in New Westminster, who are examining an earlier RCMP review of the incident, Mr. Ward said. The New Westminster police will make recommendations about how next to proceed with the case, he said.

In short, the killing of a police officer outside a convenience store results in first-degree murder charges in less than a week while, after several months, the RCMP still haven't quite got a handle on a shooting that occurred in the lockup at one of their own detachments.

Funny how that works, isn't it?