Rose Simpson: Girls Gone Wild at 24 Sussex

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_ Royal Canadian Mounted Police at the Prime Minister’s Residence _

_ Photo by Ross Dunn, from the OttawaStart Flickr Group _

_ Rose Simpson’s column appears every Tuesday morning on the OttawaStart Blog. She also blogs at Rose’s Cantina . You can read her previous columns here . _

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_ A lot of namby-pamby sorts were hand-wringing last week because an 18-year-old girl was found passed out on the weekend in the driveway of 24 Sussex Drive. Apparently, Ben Harper and his pals were celebrating his 18th birthday party in Gatineau and something went sideways.

The girl in question was found passed out, apparently wasted.

A few folks were saying that this “was a private matter,” a medical emergency. That’s what the RCMP said, anyway, passing the buck as always.

This stuff has happened at 24 Sussex for ages. Remember Maggie T smoking pot and dancing around the rosebushes before she forgot her pants at Studio 54?

I myself have been a little wasted there on numerous occasions, right under the noses of the less-than-interested RCMP detail. We used to smoke pot at 24 when the Liberals were in power. Not saying which Liberals, but you can guess. We drank, we drank, we smoked the ganga whilst an occasional PM strolled by, none the wiser.

It happens.

On the matter of “oh my God, the sky has fallen. Ben Harper had drunk chicks at his place for his birthday,” I say, just chill. Ben Harper wasn’t passed out in the driveway. We don’t know if the babe was already wasted when she arrived. She got medical attention.

Everybody who has been a parent in the last many decades has had to clean up puke in the driveway or had to drive a drunk or drugged out kid home. We try to keep them interested with the glue gun parties, but it only works for so long.

Stephen Harper’s not an alcoholic parent who’s passed out in the bedroom while his kids are doing lines in the basement. And I’m sure Laureen’s not above having more than a couple of glasses of wine. But she’s a responsible mom, I am damned sure.

But in spite of Harper’s talk otherwise, they are still human. Sure, he has bad judgment in friends and piano players, but I think, where his family is concerned, his heart and morals are in the right place.

As we older parents can tell you, you can’t control the big and little heads of your kids and their friends.

Nobody can.

And I would fight to the death anyone who says otherwise.

As for the media, WTF? Does anyone really think this should NOT have been reported? Remember Allan Rock’s problems with his daughter. The media bleeds for this stuff.

The only thing I can say is that the opposition should keep their traps shut.

Those who live in stone houses, after all….

People should stop worrying about the Harpers. They can take it. Political parents aren’t different than regular parents. They’re human. They’re busy.

Stop judging. Stop judging the Harpers whom I’m sure are outstanding parents. And stop judging the media for reporting on half-naked girls in the driveway, puking or passed out.

Nothing as changed. Carry on.

BTW, I wouldn’t worry too much about the media reports. Ben should be more scared of his mum than the media.

She’s a cowgirl. I’m sure she can find a switch somewhere.

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Rose Simpson _ ** _

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** ** See also: ** Ottawa Media Guide

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