Alberta MLA David Swann went to Ottawa in mid-December, accompanied by eight Darfuri refugees. He was seeking to "turn up the heat" on the federal government and force the Harper Conservatives to take some action on the crisis in Darfur.

Swann, a medical doctor, is not one to shy away from confrontation. When the Klein government fired him from his position as Public Health Officer because he spoke out in favour of the Kyoto Procotol, Swann ran for the provincial legislature. He became one of three Liberals elected in Calgary — among 16 Liberals elected province-wide — a stunning upset that reverberated throughout the province.

Media ignored urgent pleas from Darfuri refugees but danced attendance on a man of dubious reputation.

In 2000, Swann joined former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark on a fact-finding mission to Iraq and witnessed first-hand the devastation wrought by the 1991 Operation Desert Storm, and the following decade of economic sanctions. In November 2002, Dr Swann returned to Iraq with Physicians for Global Survival and released a report, Dying For Peace, that described a devastated people hobbled by a dozen years of sanctions, with marginal health and education systems, as well as water, sanitation, electricity and communications. Needless to say, he was outspoken in opposing the US attack on Iraq.

For anyone who knows anything about Swann — and he is a fairly high profile person in Alberta — his trip to Ottawa was perfectly consistent with his public career. On the Tuesday December 4, Swann held a news conference on the Hill with Romeo Dallaire, David Kilgour and two Darfuri: Amira Aboo and Mustafa Mousa.

Only Embassy magazine bothered to cover the event. Swann explained his trip was part of the "Christmas for Darfur: Troops on the Ground" campaign. "We want the Canadian government to take leadership and get troops on the ground," he said.

Jeff Davis reported for Embassy that Mustafa Mousa said Sudan is in desperate need of help. "There is a bad humanitarian situation. The janjaweed is still raping women and the government is training a militia," he said. "So now we are looking for the Canadian government to participate, to implement the Security Council resolutions and to send aid."

Davis also spoke with Siddiqa Adom, who escaped Sudan for Canada three years ago. She is a high school student in Calgary, with a simple message: "My mother died because of this, and I don't want my other family to die."

Undaunted by the lack of reporters in the press conference, Swann and his contingent spent two days lobbying MPs in their offices, urging them to encourage the government to contribute to an UN peacekeeping mission to Darfur. At one point, the entourage passed the Commons ethics committee meeting room. And there were all the media ... buzzing, waiting ... cameras, microphones and black boxes all poised for action with the occasional camera ready face. The hearing room was the energy hub, the hot spot.

How ironic it seemed to the people traveling with Swann that these two stories were playing themselves out at the same time. In one room was Schreiber, a man of dubious reputation luring (catching!) media and politicians with a possible Pandora's box of scandal and political advantage. In another room were seven survivors of the Darfurian Genocide and David Swann, people of integrity and passion inviting Canadians to reclaim their role as peacemakers during this Christmas season.

Had any other media been listening, they might have heard the message that Swann left with the Embassy reporter: "The world is looking for leadership and the UN is looking for leadership. Canada has an opportunity to lead [the UN] and stop the first genocide in the 21st century."

Likewise, Prime Minister Harper declined to meet with the Darfuri delegation. His staff took only five minutes to respond that the PM would not grant an audience. However, if the Conservatives hoped that was the last they would hear about the issue, they were mistaken.

After Dr Swann came home from Ottawa, he went on a hunger strike and set up camp outside Stephen Harper's constituency office. For at least the first week of Christmas break, anyone who wanted to seek a favour from the Prime Minister, had to pass by this reminder of the real meaning of the season: peace on earth, goodwill towards others.

Sarah Arthurs is a psychologist and community developer. She was part of the group that accompanied David Swann to Otttawa.