Monday, December 03, 2007

Is there a Speaker in the House?

L. Ian MacDonald calls on Peter Milliken to law down the law on Parliamentary decorum - The House Speaker must step in to bring MP's back in line.

...Mulcair is a lawyer and a former law teacher. He knows better. But he is also a shameless opportunist and relentless publicity hound. Jack Layton should haul him in and read him the riot act. While he's at it, Layton should also watch his back.

Or consider this exchange last Thursday between deputy Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and Defence Minister Peter MacKay.

Ignatieff: "Mr. Speaker, what representations did Elmer MacKay make to his own son, the current defence minister, concerning Karlheinz Schreiber? What representations did the defence minister make to the prime minister or any other government official about the Schreiber matter?"

MacKay: "None whatsoever, Mr. Speaker."

Ignatieff: "Mr. Speaker, fathers speak to sons, fathers even use fax machines. Ministers speak to other ministers barely five feet apart. The answer is not credible. Let me put the question in French. What representations did the minister of national defence make to the prime minister about Mr. Schreiber?"

So this is where the quest for fame and power has led Ignatieff. This is why he left Harvard, to dive into the cesspool that Parliament has become. He ought not to be proud of himself, but then he's not alone in running with a braying pack of dogs...

Shameful.

Between this and the Ethics committee's shenanigans with the Schreiber affair, it's no wonder that Canadians are becoming increasingly distrustful of politicians.

The toxic atmosphere threatens our very democracy as people get turned off from voting, and shrug their shoulders in apathy.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pretty low blow questions from puffin Iggy I'd say.

I guess it would be fair game if a conservative stood up in the house and asked Ralphy Goodale if either Mr.Chretien or Martin talked to him about where they stashed the millions they took from taxpayers?

Anonymous said...

I am especially taken aback by L. Ian MacDonald's attacking Reform and Preston Manning as contributing to the historic decline in the atmosphere in the Commons.

I respect MacDonald because he has really gone out on a limb defending Mulroney even though he knows some people want the Gazette to get rid of him because he used to work for Mulroney (and of course because he is the sole conservative voice in the paper).

But to say that Reform's 'sanctimonious' high-mindedness is on a par with the Rat Pack and the new Rat Packers toxic bully tactics is ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

"people get turned off from voting, and shrug their shoulders in apathy."

Agree in the result but disagree people should abandon democracy...Political junkies like you and I see what's going on and still are able to judge who and which leaders the country should have...
For me, the Canadian shoulder shrugging is lazy and a cop out. The current political landscape is mediocre only because of it's electorate's apathy. If more people would pay attention and be responsible, the Liberals would not be still so high in the polls which in turn we would currently have more decorum in the house and circuses like the Shreiber affair would not exist right now.

The Liberals lust for power shows no bounds. It is up to the people to put them in their place once and for all...The next election will tell if it's not too late for this country.

Grind a Grit

Joanne (True Blue) said...

But to say that Reform's 'sanctimonious' high-mindedness is on a par with the Rat Pack and the new Rat Packers toxic bully tactics is ridiculous.

Yeah, I was surprised by that as well. Maybe that is MacDonald trying to sound non-partisan?

Joanne (True Blue) said...

If more people would pay attention and be responsible, the Liberals would not be still so high in the polls which in turn we would currently have more decorum in the house and circuses like the Shreiber affair would not exist right now.

I'm not saying people should abandon democracy; just that it could happen as a function of apathy and cynicism.

It becomes a vicious circle.

Gayle said...

"But to say that Reform's 'sanctimonious' high-mindedness is on a par with the Rat Pack and the new Rat Packers toxic bully tactics is ridiculous.'

No it is not. In fact, it is bang on.

I notice that while you are all bashing Iggy for attaching poor Peter, not one of you mentioned the fact McKay called his ex-girlfriend a dog during QP a mere few months ago.

Harper got up and read into the record a newspaper article that smeared a liberal MP via his relationship with his father in law in a non-answer to a question on a completely different topic.

If you are going to complain about the decorum in the HofC, I suggest you start by spreading the blame equally rather than placing it all at the feet of the opposition.

Platty said...

Always amusing when the lefties come out and cry foul for being partisan on a BT site. Of course, looking at the libblogs, all of the sites are completely balanced in their observations.

Anonymous said...

I have tried to read Lib blogs to get the other side of the story. All you find are infantile vulgar rants. No thought, rarely any links to support an idea, simply smears and innuendos. They debate like high school bullies.

Burton, Formerly Kingston said...

Gayle Right or wrong, the CPC is no where as bad as the Rat Pack was and you have to be honest and admit that is a statement of fact. The CPC has crossed the line on occasion as you have stated and they are good examples but the Rat Pack took Parliament Immunity to a whole new level. I have followed politics my whole life and it was the rat pack that started the rapid decline to what Question Period has become. This in not debatable.

Burton, Formerly Kingston said...

PS. I think the speaker should just start throwing members out of the house and suspending them for a set period of days and when the suspension is over they must rise in the house and issue a formal retraction of their offending comments. That blow to their already hefty egos should solve the problem.

Anonymous said...

gayle - if it's fair game for the liberals the speaker should make it fair game for all or none.

Either that or politicians should grow thicker skins.

Gayle said...

I suggest the blame should be shared and in reply a number of people attack the liberals. I guess some of you will never allow the conservatives to stand on their own actions - everything has to be in relation to the liberals (or liblogs).

By the way, I have often said, both on BT blogs and on liblogs, that QP is a national disgrace, and I blame each and every MP for that.

Kingston - I see. Your opinion is not debatable. Nice to know. I guess Ian MacDonald and I will have to rethink our own opinions since you have declared it so.

Anyway...

Burton, Formerly Kingston said...

Please attempt to debate it then Gayle, It is common knowledge that the Rat Pack was totally out of control when the LPC sat in Opp. My point is the decorum of the house commenced it slid into crap from that point. If you can debate another relevant start point before Ms.Copps and her posse, I am all monitor.LOL

Burton, Formerly Kingston said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gayle said...

kingston - allow me to refer you back to the quote:

"I am especially taken aback by L. Ian MacDonald's attacking Reform and Preston Manning as contributing to the historic decline in the atmosphere in the Commons.

...

But to say that Reform's 'sanctimonious' high-mindedness is on a par with the Rat Pack and the new Rat Packers toxic bully tactics is ridiculous."


Here is your statement:

"the CPC is no where as bad as the Rat Pack was and you have to be honest and admit that is a statement of fact."

This has nothing to do with "who started it". The original statement, as well as your original post, was about who is contributing to it, and that one is as bad as the other - and it is.