PHOTOS: Andrew Scheer … I mean Joe Clark, a then-almost-unknown MP from Alberta, celebrates his victory in the Tory party leadership contest with his wife, Maureen McTeer, on Feb. 22, 1976. (Photo: Toronto Public Library.) The real Andrew Scheer, seen below, an almost-unknown MP from Saskatchewan, was doing the same
Continue readingTag: Andrew Scheer
Alberta Politics: Missing Jason Kenney surfaces, safe and sound, speaking up for Christy Clark at chichi Vancouver steak house
PHOTOS: Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Jason Kenney, from the days no so long ago he could still be found in in this province. Below, from various Twitter photos: Vancouver journalist Bob Mackin, “Liberal” B.C. Premier Christy Clark, and Conservative federal leadership candidate Andrew Scheer. Got questions for the elusive Jason
Continue readingdaveberta.ca – Alberta Politics: O’Leary skips Conservative debate, federal NDP debate skips Alberta
The most high-profile candidate running for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada will be skipping tomorrow’s leadership debate in Edmonton. As the thirteen other candidates for the leadership gather on stage at the Citadel Theatre, Boston-resident and American reality television personality Kevin O’Leary will instead be hosting a
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Why Canadians are lucky Rona Ambrose was hanging around the Caribbean with a billionaire
PHOTOS: The scene abroad N. Murray Edwards’ yacht imagined. Actual Canadian bitumen billionaires and their onboard guests may not appear exactly as illustrated. Below: The real N. Murray Edwards, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau aboard a helicopter, although not the Aga Khan’s, Opposition Leader Rona Ambrose in a yacht harbor, and
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Why Justin Trudeau Should Attend Fidel Castro’s Funeral
As you know the Cons and the Con media are going after Justin Trudeau's statement on the death of Fidel Castro, like a pack of hysterical hyenas.And are trying to portray him as an embarrassment to Canada, or a communist, or Castro himself.While their flying monkeys swarm him on Twitter…Read more »
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Con Leadership Race Is Getting Ugly
I knew the Con leadership race was a total bust. With the desperate search for a good leader continuing, but getting nowhere.But at least it's been peaceful, and incredibly dull… For obvious reasons.But now that the SoCon Andrew Scheer has joined the race, that's changing.Now it's getting ugly.Read more »
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Another Religious Fanatic Joins the Con Leadership Race
As if the Con leadership race wasn't bizarre or pathetic enough. With Kellie Leitch trying to stir up hatred against refugees and immigrants.And Brad Trost trying to stir up hatred against gay Canadians.Now another Con fanatic is joining the race.Read more »
Continue readingMontreal Simon: The Con Leadership Race and the Religious Fanatics
When I wrote a post about the sad state of the Harper Party's leadership race the other day, and ran a group photo of the sorry losers that contest has so far attracted.I forgot to say that with the departure of Jason Kenney, there will be at leas…
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: The NDP Must Stop Victimizing Women if They Hope to be Taken Seriously Again
In early December 2012, the Toronto Star reported: Near-brawl erupts in Commons between Tory Peter Van Loan and NDP’s Nathan Cullen Apparently Van Loan was upset with the NDP’s delaying tactics on getting the Conservative budget measures passed, and crossed the floor to the NDP caucus, pointing his finger and shouting
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: The NDP Must Stop Victimizing Women if They Hope to be Taken Seriously Again
In early December 2012, the Toronto Star reported: Near-brawl erupts in Commons between Tory Peter Van Loan and NDP’s Nathan Cullen Apparently Van Loan was upset with the NDP’s delaying tactics on getting the Conservative budget measu…
Continue readingPushed to the Left and Loving It: The NDP Must Stop Victimizing Women if They Hope to be Taken Seriously Again
In early December 2012, the Toronto Star reported: Near-brawl erupts in Commons between Tory Peter Van Loan and NDP’s Nathan Cullen
Apparently Van Loan was upset with the NDP’s delaying tactics on getting the Conservative budget measures passed, and crossed the floor to the NDP caucus, pointing his finger and shouting obscenities.
In typical fashion, Thomas Mulcair began shouting obscenities back, and things could have gotten out of control, had not members of both parties stepped in to defuse the situation. Then Speaker, Andrew Scheer, did nothing.
According to Van Loan, members of his party only left their seats, fearing for his safety; and according to Nathan Cullen, his only concern was for the women folk.
Had a bench clearing brawl erupted, we can assume that only those wanting to engage would jump the boards and everyone else would scatter. He should not have dragged gender into this. What Van Loan and Mulcair did was wrong. They created an unsafe and uncomfortable working environment for everyone.
Last week we witnessed a similar situation in what has been dubbed Elbowgate.
This time the obstructionism was more evident as several NDP members tried to delay the vote on Assisted Dying legislation, by preventing Conservative Whip Gord Brown from making his way to the Speaker. Given that the clock was running out, the Prime Minister left his seat to move things along.
He was angry. He cursed. He was wrong.
During this brief encounter, NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brousseau, who had moved up behind him, got bumped. She stepped back to her bench, laughing and then made a gesture like she had been injured.
However, the issue here is not whether she was indeed hurt, or to what degree. It’s not even about whether or not she took a dive, as many believe she did.
It is about what we know did NOT happen.
She was NOT sexually assaulted. She was NOT molested. And she was NOT the victim of intentional violence. She pushed against Prime Minister Trudeau. He did not seek her out.
But that didn’t stop the Opposition members from turning this into a three ring circus, making it all about violence against women and putting the lives of female MPs in grave danger. Women must feel safe when they go to work, they insisted.
When did women become so fragile that we needed this kind of protection? When things like this occur in the workplace, they are disconcerting to everyone. Believe it or not, we’ve heard the “f” word before and many of us like contact sports, including boxing.
Our female Members of Parliament come from varied backgrounds. They are doctors, lawyers, teachers, scientists, business people et al. Many rose to the tops of their professions and no doubt took an elbow or two in the course of their careers. Singling them out as frail individuals is misogynistic. Feminism run amok.
As feminist blogger Rachel Edwards says:
“While feminists say that feminism is about equality, actions speak louder than words. These actions suggest an uncomfortable truth. Feminism is not the assumption that we are equal, but the assumption that women are weak… “
Had the NDP stuck to the narrative that Justin Trudeau should not have lost his temper and should not have left his seat to physically move Brown through the NDP wall, they would have come out on top. But by making it about violence against women, they lost all credibility and the public turned on them.
Not just Liberal supporters, but all women who know what sexual assault and violence against them really is. Also many men who are tired of always being painted as “perverts, bullies and misogynists”
Unfortunately, most of the anger was directed at Brousseau, while it should have gone to those who victimized her for political gain.
I know I also found myself upset with the MP, especially after viewing the video, but have since realized that she only played a small role in this farce. What I also noticed from the video, was how easy it would have been for Brown to go around, instead of continuing to try to go through. Sure looked liked a set up.
I also discovered from following social media, that many of the people decrying the bullying of Brousseau, are the same ones who bullied Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, just a week ago; so clearly this was not about protecting women.
NDP MP and self proclaimed feminist Niki Ashton, epitomizes what is wrong with feminism today. She led the charge against Sophie Trudeau when she asked for help in performing her duties, by suggesting that no one asked her to do anything.
Something women have heard for decades, if not centuries. “No one asked you to have those children”. “No one asked you to join a male dominated profession”. “You brought this on yourself”.
In November, Ashton had criticized the prime minister’s wife for taking her son Hadrian along on an official visit, despite the fact that he was still breast feeding.
Feminists need to step back and ask themselves what they are hoping to accomplish and pseudo-feminists need to stop assuming that they know. Only then will we be taken seriously.
What Was This Really About?
I was quite taken aback by several well known Canadian journalists and pundits, who shared stories on Twitter from international news outlets about the incident. They appeared giddy over the fact that this might tarnish Justin Trudeau’s reputation on the international stage. How is this a good thing?
Do they detest him that much that they fail to see that it would also be our country’s image that would suffer?
I doubt it will have much of an impact, but it does shed a light on the true nature of all the uproar.
So instead of #PrayForSophie #Nannygate or #elbowgate let’s just use one to cover everything.
#TrudeausJustTooDamnPopularGate
Montreal Simon: Jason Kenney Gets Away With Another Big Lie
I'm sure you remember the desperate state Jason Kenney was in a month ago, after claiming the reason the Cons were expanding the war into Syria was because the Americans had asked us.Since we were apparently the only country in the anti-ISIS coalition, apart from the U.S., to have so-called smart bombs.Only
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Adam Lent highlights the strong majority of respondents in the UK who see the political system as serving the powerful rather than the public. And Elizabeth Warren explains why the same conclusion applies in the U.S., while making the case that there’s
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Rick Mercer Assesses Andrew Scheer’s Job Performance
Unsurprisingly, the House Speaker gets a failing grade. My two favourite lines: “Show me one person who believes he’s done a good job on the decorum front. 308 meth addicts on the dance floor have better manners.” “We [should] replace the Speaker with a bag of flour with a smiley
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Rick Mercer On Why the Con Speaker Should be Fired
As you know I'm not a big fan of the Con Speaker Andrew Scheer. I blame him for allowing our Parliament to be turned into a fascist circus, or a dog and pony show. By allowing the Cons to get away with never giving a straight answer to any question,
Continue readingCanadian Political Viewpoints: To Hell With Tradition
Source: CBC News: Speaker Andrew Scheer Warns Mulcair and Others over Bias ClaimsSource: Library of Parliament: Standing Orders, Chapter One, Section 11.2 Anyone who has bothered to turn on the news during Question Period over the last, oh I’d say nine years, probably finds themselves in a continuing series of
Continue readingCanadian Political Viewpoints: To Hell With Tradition
Source: CBC News: Speaker Andrew Scheer Warns Mulcair and Others over Bias ClaimsSource: Library of Parliament: Standing Orders, Chapter One, Section 11.2 Anyone who has bothered to turn on the news during Question Period over the last, oh I’d say nine years, probably finds themselves in a continuing series of
Continue readingCanadian Political Viewpoints: To Hell With Tradition
Source: CBC News: Speaker Andrew Scheer Warns Mulcair and Others over Bias Claims
Source: Library of Parliament: Standing Orders, Chapter One, Section 11.2
Anyone who has bothered to turn on the news during Question Period over the last, oh I’d say nine years, probably finds themselves in a continuing series of disbelief when the whole spectacle is over. This wasn’t a trend that was started by the Harper Conservatives, but it was certainly perfected by them. Especially when one views the actions of one Paul Calandra.
Calandra rose out of the fall of Dean Del Mastro taking Dean’s place as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister; or more aptly, the PM’s mouthpiece when the PM isn’t in the House of Commons. Calandra made name, and a reputation, for himself when he served as Harper’s ‘deflector shield’ with regards to questions surrounding Mike Duffy and the Senate Expenses Scandal.
Calandra’s non-answers, outright dodges, and ridiculous non-sequiturs involving his family and pizza shops set a new low for decorum within the House of Commons. When it was all said and done, I think most Canadians thought the bar could not get any lower. It seems we all completed underestimated Paul Calandra.
Last Tuesday, Tom Mulcair rose to ask questions on Canada’s involvement in fighting ISIS/ISIL in Iraq. Enter Paul Calandra, who rejected the premise of the question put to him and instead went off on a tangent about Israel and whether or not Mulcair agreed with a position posted by a reported party fundraiser on Facebook.
Mulcair appropriately laughed off Calandra’s first response; even putting in a jibe about understanding Calandra’s confusion with I countries in the Middle East, but the question was about Iraq not Israel. Mulcair repeated the question, and again Calandra rose and provided more or less the same response.
Mulcair appealed to the Speaker at this point, noting that there are rules regarding relevance and asked that they be enforced. Again, Calandra spouted non-sense with response to the question put to him.
Of course, this led to Mulcair making a comment with regards to the Speaker’s impartiality (or lack thereof), which led to the Speaker finally taking action but against Mulcair and not Calandra. Mulcair was stripped of his remaining questions for the day, and Question Period moved on.
What followed was quite the media firestorm.
Numerous political reporters called it an unbelievable display, unheard of before in Canadian Parliamentary history. And then came the chorus of talking heads: some of the side of Mulcair, and others on the side of Speaker Andrew Scheer. (Unsurprisingly, no one really rushed to Calandra’s side.)
And so began a question of who was in the right and who was in the wrong.
Many condemned Mulcair for challenging the Speaker’s impartiality; while others agreed that Mulcair was right to challenge Scheer on the issue. So, how is it possible that so many of Canada’s best informed political minds could have such differing views? Surely, the laws of the land that govern the role of the Speaker and the House of Commons would prevent any sort of casual interpretation?
Well, written meet tradition.
Mulcair’s defenders were quick to point to House Standing Order 11.2,which states:
It’s not uncommon, and Scheer has done it often, for Speakers to reference past Speakers and their decisions when they make a judgement on something. That creates a lot of precedent that often flies in the face of the written rules and powers for the Speaker. Just because a Speaker in 1976 chose to read a rule a certain way, or ignore it, doesn’t exactly mean the same interpretation holds in 2014 for a similar, yet different, situation.
That brings us to the final question: What do we do about it?
Well, the NDP is trying to bring change forward, with a motion introduced this week to give the Speaker explicit authority to act during Question Period. However, the Conservatives have attacked the motion.
House Leader Peter Van Loan has argued about the motion turning Question Period into a “one way street” that would tie the hands of the government.
Well, here’s the good for the goose and gander argument. If the Conservatives defend Scheer’s inaction based on convention and tradition, then they need to look back to the Speaker James Jerome. In 1974, Jerome ended the practice of allowing Parliamentary Secretaries (like Paul Calandra) to pose questions to the opposition.
Furthermore, if we want to stick to convention, Ministers are conventionally not allowed to ask questions since they often provide answers on behalf of the government; the rules do not forbid Ministers asking questions, but convention says that only Private Members should do so.
So, conventionally speaking, the government side of the House shouldn’t be asking questions from the front bench (Cabinet) at least.
Van Loan, and his party it seems, want to have their cake and eat it too in this regard. Let us keep this part of the conventional tradition, but disregard this other. Either they have to commit wholeheartedly to whole bundled mess that is Parliamentary Tradition, or they have to work with the Opposition Parties to codify new and clear rules.
The NDP motion is looking doomed to fail thanks to no support from the Conservative bench. So for now, we’re stuck with the notion of conventional tradition as the guiding principle for how our Parliamentary system is administered.
The bigger problem, as I think we’ve illustrated, is not that the Speaker actually needs more powers (they already have them), they just need the will to exercise them.
People have already drawn comparisons to our Speaker and the Speaker of the House in the UK Parliament. Many have linked to the Speaker shutting down speakers from the floor, including the Prime Minister. Yes, Parliamentary systems evolve and we should be looking to other Parliaments to see what sort of improvements have been made and should be adapted here.
But until we accept that written rule and authority has more credence than past ‘convention’, all the reform in the world won’t do a thing.
Accidental Deliberations: On practical obstacles
Shorter Andrew Scheer: A functional democratic Parliament is everybody’s responsibility. And to be more precise, my responsibility for a functional democratic Parliament is to enforce complete unaccountability – and indeed punish anybody who questions that choice – until the Conservative Party instructs me otherwise. (For further reading, Michael Den Tandt,
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Why the Con Speaker Andrew Scheer Should Resign
Ever since Andrew Scheer was appointed Speaker he has presided over the slow death of Canada's Parliament. He has allowed his Cons to turn it into a fascist circus. He has allowed them to get away with not answering questions, and to make a mockery out of our democracy.The way he allowed
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