Ms Soapbox is on her way to Ottawa. There’s a good chance she’s in the air right now squashed into a tiny little seat trying to figure out why her WestJet onboard entertainment app isn’t working (luckily, she’s brought along her youngest daughter “Mini” who will fix the glitch in
Continue readingTag: Question Period
Susan on the Soapbox: Question Period? Really?
How much longer do we have to put up with this nonsense? The Alberta Legislature has been in session for eight days and the UCP is using Question Period to test-drive political slogans. Jason Kenney UCP leader Ms Soapbox’s personal favourite is the UCP’s claim: “We lead, they follow”. The
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Andrew Scheer’s Disastrous Day In The Commons
It should have been a crowning moment for Andrew Scheer. His first day in the returning House of Commons, as the new leader of the Harper Party.His first chance to face Justin Trudeau, deploy his creepy grin, and claim he's trying to save small businesses from his greedy clutches… But
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: She Asked For It
Kellie Leitch has made her ‘values test’ a central issue in her leadership campaign, and Evan Solomon, now host of CTV’s Question Period, asked a logical question about her politics of division and exclusion. However, as you will see, Leitch clearly la…
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Start work at 9 in the morning? Never! Alberta’s Wildrose picks another great hill to die on
PHOTOS: You want me to be at the Legislature when? A young Brian Jean contemplates the horrors of a future under an NDP government. Younger versions of Alberta political leaders may not have appeared exactly as illustrated. Below: The real Mr. Jean as he appears today; NDP Infrastructure and Transportation
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Conservatives ask Liberals to “apologize for decades of racism”
The Harper Conservatives accuse the Liberals of “decades of racism” dating back to Liberal PM Mackenzie King, who served from 1921 to 1930 and 1935 to 1948. The post Conservatives ask Liberals to “apologize for decades of racism” appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Conservatives Kill NDP Motion To Civilize Question Period
On Tuesday, the House voted 144-132 to defeat an NDP motion seeking to empower the Speaker to police irrelevant answers during Question Period. The post Conservatives Kill NDP Motion To Civilize Question Period appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Bizarre Conservative MP Paul Calandra’s Wikipedia Page Vandalized
Someone really pissed off has edited Paul Calandra’s Wikipedia page to reflect the Conservative MP’s bizarre obsession with Israel. The post Bizarre Conservative MP Paul Calandra’s Wikipedia Page Vandalized appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Paul Calandra Apologizes
After his disgraceful behaviour the other day in the House during Question Period, Parliamentary Secretary and ardent Harper loyalist Paul Callandra issued a ‘tearful’ apology this morning. For me, his motives are suspect: Recommend this Post
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Conservative MP, Commons Speaker Desecrated Parliament
A simple question by NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair during Question Period led to a bizarre exchange with a Conservative MP and exposed House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer’s incompetence and lack of neutrality. The post Conservative MP, Commons Speaker Desecrated Parliament appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Miraculously, no one trampled as Tories race for Alberta Legislature’s exits
Alison Redford crashes through the Alberta Legislature. Below: Frightened and relieved, Alberta Progressive Conservative MLAs race from the vicinity of the Legislative Building in Edmonton yesterday; Nostradamus; Moses. Actual Alberta politicians and legislative architectural renderings may not appear exactly as illustrated. It must have seemed a little like the panic
Continue readingCuriosityCat: The Senate Scandal: How to hold the Prime Minister to account in Question Period
Thomas Mulcair in Question Period The leader of the NDP has done Canadians, and Canadian democracy, a service through his dogged, skillful, meticulous and highly professional questions posed to the Prime Minister during Question Period. Mulcair has clearly spent a great deal of time researching the facts of the Sentate
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Debt is debt, except when it’s hope
Sometimes Question Period is downright funny. Witness this exchange on the provincial debt between Opposition Leader Danielle Smith and Premier Redford.* Ms Smith: In Medicine Hat earlier this month the Premier said this about debt: it’s not debt; it’s hope. So let’s take some of the Premier’s other quotes and
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Elizabeth May Questions Harper on Enbridge’s Northern Gateway Pipeline [VIDEO]
During Question Period on Thursday, Green Party leader Elizabeth May asked Stephen Harper whether the feds would still approve Enbridge‘s Northern Gateway Pipeline, now officially rejected by British Columbians. WATCH: Elizabeth May: Mr. Speaker, in 2001, the Prime Minister wrote a famous letter to the former premier of Alberta, which he urged him
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: NDP Leader Tom Mulcair Grills PM Harper On Senate Expenses Scandal (VIDEO)
Last week, Prime Minister Stephen Harper fled to South America to avoid the unraveling Senate expenses scandal. On Monday, he skipped Question Period in the House of Commons. He did show up in the House on Tuesday and NDP Leader Tom Mulcair roasted him. Prosecutor style. Short, precise questions. The
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper’s Defence Minister Peter MacKay Dreams Of An “NDP Government” (VIDEO)
By: Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive: During Question Period in the House of Commons last week, NDP House Leader Nathan Cullen questioned Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s voting record on defence spending when the Conservatives… The post Harper’s Defence Minister Peter MacKay Dreams Of An “NDP Government” (VIDEO) appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingSusan on the Soapbox: Ms Soapbox’s Great Adventure—Off to the Leg (it rhymes with “edge”)
Last week Ms Soapbox was introduced to the Legislative Assembly by Liberal MLA, Laurie Blakeman, the oldest (as in longest-serving, not age!) opposition MLA. Ms Blakeman noted that Ms Soapbox was a lawyer but said the House wouldn’t hold that against her. Ms Soapbox stood to receive the “traditional warm
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Premier Christy Clark Must Step Down-Martyn Brown Says.
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Martyn Brown, Former Chief of Staff for Premier Gordon Campbell, has told Jon McComb, on ‘The World Today’ CKNW 980, that Premier Clark must step down. Premier Clark told legislative reporters, this afternoon, that she will have to take more actions possibly including resigning as Premier. The last
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Time To Reform Our Dysfunctional Legislature – Our Democracy Has Been Handcuffed
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Watching ‘Question Period’ the other day what struck me once again was the dysfunctional performance of the legislature. The legislatures role has been diminished, often governments calling them into session only when they must to jam their legislation through. It is a critical element of a parliamentary
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: NDP MP Niki Ashton: “New Canadian Wheat Board ad symbolizes the Conservative agenda”
Tell your friends to pull offensive CWB ad: Ashton calls on Ritz to act by Niki Ashton MP (Press Release) | Feb. 6, 2013: OTTAWA – Today in question period, MP Niki Ashton (Churchill) called on Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz to pull an offensive Canadian Wheat Board ad. The ad
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