Dany Morin talks about his first three weeks
It’s time to start my end-of-sitting (brief as it was) roundups, starting first with new NDP MP Dany Morin. I spoke with Morin after Question Period today.Q: How has it…
Dale Smith
QP: Dismissing an RCMP investigation as a PR stunt
It being National Aboriginal Day, there were a number of Members’ Statements to that effect, and after Jack Layton dispensed with a couple of cursory questions on the postal strike…
In a rush to rubber-stamp
More government cuts have been announced, and these ones hold no less of an ideological odour than the last round. While previously, environmental scientists, National Gallery curators and now researchers…
QP: A breaking news question
Jack Layton was absent from the House today, which left his deputy Thomas Mulcair to lead off Question Period, kicking off with a pair of questions about news that the…
Two conventions later
The NDP convention has now passed, and things have not changed that much. The party deferred the decision to drop references in its constitution to “socialism” in favour of more…
Anticipation of a filibuster
That back-to-work legislation is going ahead next week, although it's only for Canada Post, as Air Canada has come to an agreement with their union. The NDP and the other…
QP: Friday on a Thursday
The House treated today like a Friday to allow the NDP to head to Vancouver for its party convention by holding question period early. But it wasn’t a real Friday…
Get ready to stay late
If MPs really wanted to get out of Ottawa when the House is scheduled to rise at the end of next week, they should think again. It doesn’t look like…
In praise of a Senate revolt
News of a revolt among Conservative senators over Harper’s unconstitutional (and frankly asinine) reform bills should actually be welcome news. But of course, that’s not how everyone is reacting. Senator…
QP: Who answers the gay questions?
With a Canada Post lockout now in place, one would think that Jack Layton would begin question period by asking about it. But instead, he began with a fairly standard…
Handing Harper the victory
I suppose it could be considered quite a coup for some, but probably not those who think they scored the points. Jack Layton and the NDP probably think they scored…
QP: Asking about the debate of the day
Concerns about procedure echoed through the press gallery as question period got underway. Jack Layton opened with a trio of questions on the Libyan deployment, despite the fact that there…
And the budget vote is…
In the event that the suspense is killing you, let me put your mind at ease – yes, the budget was passed. But what’s that? The government won’t actually show…
QP: One week later
Jack Layton kicked off question period with a trio of questions about Libya, which asked about the mission Parliament intends to vote upon, why Canada was not playing a bigger…
Heroes of their own stories
Former Liberal MP Michelle Simpson says she’s writing a book about backbenchers in Ottawa. She says that they have little power, are pressured by their parties to toe the line,…
Where Harper is not showing leadership
Stephen Harper may have decided to cancel the Commons debate on the speech from the throne, but that didn’t stop the debate in the other place. Senator James Cowan, the…
Oversight and civic literacy
The first auditor general’s report without Sheila Fraser, who is gone after 10 years of service, shows some pretty serious things. The most troubling is that the government didn’t inform…
QP: Nothing but admiration for Sheila Fraser
During members’ statements before question period, Liberal Scott Brison rose to mark the passing of Audrey-Ann Murphy, his constituency staffer for the past 14 years. Jack Layton was absent from…
Apparently, hockey is state business
While we’re dealing with budget debates (shockingly, the Liberal sub-amendment was defeated) and Harper deciding to cancel debate on the throne speech, what is the big story of the day?…
QP: Narrative without follow-up
And on the third Question Period, the NDP discovered building a narrative, but the Liberals showed them how to use it. So say we all.Jack Layton kicked off Question Period…