QP: To build, not to buy
It was only after the first cursory question from Turmel on the usual subject of the OAS that she asked about the big story of the day – the new…
Dale Smith
Loopholes going unaddressed
The votes are in, and the bill to scrap the long-gun registry has passed the Commons on a vote of 159 to 130, and the bill is now off to…
Why attacking Vic Toews won’t help
The Twitter Machine was abuzz today with that anonymous account posting all of the details about Vic Toews’ divorce papers. It was done under the aegis that if Vic Toews…
QP: Doing the math on the F-35s
QP was off to an abrupt start after the Speaker shut down Conservative MP Jim Hillyer’s attempted attack against Justin Trudeau in a Member’s Statement, and Turmel was up, and…
Magical criticism shield
The Lawful Access bill came down yesterday, and Vic Toews gave it a torque short title – the “Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act,” thus making it magically immune from…
A lament for House duty
It's not uncommon to hear complaints about the state of debate in the Commons these days, but looking into the Commons during government orders does fill one with a bit…
Creepy "love" exchanges
It was all hands on deck today, with Turmel, Harper and Rae all in the House. We were spared the worst of mawkish MP tributes to their spouses during Members’…
QP: Creepy "love" exchanges
It was all hands on deck today, with Turmel, Harper and Rae all in the House. We were spared the worst of mawkish MP tributes to their spouses during Members’…
Striking down mandatory minimums
The discussions on the omnibus crime bill over in the Senate are about to get a hell of a lot more interesting after an Ontario judge has ruled that mandatory…
Things Vic Toews says
While both Harper and Turmel were absent from the House today, we did see John Baird take his seat for the first time in 2012, seeing as he’s been on…
Pipelines and pandas
Harper is back from China, and it’s all talk about possible future free trade agreements and pandas. Not that everyone is convinced by just how much success was had with…
The foreign policy ‘debate’
The third official NDP leadership debate took place in Quebec City this afternoon, conducted almost entirely in French. The topic was foreign policy, and lo and behold, you can rest…
Small differences emerging
While we await Sunday’s NDP leadership debate from Quebec City – the first fully French event that is going to tax the bilingual capacities of the seven candidates – here’s…
So long, Saganash
Romeo Saganash is dropping out of the NDP leadership race, in part because of a family illness that is demanding his time and attention. That still leaves seven candidates in…
Scott Brison is ready to battle over the budget
I caught up with Liberal MP Scott Brison after QP yesterday to ask him about what is keeping him busy this winter. Q: What did you get up to over…
QP: All that is holy and decent
With neither Harper nor Turmel in the House today, it was up to Joe Comartin to lead the moral indignation against the CSIS directives that allow for the use of…
Keeping the ability to cross the floor
The NDP private member’s bill that would force a by-election after a floor crossing died after a vote in the Commons last night, as well it should. Bitter comments from…
Libby Davies talks about her winter sitting
As I continued with my round up of queer MPs, I caught up with NDP MP Libby Davies after QP yesterday. Q: What did you get up to over the…
QP: Beware the Reform Party wing!
Trying to make a big impact from the starting gate, Nycole Turmel stood up and started listing off the various social conservative evils that the Conservatives are contemplating – opening…
The foreign investment debate
The New Democrats are planning to spend their opposition day on Thursday debating a motion on changing the foreign investment act, in light of the Electro-Motive Diesel shutdown in London,…