Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

by Aaron Wherry on Thursday, March 4, 2010 1:33pm - 16 Comments

The Conservative backbencher throws his support behind the current wording of O Canada.

I am proud of our anthem just the way it is.

Tags: National Anthem, O Canada, Rod Bruinooge

http://intensedebate.com/people/tedbetts tedbetts

"The Conservative backbencher throws his support behind the current wording of O Canada."

I read that before the headline and thought your were talking about Peter McKay.

He too is a little befuddled about why Harper would play games with our national anthem:

NNW: Peter MacKay doesn't want to see anthem changed – 'I like our anthem' MacKay tells Halifax talk radio host
http://intensedebate.com/people/MaggiesFarmboy MaggiesFarmboy

MacKay must have established world record time for backing away from an idea.

Good to see that the Conservatives are going for the gold, in their own way.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

Changing the anthem is an idea that came from within the Conservative caucus.

I can all but guarantee you that the idea would not have made it into the SFT if the CPC caucus hadn't approved it.

Guys like Rod Bruinooge (is that his real name?) are thus breaking not only with the Government but with their own caucus.

http://intensedebate.com/people/tedbetts tedbetts

Actually, from what I am reading, caucus did know what was going to be in the Throne Speech, certainly not details like this. They had been "consulted" and the idea came from a Conservative Senator, but I think they did not sign off on it in any way. Which is more in keeping with the way Harper runs the PMO.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

Ah, interesting. Sounds totally plausible to me. Which leaves us with the question: is this a SNAFU on PMO's part, a clever distraction from the budget, or (as per John D's idea yesterday), a complicated ploy to tarnish the opposition with the Government's own scheme? Or — all three at once?

http://intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

I loved John D's idea. I'm going with the complicated ploy.
http://intensedebate.com/people/tedbetts tedbetts

When hunting bears, don't get distracted by rabbit prints.

When you are a bear, set out rabbit prints to distract the bear hunters.

Steve M

Didn't the throne speech just say that Parliament would look into changing the lyrics?

If so, then this is just two votes for "no".
http://intensedebate.com/people/LynnTO LynnTO

While we're all playing Taboo with the lyrics, the CPC is playing Monopoly with our budget.

Pardon me while I grab my tin car and mosey on over to the Boardwalk.

http://intensedebate.com/people/tedbetts tedbetts

Careful of landing on the railroads with the new railroad security tax.
http://intensedebate.com/people/tobyornotoby tobyornotoby

I'd be happy if I could afford Baltic Avenue …

Maclean's Regular

Ah, I see the strategy now. The lyrics to the national anthem were thrown in as an issue for which Conservatives were allowed to have an independent opinion.

Very clever.

http://intensedebate.com/people/tobyornotoby tobyornotoby

Something to keep them out of harms way, like offering opinions on prorogation or members privilege or infrastructure spending.

http://intensedebate.com/people/M_A_N M_A_N

Now now, if you fellas in the back can't learn how to change the channel properly, we're taking away your clickers.
John D

As an addtional benefit, this anthem issue has given people who create poorly-spelled Facebook groups a whole new way to spend their time
smelter rat

According to tony Clement, the idea came to him via an email from a female constituent. uh huh. Pull the other one Tony.