Categories: Canada

Parliamentarians of the year

Maclean’s Exclusive: From the hardest working to most knowledgeable, best orator to rising star, here are Canada’s top MPs—as selected by their peers

by macleans.ca on Thursday, June 3, 2010 12:00am - 106 Comments

Between the bluster and the blarney, there is a lot of good work done on Parliament Hill. And so for the fourth year in a row, we asked MPs to nominate the best among their peers. Nearly 70 per cent answered our call. Here are the results.

PHOTO GALLERY

THE WINNERS

Parlimentarian of the Year: John Baird (Conservative)
Most Knowledgeable: Gilles Duceppe (BQ)
Most Collegial: Peter Stoffer (NDP)
Rising Star: Kelly Block (Conservative)
Best Orator: Bob Rae (Liberal)
Best Represents Constituents: Robert Bouchard (BQ)
Hardest Working: Ted Menzies (Conservative)

How we did it: Ipsos Reid asked all members of Parliament to nominate the best MPs in each of seven categories. This year, 202 MPs responded, casting votes for members both in and outside their parties. The votes were converted to a point system to ensure that larger parties did not have an advantage. The MP who received the most points in each category won. The MP who earned the highest number of total points was named Parliamentarian of the Year.

Tags: Parliamentarians of the year

http://intensedebate.com/people/psiclone psiclone

Way to go Johnny Boy! well deserved honour. When it comes to PM attack dogs he is excellent .. reminds me of Chretien when ol Pierre would unloose his leash and say go get em …
Craigboy

It Is obvious that we have some fresh out of university, placements in Baird costituency office who are monitoring the news feedback lines today to continue the conservation propoganda message. Or many of the posters here are directly working for a PR firm hired to do this by the conservatives. Somne of these comments are way too directly from the conservative message book.
As usual, the conservatives think we ordinary Canadians are too stupid and incompetent to think for ourselves and therefore they either want to shout us down, bully us in to their way of thinking, threaten us, fire the independent watchdogs, prorogue parliament when they face inquiries, and hire expensive PR firms to attack everyone who does not support their views. Baird is a Bully and a national disgrace.
Herb

Yes, the man who has done the most to make parliamentary debate offensive as well as irrelevant deserves to be recognized as the "Best Parliamentarian" of this Parliament.

It is past time to take out the garbage.
Incredible

Maybe next time Andy is on "At Issue" he can attempt to explain how the ape ended up man of the year, should be good for a chuckle or two. Maybe I'm wrong but I think Canada has to be the only country in the world to chose a primate as it's best parliamentarian. And I went and cancelled my subscription to Mcleans back when the "Western Report" boys moved in.

dave

"ape", "primate"

ah, that famous left-wing tolerance and respect.

http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

Why do they have to get awards? Do all you folks get to vote for bestest, prettiest and mostest at work and then get a party?

This is childish.
No Pinochet

When you have Coyne as one of your stars what other type of results would one expect. Hopefully no news service outside Canada picks this up, it is so embarrassing in our country but to have the rest of the world think this is our best, we will need bags to put over our head when we leave Canadian air space.
Jacques

Baird's a buffoon and nothing more than the main con pitbull. Time for these social conservative lunatics to ride the pine.

I stopped reading MacLean's a long time ago when it went from a fairly centrist Canadian version of time, to the equivalent of our very own version of Fox in print format.

sean

you stopped reading this magazine, eh? clearly.

http://intensedebate.com/people/WesternInterest WesternInterest

People, MacLeans is in the business to make money. Controversy and sex sells the most, that's why he was picked for this now dubious honour. We'll just have to take their word for it that they jury-rigged it properly. It could be worse, I bet they would foam at the mouth to get a photo of the Gorilla in lingerie!
incredible

I'm old, I drink to much, I smoke roll me owns and also the wonderful weed on occassion, actually quite often. I do fool around on my good wife on occassion, shave once a month and shower twice a month whether I need it or not. My lawn is full of dandelions and I have two rottweillers. I haven't worked in ten years and quit school in grade 8. My mother in law says I stink and wife telle me I'm a complete ass. The last time I went to church I had a terrible hangover and threw up. I love blondes, Pil, pot and the Roughriders. My wife is my 1st cousin
and I have a confederate flag in my front window.

John Baird has changed my whole look on life, he has shown me I to can do it, after a bit of consideration and er thought, I have decided to run for Prime Minister.

http://intensedebate.com/people/janicemaerose Janice Rose

LOL. Might be a bit much incredible.

Incredible

Do you want to go to the dog fights with me?

derick

sounds like he's describing an NDP voter, no?

JamesHalifax

incredible admitted:
"I'm old, I drink to much, I smoke roll me owns and also the wonderful weed on occassion, actually quite often. I do fool around on my good wife on occassion, shave once a month and shower twice a month whether I need it or not. My lawn is full of dandelions and I have two rottweillers. I haven't worked in ten years and quit school in grade 8. My mother in law says I stink and wife telle me I'm a complete ass. The last time I went to church I had a terrible hangover and threw up. I love blondes, Pil, pot and the Roughriders. My wife is my 1st cousin
and I have a confederate flag in my front window."

Is that you Dad?

http://uncommonsensecanada.blogspot.com/ Zip

It amazes me that people here are calling John Baird a Nazi (I can't think of a more derogatory term and would not use that one on my worst enemy), a Neanderthal and a bully but his Peers, the people he works with the ones who actually know him and see him in actions other than the ones our cycloptic mass media focuses on actually nominated him for this honour.

Well done Mr. Baird. As for the rest, the world hates poor loosers.

http://intensedebate.com/people/WesternInterest WesternInterest

What's a looser?

Zip

A fat fingered typist. :D

Grest

John Baird? This is not April 1, Maclean's people!

"John Baird: An Embarrassment to the Species"
JamesHalifax

I'm a Conservative supporter, but even I don't understand Baird getting this recognition. Frankly, I think much of his outrage is just as feigned as the Liberals' phoney issue du jour.

I respect true outrage…..that is passion.

Phoney outrage………..just looking for a soundbite. (cue any NDP'er or Marlene Jennings)
http://intensedebate.com/people/Open_Democracy Open_Democracy

The Conference Board of Canada released its ratings of the trustworthiness of various professions. Out of 41 selected professions, politicians came in 39th just ahead of car salespeople and telemarketers. It is interesting to note that lawyers came in 29th and psychics and astrologers came in 35th, well ahead of politicians. The professions at the low end of the scale are those that most people feel that they could do just as well or better than those currently employed in those occupations.

In light of the preceding, I would agree that John Baird is Canada's best politician.

http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/
http://intensedebate.com/profiles/lmcg1 lmcg1

This is a disgrace. On the day he was so called 'awarded' this dubious recognition, his showed by his disgraceful, thuggish, juvenile behaviour, that he is the least likely to be an example of a good parliamentarian. I am so glad that there was film of this event. Now we get to see how these people really behave, and it is appalling. Shame on them. This group of conservatives are in the process of ruining parliament.
Dee

Awarding Baird Parliamentarian of the Year is akin to bestowing "Best in Show" on a rabid rottweiler.

In the interests of Maclean's (rapidly diminishing) credibility, perhaps you would like to share how the "votes were converted to a point system" and how many MPs from the various parties actually voted.

not there

Now, now, Dee, you know full well as I do that's insulting the rottweiler.

Gibby

Well, so much for Ipsos Reid surveys. reminds me of when I did the Census………..very skewered.
John Baird, the Parliamentary Pit Bull. I don't think so! So many things I could say I find repugnant about this man.
McCleans, we know you are skewered also.
Jay

This has to be extreme sarcasm, right? He's even obnoxious when he's "out" at night clubs. Everyone ignores him. I see him regularly in Toronto. The man is a pompous, loud mouthed, obnoxious pig.This award is either sarcasm, or as mentioned, they've finally figured out how to stuff the ballot box. Makes you wonder about the quality of work done at Macleans.
Jay

I figured it out.. One person never voted for her/himself.
Incredible

If I recall "At Issue" is on the "National" tonite. I have heard from very good sources that Peter will be asking Andy to explain the McLean's
Magazine political pageant and the fact a primate, more specifically
an ape, got to wear the silk banner and multiple diamond studded crown. If I was Andy I would book off sick.
Peter

I feel unclean just saying the name John Baird.
cory

waaaaaah.

you lefties are insufferable whiners.

the funny part is,like the sun rises in the east, the second they have a real job, a house, and a family, they suddenly become conservatives.

there will always be whiny 20-somethings, and victims, and losers, so there will always be "liberals". sad, but such is life.

Dee

John Baird, is that you?

jane

25% of the population tend to be losers, whiners or fools. 15% tend to be free-riders. 33% work and live honest lives.

it would certainly explain recent polls.

Dee

You stay classy, jane.

Gary from Halifax

What a bloody joke.
les1958

I think it should be Bob Rae.Three cheers for Bob sugesting the government stay on in Khanduhar and clean up PMO Martins mess.
No point in standing up to the USA like Harper did.Hey lets just bend over for Hillary. Right on Bob.Hip-hip hooray!!
bonneau

John Baird, parliamentarian of the year…
What a delicious piece of satire, congratulations Macleans.