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

Idea alert

by Aaron Wherry on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 12:19pm - 39 Comments

David Mitchell suggests Parliament should become a travelling road show once Centre Block is closed for renovations.

Think for a moment about the potential impact of convening a parliamentary session in Saskatchewan or New Brunswick or Manitoba or the Yukon. Wouldn’t each and every province or northern territory enjoy the opportunity to host this important national institution and showcase their regions and their issues. And imagine the possible impact on our politicians. What might be the effect of our Parliament meeting in Quebec? Or of Bloc Quebecois MPs being required to meet in Alberta? In my own experience, Canadians don’t know as much about each other as they sometimes believe they do. This would be a chance to familiarize our elected representatives with their country. It would be an exercise in nation-building.

Tags: Centre Block, David Mitchell, house of commons, idea alert, Parliament

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lgarvin

Now there's a good idea!

Dave

It would be interesting, for research sake if nothing else, to see if decorum improves if certain MPs have to "perform" for a home town audience.

Bring it on!

http://twitter.com/journo_dale @journo_dale

Oh boy – the Democrabus!
Thwim

Expensive. But quite probably worth it.

Poker Face

It costs the EU 4.1 million Euros every time they move the parliamentary venue (they do it monthly)

This is a terrible idea – a pure waste of tax dollars. Imagine the cost of flights, and the fact that constituents were already up in arms about travel costs.

This idea reeks of haste. Clearly, Mr. Mitchell did not think this through, nor bother to research how much it costs.

Emily

As an Ontarian I say good idea.

While they're gone we can bar the Parliamentary doors, and put a guard on the borders so they can't get back in! LOL
tobyornotoby

I believe there are buildings in each of the provinces where they are equipped for large, ahem, assemblies.

Mike T.

Actually, if a hybrid legislative assemby/hockey arena can be designed for Quebec, our PM may have found himself an out for a thorny issue.

tobyornotoby

Pretty sure I don't want MPs to be equipped with sticks.

Thwim

You're new here, aren't you?

Emily

I don't understand why he thinks attacking someone on their own blog contributes to a discussion.

JamesHalifax

EMily wrote:
"I don't understand why he thinks attacking someone on their own blog contributes to a discussion. "

Really Emily? This coming from you?

As for my comments for Aaron….think of them as constructive criticism.

Emily

LOL good point….but they always leave people in the building.

'Closed for renovations' is a better opportunity.
Anon 001

How about all MPs go back to their ridings, we lay off the staff and see if the country notices?

brooster2

I was thinking we could get some carbon credits…less hot air emanating out of Ottawa. Then, I realized there's the bigger carbon footprint involved in flying this circus all over the country.

Dave

Make them take the bus.

brooster2

Bus fumes are pretty bad, too. I'd be OK with them hitchhiking though.

Mike T.

Not to treat the matter too seriously, but assuming both the buses and hitchhiked-in cars are all going to be on the road anyway, in both instances the carbon emissions are the same. You only get extra ones if they charter the buses specially or take their own cars.
brooster2

OK, how about if they car pool? High occupancy essential in each vehicle. They could convoy. And stay in Comfort Inns, group rates. The places with continental breakfasts only. And no fitness facilities.
tobyornotoby

I volunteer to billet an MP if parliament comes to Winnipeg.
brooster2

Pull-out sofa bed in the rec room? Perfect.

lgarvin

We're already flying the great bulk of MPs back and forth across the country on a weekly basis anyway. I don't think there would be a lot of additional cost. Kinda makes you wonder why the MPs who are horrified at the imminent death of the planet don't propose something a little kinder to Mother Earth.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Ottawa_Centrist Ottawa_Centrist

Is this the equivalent of a child who throws stones at their crush? You cannot stand anything Aaron posts but you still want to let him know you are here.

Smitten as a kitten.
Passing by

Now there's a boondoggle that wouldn't come to an end quickly. MPs and staff traveling all the time on expense account, Ministers perpetually detached from their departments, locals everywhere happily upcharging for facilities and everything else, commissions of inquiry into where the money went.

It's a fabulous idea. Go for it. However, it isn't actually a "new" idea. In pre-Confederation times, the combined legislature of Canada East and West rotated between Toronto and Montreal for a few years prior to 1867 at incredibly high cost.

Mike R

Oh yes, because everyone loves business travel (that's sarcasm by the way). Of course there would be extra expense – but there will be in Ottawa if new digs have to be found during the renovation of parliament (which, based on recent experience will mean the centre block is closed for a decade or two). The proposal, on its face, seems something that could be done at a reasonable cost.

But as you point out, it isn't a new idea. I'm not sure why you think the movement of the old Canadain parliament was particularly expensive – that wasn't the reason for the change to a fixed location as far as I know. But the current parliament could benefit from a bit more exposure to the rest of the country – as could the current parliamentarians benefit from more exposure to the country.

CBP

Great idea….imagine how much work ADMs and staff could get done without their masters physically around to browbeat them. We might even have national high-speed rail, a real energy policy, senate reform and some shiny new buildings by the time they got back…

MPs could billet with their provincial counterparts and have slumber parties and everything.
chrimartel

Out of interest, I was checking in the Constitution Act, 1867, what was the article ruling the capital city. Article 16 says in the section about Executive Government that "Until the Queen otherwise directs, the Seat of Government of Canada shall be Ottawa." Nothing specifically about the location of the federal legislature.

So, basically, Harper could wake up a morning, send a council order to Rideau Hall to be rubber stamp, and move the capital to, let say Sarnia or Flin Flon, and there is nothing turncoats like Clyde Wells could do about it.

Dave

Man, if I was Queen I would totally mess around using that provision. I'd be directing otherwise like crazy.
tobyornotoby

Awesome that someone retains even a sarcastic resentment of Clyde Wells!

Dave

Il se souvient.

tobyornotoby

I don't have the resentment myself, just like it that someone had some sort of passion about Meech Lake.

I had issues with Meech myself and was at the Manitoba Legislature the day Elijah Harper made Clyde Wells position irrelevant. I had no problem with accomodating Quebec better, but I think more than symbolic redress of First Nations aspirations is essential to the development of our Confederation, and that making further Constitutional concessions to the provinces would make them too unaccountable and actually impair constitutional development.

Provincial governments don't have much in the way of checks and balances on them and rarely steward their current constituional powers in a judicious fashion (i.e. environmental, forest and mineral resources, municipal governance). They also frequently fail to act together with each other or the federal government on cross jurisdictional issues. Plus there was a nasty little clause about extending their borders northward that seemed ominously annexationist.

wellwell

Nice idea in theory, but in Canada ignorance is bliss. Remember that Jacques Parizeau became a separatist when he travelled out West for the first time.

Chris

Lots of money and ethnics out here.

madeyoulook

No way! Expense account hell!

Besides, there's a large structure out in Kanata with ample parking, that doesn't seem to be housing any productive organization at the moment. So the MPs and Senators and Senators will fit right in with one other out there.

noob_goldberg

It's also got built-in penalty boxes which could be put to good use.

TimesArrow

Never!! Keep the useless B*&^%$7*s in Ottawwwaaaugh where they can do the least harm!!

Sorry bout that [ cough] must be the latent reformer that resides in all us westerners.

Paulatuk NWT would be a fine place to relocate our Parliamentarians.

noob_goldberg

I think we should extend our Arctic sovereignty with this opportunity. Perhaps we could construct a temporary structure on Hans Island?
madeyoulook

What did the fine people of Paulatuk ever do to you, kcm? Nothing could be that bad.