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

Opto Civitas

by Aaron Wherry on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 12:12pm - 38 Comments

The NDP is apparently keen to be a civil official opposition.

Moments after leader Jack Layton publicly addressed his caucus for the first time since a record 103 New Democrats were elected, self-proclaimed “loudmouth” Pat Martin pulled out a set of colourful buttons bearing the words “Opto Civitas.” ”I choose civility. That’s the new me,” he proclaimed.

He apparently made 300 of them in various party colours. There’s even one for Green Party leader Elizabeth May. He plans to hand them out when Parliament resumes June 2 … [Layton] later noted that the “heckling” that’s become commonplace during question period over the course of several minority governments, needs to stop and that it’s time for “respectful discussions” that don’t drive school groups out the door in shame.

Tags: decorum, house of commons, Jack Layton, Parliament, Pat Martin, Question Period

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Anonymous

While I’m not latin scholar, I think Martin may be ‘choosing citizenship’, not civility.

Regardless, it’s good to see that Mr. Martin has decided to resist the urge to bring undue attention upon himself in the House of Commons – even if his chosen medium happens to be brightly coloured buttons.
Anonymous

While I’m not latin scholar, I think Martin may be ‘choosing citizenship’, not civility.

Regardless, it’s good to see that Mr. Martin has decided to resist the urge to bring undue attention upon himself in the House of Commons – even if his chosen medium happens to be brightly coloured buttons.

Anonymous

Means ‘I want to be a citizen’…..not quite what he meant. LOL

http://profiles.google.com/ajbeecroft Alexander Beecroft

Well, _that_ would have to be either opto civitatem esse, or (less likely) opto ut civitas sim.

Anonymous

opto: to wish for.

civitas: state, citzenship, city-state, city.

http://www.latinphrasetranslation.com/words/latin_word_list

http://profiles.google.com/ajbeecroft Alexander Beecroft

Yes, but as a verb opto normally takes either the accusative infinitive construction, or the subjunctive after ut. Opto civitas on its own would leave civitas as the subject of the (first-person singular) verb, so “I, the state, wish for…”
http://profiles.google.com/ajbeecroft Alexander Beecroft

Yes, but as a verb opto normally takes either the accusative infinitive construction, or the subjunctive after ut. Opto civitas on its own would leave civitas as the subject of the (first-person singular) verb, so “I, the state, wish for…”
http://profiles.google.com/ajbeecroft Alexander Beecroft

Yes, but as a verb opto normally takes either the accusative infinitive construction, or the subjunctive after ut. Opto civitas on its own would leave civitas as the subject of the (first-person singular) verb, so “I, the state, wish for…”

http://profiles.google.com/ajbeecroft Alexander Beecroft

Well, _that_ would have to be either opto civitatem esse, or (less likely) opto ut civitas sim.

Anonymous

Means ‘I want to be a citizen’…..not quite what he meant. LOL
Anonymous

I think the Latin adjective he wants is ‘civilis’. The semantic range of ‘civitas’ simply does not extend to civility, politeness, et cetera.

Anonymous

“decorum” would work even better; the meaning is closer to what he’s going for, it works in English too, and it’s in the accusative.

Anonymous

While I’m not latin scholar, I think Martin may be ‘choosing citizenship’, not civility.

Regardless, it’s good to see that Mr. Martin has decided to resist the urge to bring undue attention upon himself in the House of Commons – even if his chosen medium happens to be brightly coloured buttons.
Anonymous

While I’m not latin scholar, I think Martin may be ‘choosing citizenship’, not civility.

Regardless, it’s good to see that Mr. Martin has decided to resist the urge to bring undue attention upon himself in the House of Commons – even if his chosen medium happens to be brightly coloured buttons.
Anonymous

Pat Martin is a Marxist nut that has an anger management problem that rears its head most barefacedly when he’s addressing women of the female persuasion.

He has always been a narcissist who loves to be in the spotlight.

This is nothing but a publicity stunt in order to keep his name in the papers.

Anonymous

Despite a tendency to inflammatory language Pat Martin is actually a moderate social democrat, less radical than a good deal of his Winnipeg Centre voters and inclined towards coaliton building, between labour and greens for instance. He’s far from a Marxist,so you might want to check your own language/anger mgmt.
Anonymous

Despite a tendency to inflammatory language Pat Martin is actually a moderate social democrat, less radical than a good deal of his Winnipeg Centre voters and inclined towards coaliton building, between labour and greens for instance. He’s far from a Marxist,so you might want to check your own language/anger mgmt.
Anonymous

Despite a tendency to inflammatory language Pat Martin is actually a moderate social democrat, less radical than a good deal of his Winnipeg Centre voters and inclined towards coaliton building, between labour and greens for instance. He’s far from a Marxist,so you might want to check your own language/anger mgmt.
Anonymous

Uh oh… I think Martin better send you a button.

Anonymous

Pat Martin is a Marxist nut that has an anger management problem that rears its head most barefacedly when he’s addressing women of the female persuasion.

He has always been a narcissist who loves to be in the spotlight.

This is nothing but a publicity stunt in order to keep his name in the papers.
Anonymous

Pat Martin is a Marxist nut that has an anger management problem that rears its head most barefacedly when he’s addressing women of the female persuasion.

He has always been a narcissist who loves to be in the spotlight.

This is nothing but a publicity stunt in order to keep his name in the papers.
Anonymous

Pat Martin is a Marxist nut that has an anger management problem that rears its head most barefacedly when he’s addressing women of the female persuasion.

He has always been a narcissist who loves to be in the spotlight.

This is nothing but a publicity stunt in order to keep his name in the papers.
Anonymous

Pat Martin is a Marxist nut that has an anger management problem that rears its head most barefacedly when he’s addressing women of the female persuasion.

He has always been a narcissist who loves to be in the spotlight.

This is nothing but a publicity stunt in order to keep his name in the papers.
Anonymous

With the Liberals down to 34 seats, civility has a chance. But actions speak louder than words, especially for someone with Martin’s track record. I’ll have to see it to believe it.
Anonymous

With the Liberals down to 34 seats, civility has a chance. But actions speak louder than words, especially for someone with Martin’s track record. I’ll have to see it to believe it.
Anonymous

With the Liberals down to 34 seats, civility has a chance. But actions speak louder than words, especially for someone with Martin’s track record. I’ll have to see it to believe it.
Anonymous

With the Liberals down to 34 seats, civility has a chance. But actions speak louder than words, especially for someone with Martin’s track record. I’ll have to see it to believe it.
Anonymous

With the Liberals down to 34 seats, civility has a chance. But actions speak louder than words, especially for someone with Martin’s track record. I’ll have to see it to believe it.

Anonymous

So, Liberals were the problem wrt civility in the House? Colour me skeptical.

Dollars to donuts they’re shouting like drunken louts inside of six months. The last two leaders of the opposition tried civility and failed.
Anonymous

So, Liberals were the problem wrt civility in the House? Colour me skeptical.

Dollars to donuts they’re shouting like drunken louts inside of six months. The last two leaders of the opposition tried civility and failed.
Anonymous

So, Liberals were the problem wrt civility in the House? Colour me skeptical.

Dollars to donuts they’re shouting like drunken louts inside of six months. The last two leaders of the opposition tried civility and failed.

Anonymous

I anticipate a rousing round of “He started it!” “No, he started it!” “Did not!” “Did too!” shortly after the beginning of the session. It’s hard to be civil in the face of rudeness, even when the rudeness is just a smirk.

Anonymous

Looks like you’re the one doing the “he started it”.

It is impossible to tell who started it. All I’m saying is that the Liberals in recent times have perpetrated the behavior far more than the other parties. I also believe this had some effect on the election.
Anonymous

Looks like you’re the one doing the “he started it”.

It is impossible to tell who started it. All I’m saying is that the Liberals in recent times have perpetrated the behavior far more than the other parties. I also believe this had some effect on the election.

Anonymous

I anticipate a rousing round of “He started it!” “No, he started it!” “Did not!” “Did too!” shortly after the beginning of the session. It’s hard to be civil in the face of rudeness, even when the rudeness is just a smirk.
Anonymous

I anticipate a rousing round of “He started it!” “No, he started it!” “Did not!” “Did too!” shortly after the beginning of the session. It’s hard to be civil in the face of rudeness, even when the rudeness is just a smirk.
Anonymous

I anticipate a rousing round of “He started it!” “No, he started it!” “Did not!” “Did too!” shortly after the beginning of the session. It’s hard to be civil in the face of rudeness, even when the rudeness is just a smirk.
Anonymous

Just today:

“what he is trying to do is to annihilate the opposition, this is a dictator at its best,” Mr. Easter said.

“I can’t think of anything more wrong than having a spirit of vindictiveness in a majority government,” Mr. Rae told a news conference

Looks like they picked up where they left off, despite their electoral shellacking.

Notice the absence of juicy hateful quotes from the NDP.

QED

This is the part where you blame other people for it, as Liberals tend to do. It’s the part where you claim a government policy is a perfectly good reason for ad-hominem attacks.