‘It’s naive’

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 10:00 AM - 0 Comments

NDP MP Brian Masse questions the pro sports leagues’ opposition to Joe Comartin’s sports betting bill.

“I don’t understand their argument for Ontarians that it’s OK to bet on three games, but not two or one. Why is it OK for Ontarians to go to Vegas and bet on games, but not at Caesars Windsor? If you don’t regulate the issue, it’s organized crime that bettors turn to bet on sporting events.”

… Masse said the league’s argument that gambling could taint the integrity of the game isn’t credible when a number of team owners are already in the gaming industry. Detroit Red Wings owners Mike and Marian Ilitch own the Motor City Casino while Boston Bruins’ owner Jeremy Jacobs also has gaming interests. “I don’t think there’s a lot of merit to this (league’s objections), considering what’s included in some owners income streams,” Masse said. “It’s naïve, because anything that passes through the criminal element, ignoring it is not a solution. Doing the ostrich move, burying your head in the sand, is not beneficial to anyone, including the league’s own product.”

Explaining Motion 312

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, September 28, 2012 at 4:20 PM - 0 Comments

Conservative MP Bryan Hayes explains his support for Motion 312.

“In my opinion, the formation of a committee does not pre-conclude what the results or recommendations that come forward from that committee might be. So I think it’s reasonable that a committee have some respectful dialogue around this piece of legislation. Obviously the committee was going to be tasked with some responsibilities within their realm as a committee, so when I looked at those responsibilities I thought it reasonable that those questions they would be tasked to answer deserved dialogue.”

… Hayes concluded: “Our government has gone on record as stating we will not revisit the abortion debate, but this piece of legislation states that a child is not a human being before the moment of birth. The definition of when someone is officially declared a human being is 400-year-old legislation, and I think conversation needed to occur as to whether or not that piece of legislation makes sense today.”

NDP MP Brian Masse explains his vote against.

“Generally I believe it’s a woman’s right to choose,” Masse said. “It’s as simple as that. It’s a rights issue. This motion made that rather complicated and eroded that.”

Conservative MP Randy Kamp explains his views.

“To say that it’s a completely closed issue, to have no legislation of any kind on when an unborn child deserves protection – that I think is what all that motion is about,” Kamp said.

Conservative MP Brent Rathgeber blogs.

Motion 312, which would have called for an examination of when human life begins, was defeated in the House of Commons Wednesday night by a vote of 203-91.  Predictably, the “Nay” forces were claiming victory and many in the Pro-Life crowd required consoling.  Neither reaction was warranted; certainly any celebrations were premature. As I told Alberta Talk Show Host, Rob Breakenridge, the sad reality is that the vote on Motion 312 resolved nothing.  This matter would keep coming back until Parliament has the courage to deal with it in a fulsome and respectful manner.  Refusing to study a matter does not resolution of an issue make.

Joe Comartin does not mess around

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 9:45 AM - 0 Comments

The new deputy speaker takes the chair and promptly rules praise for his promotion to be out of order.

During a morning session Tuesday Masse rose to be the first to speak in front of Comartin, to whom he offered a glowing congratulations for his work as a parliamentarian since his election in 2000 and his worthy appointment to his new position.

When Masse was finished, Comartin thanked all the members and did indeed rule Masse out of order because he did not speak on a point of order that was relevant to the debate at hand.

The full exchange is here.

Jack Layton tribute in Toronto

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, August 23, 2012 at 11:53 AM - 0 Comments

The square in front of Toronto’s city hall was packed for Dear Jack, a tribute to mark the one-year anniversary of NDP leader Jack Layton’s death.

0

Jack Layton tribute in Toronto

Prev

Next

Layton Tribute

1 of 30 Photos

Next Layton Tribute

Tags

The mysterious hum of Zug Island

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, April 20, 2012 at 11:43 AM - 0 Comments

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has dispatched Bob Dechert to deal with Windsor’s hum.

“The Windsor Hum is having a negative effect on the day-to-day lives of Windsor residents,” said Baird. “We are prepared to collaborate with stakeholders and other levels of government to identify the source of the problem so that potential mitigation measures can be designed and implemented.”

The hum mystery is months old. A telephone town hall meeting about the problem in March drew 22,000 participants. The sound has been traced to Zug Island, but the Michigan town that includes Zug Island says it doesn’t have enough money to investigate. NDP MP Brian Masse took the issue to Washington last month.

Caucus lines up

By Aaron Wherry - Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 7:22 PM - 0 Comments

Seven more MPs have moved to Thomas Mulcair in the last hour, including Megan Leslie, Dennis Bevington, Bruce Hyer and Brian Masse.

Including those moved earlier, Mr. Mulcair has about 59 MPs behind him now.

The endorsements

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:37 AM - 0 Comments

Peggy Nash wins the support of Laurin Liu and Elaine Michaud. And Brian Masse has endorsed Nathan Cullen. Glenn Thibeault endorsed Thomas Mulcair yesterday. And, last week, Carol Hughes endorsed Niki Ashton.

Update 12:23pm. Mr. Mulcair has also won the endorsements of Denis Blanchette and Ruth Ellen Brosseau.

By my count, 76 78 of the NDP’s 101 MPs are now committed. Excluding Nycole Turmel, Olivia Chow and Joe Comartin—all having pledged to stay neutral—that leaves 22 20 New Democrats undecided.

Here is an updated tally.

Continue…

Who ya got?

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, September 16, 2011 at 10:35 AM - 2 Comments

NDP MPs Robert Aubin, Francois Lapointe, Jamie Nicholls, Marie-Claude Morin, Alexandrine Latendresse, Pierre Nantel and Claude Patry pledge their support for Thomas Mulcair’s as-yet-undeclared NDP leadership bid.

Rathika Sitsabaiesan and Brian Masse side with Peter Julian.

And later today, Romeo Saganash will announce his support for Brian Topp.

Need for speed

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 1:27 PM - 15 Comments

NDP MP Brian Masse wants the government to get aboard the high-speed bandwagon.

Masse sent a letter to federal Transport Minister Denis Lebel and launched a “Need for Speed” campaign calling on the government to join with the private sector and ensure highspeed rail investments become reality.

It should include investments to run a high-speed service through Windsor to Chicago, he said. ”Significant upgrades to Canada’s rail capacity are long overdue and impacting our ability to compete in the global economy,” said Masse in his letter to Lebel. He noted this country remains the only G8 country which has no high-speed rail networks.

Roll call

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 3:34 PM - 1 Comment

Gary Doer, Brian Masse, Ryan Cleary, Wayne Marston, Peter Stoffer and Chris Charlton are staying out of the NDP leadership race.

On the other hand, I’m told that Libby Davies hasn’t ruled anything out.

A preliminary list of potential candidates is thus as follows: Davies, Megan Leslie, Paul Dewar, Charlie Angus, Peter Julian, Francoise Boivin, Pat Martin, Thomas Mulcair and Brian Topp.

The NDP agenda

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 12:25 PM - 8 Comments

The party is ready to propose language law reforms. And Brian Masse, potentially the industry critic in the next NDP shadow cabinet, sees an opportunity for high(er) speed rail.

In the meantime, the federal government should back “prep work” needed for a Windsor to Montreal high-speed network, such as building road-rail grade separations, Masse said. Improving travel time from Windsor to Toronto by an hour to 90 minutes should be the initial goal, he said. “It’s doesn’t have to be high-speed, but can be higher speed,” Masse said. “Then it becomes real viable. That’s when we have a real ability to start connecting it internationally.”

The case of Imam Zijad Delic

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, October 4, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments

Word came Friday night that Defence Minister Peter MacKay had revoked the invitation of Imam Zijad Delic to speak at forum hosted by the Department of National Defence. On Sunday, Jack Layton criticized MacKay’s decision.

Imam Delic, who spoke at a forum hosted by the Foreign Affairs department in 2008, is the executive director of the Canadian Islamic Congress, which Immigration Minister Jason Kenney has criticized on account of remarks made by its former president. (The Congress and this magazine have some history as well, a matter Imam Delic seems to have commented on.)

Continue…

The QP 20

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, May 31, 2010 at 12:12 PM - 13 Comments

Michael Chong’s motion on Question Period reform is seconded by no less than 20 MPs. Those seconders include 14 Conservatives (Mike Allen, Dona Cadman, Maxime Bernier, Larry Miller, Gord Brown, Nina Grewal, James Rajotte, John Cummins, Peter Braid, Rick Casson, Greg Thompson, Merv Tweed, Brian Storseth and Bruce Stanton), four Liberals (Frank Valeriote, Martha Hall Findlay, Glen Pearson and Siobhan Coady) and two New Democrats (Denise Savoie and Brian Masse).

Fire chiefs roll into Ottawa

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 7:09 PM - 0 Comments

The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs arrived in Ottawa and held a
reception at the Delta Hotel. (Left to right) Vince MacKenzie, a Newfoundland fire chief, Liberal MP Scott Simms and Fire Chief Dave Rossiter of PEI.

.

Tory MP Laurie Hawn (right).

Continue…

The times, they are a changin'

By Paul Wells - Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 4:00 PM - 67 Comments

Windsor Star, Sept. 24, 2007:

With at least 25 new arrivals from Florida’s illegal immigrant population claiming refugee status at the Windsor/Detroit border over the weekend, local politicians are stepping up the campaign to have the federal government take action to stem the flow.

Federal New Democrat MPs and local Liberal members of the provincial legislature have added their voices to a chorus led by Mayor Eddie Francis, demanding the Conservative government do something about the sudden influx of hundreds of Mexicans claiming refugee status here….

MPs Joe Comartin (NDP — Windsor-Tecumseh) and Brian Masse (NDP — Windsor West) have written a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, federal Minister of Immigration Dianne Finley and Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier, asking that the government take action to help the city with the financial strain of hosting the claimants.

In addition, they are requesting the Department of Foreign Affairs meet with U.S. authorities to demand action be taken to discourage the northern migration, through a public information, advertising and media blitz aimed at correcting misleading information among illegal aliens in the U.S. that Canada is open to them.

“We’re supposed to be good neighbours,” said Comartin, referring to apparent U.S. indifference to the situation. “They scream about us being lax about security on our side. It’s hypocritical to not try and prevent people from leaving the U.S. with no rights to status in Canada.”

NDP communiqué, today:

OTTAWA – The number of Mexican tourists visiting Canada in May dropped by 25 percent from a year earlier, an alarming decline that will only accelerate because of the new visa requirements imposed this week, said New Democrat Industry and Border Critic Brian Masse.

“Mexicans spend over $300 million a year in Canada, and yet this government chose the height of tourist season to impose new rules on Mexican visitors,” said Mr. Masse. “Mexico one of the top six countries whose residents vacation in Canada. This is yet another example of how the Harper Conservatives have failed to help the struggling tourism industry in Canada.”

Masse and Comartin’s 2007 letter to the prime minister, which was provided to me by a government source, said the influx of “hundreds and potentially thousands of Mexican nationals” making refugee claims “has the potential to become a nation-wide problem at all border crossings.” Masse and Comartin said it was “crucial that in cooperation with American authorities that the Canadian goverment conveys the message that Mexican economic refugees will not be allowed to stay in Canada.” It did not call for visa requirements for all Mexican visitors. Still, the tone — outrage in every circumstance — is familiar.

The Commons: On your feet

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 6:32 PM - 0 Comments

Canada is screwed. Canada is great. Let us stand and applaud either way.

The Scene. The Prime Minister had just finished declaring, on the stength of Liberal Derek Lee’s projections, the Canadian economy impressively robust and the opposition equally ridiculous. Leaping to their feet the government members cheered and gloated.

And so the rules of engagement for this day were established.

Stéphane Dion rose and commended the “good work” done when Ralph Goodale was minding the nation’s books. The Liberals stood and roared their agreement.

Still standing, Dion denounced the haplessness of not one, but two of Harper’s lieutenants—Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Economic Development Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn. Barely back in their seats, his caucus rose in ovation.

Once more Mr. Harper returned to quoting from the rosy projections of a Liberal backbencher. Once more his disciples stood and testified to his leadership. Continue…

The Commons: There is no there there

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 6:55 PM - 0 Comments

Behold government as a figment of the Prime Minister’s imagination

The Scene. Shortly before Question Period, the Prime Minister strode into the House, looking refreshed after his trip to Halifax to announce… well, to announce what exactly? An announcement? A thought? A theory? An idea? A projection? A notion?

Nominally, yesterday’s do was billed as Canada’s new military strategy for the next two decades. But, as one columnist put it today, “the complete plan is apparently locked inside Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s brain.”

Perhaps then, the opposition could ask that the government table the Prime Minister’s formidable cranium. It’d be interesting to see that thing transcribed. Though no doubt they’d have to black out the sweary bits. Continue…