Toronto Gay Pride—politics, drag and dancing

By Mitchel Raphael - Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 11:28 AM - 0 Comments

Politicos and celebrities marched with drag queens in this year’s Pride parade in Toronto. Some were armed with water guns. Below, Rick Mercer and Belinda Stronach.

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Proud Liberals carry the Liberal banner, while Bob Rae carries the Canadian flag.

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From the backbench

By Aaron Wherry - Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 1:27 PM - 3 Comments

More Twitter commentary from last night and this morning.

Siobhan Coady. Oh Mr. Harper, what have you done to our country?

Carolyn Bennett. still thinking that for a billion dollars we could have had a University Campus with a medical school in Huntsville or the Near North

Daryl Kramp. attended a immigrant laguage graduation-grateful and appreciative of Canada-what a contrast to attitude of violent criminal protesters-sick … black clad criminals do a diservice to the cause of legitimate protest.-behind the mask is thuggery rather than honest principles of dissent

Bryon Wilfert. Master Cpl. Kristal Giesebrecht and Pt. Andrew Miller killed by an IED in Afghanistan. People allowed to demonstrate because of these heroes … The Black Bloc – anarchists – attack symbolism of capitalism. Legitimate demonstrations overshadowed by these thugs. They hide their faces.

'That the approach of the Government of Canada must be based on scientific evidence'

By Aaron Wherry - Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 12:40 PM - 168 Comments

As posted by Carolyn Bennett, here is the text of the motion the Liberals plan to present on Tuesday.

That, in the opinion of the House, the government’s G8 maternal and child health initiative for the world’s poorest regions, must include the full range of family planning, sexual and reproductive health options, including contraception, consistent with the policy of previous Liberal and Conservative governments and all other G8 governments last year in L’Aquila, Italy;

that the approach of the Government of Canada must be based on scientific evidence which proves that education and family planning can prevent as many as one in every three maternal deaths; and

that the Canadian government should refrain from advancing the failed right-wing ideologies previously imposed by the George W. Bush administration in the United States which made humanitarian assistance conditional upon a ‘global gag rule’ that required all non-governmental organizations receiving federal funding to refrain from promoting medically-sound family planning.

Here, for the sake of argument, is the latest post on this subject from Glen Pearson.

And the Black Rod is made of chocolate!

By Colby Cosh - Monday, December 7, 2009 at 4:21 AM - 97 Comments

After some hours trying to decipher Angelo Persichilli’s column about the Château Laurier Conspiracy, I think I’ve found the key. One must disconnect Persichilli’s speculation about What It All Means from his actual reporting. It seems likely he overheard or was given access to audio of some genuine conversation, though the whole account is slathered in enough passive-voice sauce to turn anybody’s stomach. Ignore the carefully placed buttresses to the story’s authority and importance, like “This was not an isolated meeting between a few MPs”, and what you’re left with is… an isolated meeting between a few MPs, who bellyache tipsily while Bob Rae listens politely and encourages frank discussion but strongly insists he is not interested in a coup.

This is exactly what you would expect Bob Rae to do if he were a completely loyal lieutenant with no ambitions of his own whatsoever, intent solely on serving as his leader’s eyes and ears. It is also exactly what you would expect Bob Rae to do if he were planning a lightning coup for the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. Most likely, Bob Rae is just what you think he is: an ambitious fellow forced to play a difficult hand, one who may be happy to profit from a regicide but is fully aware that he who draws the dagger rarely survives to wallow in the glory.

Beyond the facts, the column is full of fairly innocuous propositions disguised as dramatic disclosures. Succession to the leadership is a “dominant theme of discussion” in the Liberal Party? Well, sure, that’s what political parties are: machines for ensuring that aligned political interests stick together if something happens to the leader. I promise you that succession to the Conservative leadership is a pretty frequent subject of table-talk when Conservatives get together. (And, in fact, it’s a strength of the Liberal Party, not a weakness, that it has a lot of semi-credible successors around.)

And Persichilli “wouldn’t be surprised” if Ignatieff retreated to his “beloved academic world” at any moment? So who would be? The Liberals imported that danger/hope as part of the package deal when they dragged Ignatieff back from Harvard. Persichilli, I feel, is merely reminding us of the facts of life in a way that makes his eavesdropping seem fraught with urgency and electricity.

The more I concentrated on what is truly knowable and relevant in Persichilli’s story, the more I felt sorry for Bob Rae. Imagine having to stand there, nodding and smiling and nursing a schnapps, while you pretend to take the strategic judgment of Ruby Dhalla and Carolyn “Body Bags” Bennett oh so seriously. To what Christmas fantasy did his mind drift off while Dhalla, an ISO-certifiable ninny, was waxing obnoxious about the party “not doing enough to nurture the next generation of leaders”? Did he dream of being elected Santa Claus, passing in his crimson finery through the gingerbread doors of the Elf Parliament as the Candy-Cane Peace Tower glimmered in the night sky?

Fighting for more women in politics and the "mystery MP"

By Mitchel Raphael - Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 12:15 PM - 9 Comments

Equal Voice, an organization dedicated to getting more women elected, held a reception at The Métropolitain Brasserie & Restaurant. Below, Helena Guergis, Minister of State for the Status of Women.

Donna Dasko (left) of Equal Voice chats with Liberal MP Marlene Jennings.

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In the future, we will know what every MP eats for breakfast

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 8:49 AM - 13 Comments

Responding to criticism from various commentators, Charlie Angus takes to the Facebook to defend his dismissal of the Twitter.

Kady O’Malley calls me draconian. The National Post says I’m a luddite. It’s all over my comments that MP twitter posts lie between the banal and the inane. Have no fear national media — your ability to read what Carolyn Bennett eats for breakfast will not be shut down. I only wish I could have gotten this national uproar over the crisis being faced by children in Attawapiskat who are sleeping in tents tonight.

Michelle Simson attempts, via Twitter, to negotiate.

The Commons: Picking up the crisis where we left it

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 5:42 PM - 27 Comments

The Scene. So where were we? Ah yes, that global pandemic.

“Mr. Speaker, the last time the House sat, the Minister of Health claimed that every Canadian who wanted the H1N1 vaccine would receive it before Christmas,” Carolyn Bennett recapped. “Now, she is saying that the rollout will take up to 12 more weeks and run well into next February.”

So it is for the Health Minister. If not for her having to periodically stand and state things as fact, her critics would likely have little to complain about.

“Why,” asked Ms. Bennett, “did the minister mislead the House and why did she not tell Canadians the truth?”

The Prime Minister, the Transport Minister and the Industry Minister were all away this day, so Leona Aglukkaq was offered the chance here to answer the question herself.

“Mr. Speaker, again, we have said all along that we would try and complete the vaccination program by December,” she said.

Her use of the term “try” was perhaps notable, at least in so much as it was not employed two weeks ago when the Minister told the House that, “every Canadian who wants the vaccine will be able to receive the vaccine by Christmas.”

But close enough. Continue…

The audacity of youth (II)

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 11:23 AM - 14 Comments

The video report that resulted from those student journalists asking all those pesky questions last week.

The Commons: Swallow this impressive-sounding number and call your doctor in the morning

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 6:46 PM - 90 Comments

The Scene. The Prime Minister’s chair, as an inanimate object, was unlikely to answer. But Michael Ignatieff insisted on asking anyway.

“Mr. Speaker, today we learn from the Auditor General that, for its entire time in office, the government has failed to develop any national emergency preparedness plan. That includes planning for epidemics and pandemics like H1N1. Does that not begin to explain why the government’s response to this crisis has been so slow and confused?” he wondered aloud. ”We have heard from the Minister of Health. When will we begin to hear from the Prime Minister? When will he stand up, take responsibility for the government’s mistakes and correct the situation?”

The Prime Minister was otherwise engaged with escorting the Prince and Camilla around rural Newfoundland. John Baird, Mr. Harper’s de facto deputy, was away as well, while the Health Minister was in Vancouver. No worries though, because this seemed to be a question about emergency preparedness and that is distinctly the purview of the Public Safety Minister and that minister, the typically unshy Peter Van Loan, was most certainly in his seat.

And yet, here came Tony Clement, the Minister of Industry and master flailler of arms.

“Mr. Speaker, let me dwell in the realm of facts,” Mr. Clement boldly offered. “The fact of the matter is that there have been six million doses of H1N1 vaccine that have already been delivered to the provinces and territories.

“That’s what you said yesterday!” lamented a Liberal.

“We currently have more H1N1 vaccine per capita than any other country in the world,” Mr. Clement reviewed. “The vaccine is being distributed as quickly as it is being produced and there will be sufficient H1N1 vaccine available in Canada for everyone who in fact needs or wants to be immunized.”

“Merry Christmas!” chirped a Liberal, yesterday’s points and counterpoints now sufficiently covered. Continue…

'A specific and important matter requiring urgent consideration'

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at 11:09 AM - 20 Comments

Here then is last night’s full discussion, just about five full hours in all. The first hour and a half or so includes Carolyn Bennett (the first speaker, though it’s not entirely clear on Hansard), Michael Ignatieff, Leona Aglukkaq, Jack Layton and some discussion of Luc Malo’s 36th birthday.

The Commons: 'Merry Christmas, everybody'

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 2, 2009 at 6:42 PM - 60 Comments

The Scene. Witness first Bob Rae, master of the indisputable contention.

“Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the federal government has two clear responsibilities,” the Liberal offered after the Speaker called for oral questions. “The first is to ensure a steady and reliable supply of vaccines for H1N1. The second is to provide leadership and information on a coherent pandemic response.”

So far, so good. The House did not rise up unanimously to second Mr. Rae’s assessment, but no one stood to shout him down either.

Then, though, the question. “I would like to ask the government a very simple question,” Mr. Rae finished. “How could it have failed so miserably to execute these two critical responsibilities?”

Well then.

The Health Minister was preoccupied with her Blackberry. In her place stood John Baird, officially the Minister of Transport, but on this day the de facto Minister of Pandemic Influenza, Economic Stimulus, Ethics in Governance and, in the case of some controversy concerning public funds directed to the riding of Tony Clement, Small Town Sidewalks. Continue…

House of Commons after dark

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 2, 2009 at 4:57 PM - 65 Comments

The Speaker has granted Carolyn Bennett’s request for an emergency debate on H1N1. That is due to begin in a few hours, after this evening’s votes, and could, conceivably, go until midnight.

Heckling, H1N1, sexism, politics, poor taste and an apology

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, October 30, 2009 at 5:04 PM - 24 Comments

Chris Selley considers Carolyn Bennett’s week.

There is, of course, a legitimate debate to be had over how, when and to whom Canada is rolling out the H1N1 vaccine. But it is not and will not be conducted in the House of Commons. If anyone in there actually thinks his party is favoured over any other by this incredibly unedifying sideshow — heckling and hooting and sexism allegations and body bags — he’s dreaming.

The Commons: If we can't talk to each other, we can only talk to ourselves

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 6:39 PM - 52 Comments

The Scene. The Conservatives cheered as Bob Rae, perhaps their preferred opponent, stood to start Question Period. Then, though, he spoke.

“Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for public health and for H1N1,” said the white-haired one. “It is very clear that there was a delay in the decision of the federal government to order the vaccine. It is very clear that there has been a delay in the distribution of the vaccine. I would like to ask the minister, in light of these two clear facts that are delineated by the evidence, does she not understand that these delays have cost and will cost lives?”

The Conservatives groaned, having apparently expected something more laudatory of their efforts.

On this question of health policy, it was of course Tony Clement, the Industry Minister, who was offered up to respond. Just as Christian Paradis, the Minister of Public Works, would later take a question on climate change, the Treasury Board President Vic Toews would expound on the scourge of organized crime, and Heritage Minister James Moore would stand and account for the government’s approach to taxation.

“Mr. Speaker, in fact our Minister of Health has been working with the Chief Public Health Officer and has been working assiduously with the provinces and territories across this land to deliver the vaccine,” Mr. Clement informed the House

And surely we can all agree that assiduously is a very impressive-sounding word. Continue…

The Commons: Our house of glass

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 7:33 PM - 113 Comments

The Scene. Shortly before Question Period began this afternoon, Jack Layton stood with something to say.

“Mr. Speaker, citizens appoint a member of this House to represent their values of cooperation and mutual respect,” he posited. “During Question Period we have been witnessing undeniably sexist heckling from members of the government side. This abuse is growing hotter, it is growing more frequent, and there is more bullying.”

For this, he was, of course, heckled and jeered.

“I can hear some of it now, except in this case it is not targeting women as it does all too often in this chamber. It targets women representing opposition parties, all the opposition parties in the House,” Mr. Layton continued. “Sexist bullying cannot be justified in Canada and can never be tolerated in our Parliament. As a parliamentarian, as a man, a father, a grandfather, I call on the government’s leadership to really get a grip on its members and set a higher standard.”

Members of all three opposition parties stood to applaud the NDP leader’s call. Government members sat impassively. Asked afterwards, Mr. Layton declined to specify any particular taunts of a particularly sexist nature. Continue…

What if you could see them?

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 1:31 PM - 52 Comments

The Sun’s Elizabeth Thompson raises a probably pertinent question about yesterday’s heckling of Carolyn Bennett.

Wonder if the Conservative MPs in question would have behaved the same way if the archaic rules of the House of Commons didn’t prevent cameras from showing anyone other than the person speaking and their constituents could have seen them in action.

Let us settle this virtually

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 10:47 AM - 30 Comments

To Twitter we go.

mpjamesmoore I see Lib MP Carolyn Bennett, one of the loudest, nastiest & most frequent hecklers in Parliament complains about heckling in the Star today

Carolyn_Bennett James Moore nds 2 understand difference between heckling at WHOPPERS&insensitvity.Here’s my takehttp://www.thestar.com/News…

Mr. Moore was similarly scolding of Gilles Duceppe’s behaviour last week. And for sure Mr. Moore comes by his understanding of inappropriate heckling quite honestly.

(To his misfortune, that one is preserved in Hansard for all eternity. To his credit, when a complaint was filed with the Speaker, Mr. Moore stood, apologized and withdrew the remark. Two days later, Dean Del Mastro was caught using the same word and refused to do likewise.)

'This isn't funny'

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 10:17 AM - 81 Comments

Susan Delacourt notes the scene yesterday as Carolyn Bennett attempted to ask her second question of the Health Minister.

A question about pregnant women and the H1N1 vaccine provoked a bizarre bout of heckling and laughter on the Tory benches in the Commons on Tuesday.

Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett, a physician and former public health minister, was shouted down when she tried to raise the issue of confusion surrounding what kind of vaccinations pregnant women should be getting.

For whatever reason, Ms. Bennett regularly draws enthusiastic heckling from the Conservative side. But given government house leader Jay Hill’s stated concern yesterday about anyone who would “intimidate, or attempt to intimidate, members of this House,” he will no doubt be instructing his charges to show Ms. Bennett greater respect in the future.

The Liberals have uploaded video of her question. Here’s that. Continue…

Mitchel Raphael on why the PM wanted his guests to leave

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 10:20 AM - 0 Comments

John Baird wondered about the PM’s outfit
Before Stephen Harper surprised the audience at the National Arts Centre’s gala fundraiser by playing the piano and singing a Beatles song, he was enjoying drinks at 24 Sussex with his wife, Laureen Harper, Transport Minister John Baird, and the PM’s former head of communications Sandra Buckler. Baird and Buckler didn’t know the PM was attending the gala, let alone that he would be performing. Ironically, notes Mrs. Harper, while at the house “my husband was playing the piano—dressed in black like Johnny Cash—and John said to Sandra, ‘He really should play at one of these events.’ Sandra agreed and it was the toughest moment of my life to keep my mouth shut.” Baird did think it was odd that the PM was all in black and that he at one point opened the door himself and told them all to get going, pretending he was staying behind. Baird tried to say something like “We aren’t in a rush at all.” As they left 24 Sussex, Mrs. Harper spotted the van that had the band in it. The musicians and PM had it planned so that they’d all head over together, undercover, for the surprise.

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U.S. skimps on the water
Toronto Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett testified in front of the U.S. Senate. She was there to talk about why in Canada, in her words, “we pay less [for health care], live longer, and don’t have as many infants die in their first year of life.” The experience wasn’t quite like testifying in front of a Canadian Senate committee, she says. For example, in the U.S., Bennett was given a small bottle of water. In Canada there are glasses and pitchers. “I’m a big water drinker,” noted Bennett, who had to pace her sipping during her testimony because of the small amount made available. She also periodically forgot to turn her microphone on and off. In Canada, it’s someone else’s job to turn mikes on and off during committee hearings. Bennett had to explain to the Americans that Canada has a publicly funded health insurance system “and not socialized medicine—[that] as a family doctor I was not a public servant.” After testifying, she was taken to the U.S. Senate dining room for lunch, where she had some “pretty delicious crab cakes.” Continue…

Theatre of the absurd

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 12:47 PM - 20 Comments

The Sun’s Peter Zimonjic relates a surreal moment from last week.

Normally after question period MPs step out to one of three microphones in the foyer of the House of Commons. A camera is set up there to record them and journalists stand on either side to ask questions. The event is called a scrum because reporters shoot questions at the MPs on topics of interest in an area wired for sound and pictures.

But yesterday Liberal MPs, Carolyn Bennett and Kirsty Duncan stepped up to a microphone, stood in front of the cameras, and without a journalist in sight began talking as though they had just been asked a question. This went on for several minutes, as the two MPs appeared to be fighting over the microphone to make statements. And when they were finished Bennett even appeared to wave to a journalist — that wasn’t there — before walking off camera…

Other reporters stood around in amazement and when the MPs left one seasoned veteran of the press gallery came over to ask if he really saw what we all just saw.

Footnotes

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 10:13 PM - 13 Comments

The shouted word “appalling” was apparently quite audible to those watching Question Period on television this afternoon, not that it wasn’t quite audible to those of us in the House. For the record, that was Carolyn Bennett, objecting to the Health Minister’s that there was no pandemic preparedness plan until the Harper government took power. As Ms. Bennett explained, less loudly, afterwards, there has apparently been such a plan since 1988.

The documents referenced by the Liberals in their questions concerning Suaad Hagi Mohamud have been posted here, along with a timeline as they’ve pieced it together.

Finally, the Defence Minister used the term “spurrilous” to describe certain allegations made by NDP MP Jack Harris. This is believed to be a new word, invented by Mr. MacKay, derived from the adjectives scurrilous and spurious.

Ms. Bennett goes to Washington

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 11:03 AM - 2 Comments

Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett testifies before the U.S. Senate’s special committee on aging, has minor squabble with Tennessee Senator Bob Corker.

The day’s hearings can be watched in their entirety here.

Somehow, Camp Chalk River just doesn't sound right: Liveblogging RNNR's emergency hearing on isotope crisis

By kadyomalley - Friday, August 21, 2009 at 1:28 PM - 43 Comments

Yikes — ITQ somehow managed to run smack into the clock while getting ready for today’s meeting, and is now forced to scramble to make it to the Hill in time to secure a front row seat for this afternoon’s command performance. Catch up on the backstory here …

Continue…

UPDATED: CommitteeWatch: … and then there are the witnesses who aren't on the list

By kadyomalley - Friday, August 21, 2009 at 10:26 AM - 31 Comments

So it sounds like this emergency meeting on isotopes may be about to– yes, I have to say it — go nuclear. From the tone of her latest twitter update, it sounds like Liberal health critic Carolyn Bennett is already headed for a meltdown:

>More CON GAMES- formerly known as Parltry committees …they have blkd all the nuc docs from the NR hearings-this shd be about PATIENTS…

A quick check of the meeting notice confirms that the Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine is conspicuously absent from the list of those slated to appear this afternoon, as are MDS Nordion and the provincial health ministers, all of whom were mentioned as likely invitees earlier in the week.

Suddenly, this isn’t shaping up to be such a sleepy Friday afternoon on the Hill after all. ITQ will keep you posted on the drama – and remember to check back at 2pm for the full livebloggening.

UPDATE: And we have a health minister — Ontario’s health minister, to be specific, who will be appearing by video at the end of the meeting.