On heckling

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, July 11, 2011 at 2:33 PM - 6 Comments

In a pair of posts, Mackenzie Grisdale considers the practice of heckling.

The heckles that MPs said resonated the most were personal attacks. Often, MPs were reluctant even to divulge examples of heckles they recalled, while some would refer vaguely to “racism and sexism” or “homophobic” remarks. However, specific examples of personal attacks include a comment from a male Conservative MP who recalls heckles “Targeting a Conservative’s religious beliefs” and “Labelling a rural MP from the prairies a redneck.” Another MP noted that heckles sometimes touch on physical disability as well. 

One female Conservative MP heard someone yell at her, “That was dumber than you look.” This MP raised other points as well: “Personal attacks like ‘idiot, liar, stupid, chicken’ and heckling about gender (usually aimed at women by women), for example alleging the women are puppets, stooges, robots under the direction of men [are] particularly offensive.”

Idea alert

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 11:53 AM - 32 Comments

The Mark rolls out a series of 14 short proposals from Canadians of various stripes, including thoughts on democratic reform, Parliamentary committees, community organization, taxation, free votes and heckling.

Audible Noises of the Day

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 5:50 PM - 1 Comment

Government members audibly hissed as Liberal Yasmin Ratansi asked a question about various allegations concerning the Natural Resources Minister.

Later, a Liberal member made kissy noises as Conservative Peter Kent remarked on how “eloquently and firmly” the Minister of Defence has urged the Afghan government to deal with corruption.

Old Tyme Heckle of the Day

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 16, 2009 at 4:58 PM - 13 Comments

Ralph Goodale, expressing his displeasure with something or other Pierre Poilievre said.

Horse feathers!

The audacity of youth

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, November 6, 2009 at 4:22 PM - 13 Comments

A pair of young journalists led Jack Layton’s scrum yesterday with questions about heckling in the House. They would seem to have followed up with a couple other MPs, similar exchanges showing up in the scrum transcripts. The last question posed to Jim Flaherty surely demonstrates a degree of chutzpah that bodes well for the future of this industry. Continue…

Idea alert

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 3:47 PM - 12 Comments

Liberal stagehand John Mraz suggests a legislated end to heckling.

Ironically, Parliament ought to legislate itself into silence. Just as an alcoholic has lost the right to that first drink, our politicians have the lost the right to heckle.  They clearly can’t handle the responsibility.  A private member’s bill banning heckling outright should be drafted, introduced and passed by unanimous assent — and then enforced.  No doubt some traditionalists and rabid free-speechers would be aghast.  But I challenge any MP to declare that they believe they should have the right to shout at work.   Because aside from rock stars, floor traders and a few other crazed specialists, 99% of civilized society does not.

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.

'We should not expect parliamentary debate to be consistently exciting'

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, June 2, 2009 at 12:20 PM - 9 Comments

Adam Chapnick tries again to convince us parliament should do away with heckling.

If, as I contend they should be, our MPs are role models for Canadians as a whole, then why should we allow them (or, in Langstaff’s case, encourage them) to behave in a manner that would be condemned in any of our public classrooms? How can our educators teach their students to hear out their peers and refrain from speaking out of turn if those same students can reply that they learned how to deal with conflict by observing the public conduct of their prime minister during Question Period? Moreover, how can Canadian parents tell their children that cutting people off with the intent of poking fun at them (however thoughtfully) is inappropriate if we reward our elected representatives for acting similarly?

Your move, Langstaff.