Live: A very long night for a very long bill

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 4:41 PM - 0 Comments

Welcome to live coverage of tonight’s C-38 votes. It was expected that voting would begin around 5:30pm, but some procedural fussing about by the Liberals seems to have delayed those votes by a few hours. Stay tuned throughout the evening (and morning?) as we follow the parliamentary festivities.

4:43pm. If you’re only now tuning in, you just missed a fascinating series of points of order, during which Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux twice asked the Speaker to clarify the rules of the House (Speaker Devolin invited Mr. Lamoureux to read the standing orders) and Bob Rae objected to the Defence Minister’s earlier use of the word “mendaciousness” (Peter MacKay duly stood and withdrew the remark). The House is now at the time reserved each day for the presenting of petitions and will soon move to the final period of report stage debate on C-38.

4:51pm. The New Democrats held a photo op this afternoon to demonstrate how they were preparing for tonight’s votes. Mostly this seems to have involved Nathan Cullen removing his jacket and writing “C-38″ on a giant white pad of paper.

5:04pm. The Liberals have chosen now to discuss Mr. Cullen’s point of privilege. And now there is some discussion between the Speaker, Elizabeth May and Denis Coderre about how long one can speak when responding to a question of privilege.

5:15pm. With Mr. Lamoureux still responding to Mr. Cullen’s point of privilege, Conservative MP Bob Zimmer rises on a point of order to question Mr. Lamoureux’s point of privilege. The Speaker stands and reads the rules pertaining to questions of privilege, specifically that such interventions should be “brief and concise” and that the Speaker has the right to “terminate” the discussion. Liberal MP Massimo Pacetti rises on a point of order to object to Mr. Zimmer’s point of order. Mr. Lamoureux attempts a point of order to respond to Mr. Zimmer, but the Speaker suggests he carry on with his point of privilege, but then Mr. Coderre rises on a point of order to complain about the Speaker’s desire to move things along. The Speaker asserts his impartiality and attempts to straighten this all out, but Mr. Coderre rises on another point of order to clarify his respect for the Speaker, but also to express his desire that Mr. Lamoureux be allowed to give a full response to Mr. Cullen’s point of privilege. Mr. Pacetti rises on a point of order to add his concern that Mr. Lamoureux be allowed to speak fully. The Speaker says he was merely reminding everyone of the rules and gives Mr. Lamoureux five minutes to finish and, finally, we’re now back to Mr. Lamoruex’s point of privilege.

5:30pm. The Speaker stands and calls an end to Mr. Lamoureux’s remarks and attempts to move to the last hour of report stage debate on C-38, but now Mauril Belanger is up on a separate point of privilege.

5:32pm. The Speaker cuts off Mr. Belanger to move to deferred votes on two opposition motions and one private member’s bill. MPs have 30 minutes to report to the chamber.

5:40pm. Conservative MPs Blaine Calkins and Brian Jean seem rather excited about tonight’s sleepover. Continue…

C-38: The government’s arguments

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, May 14, 2012 at 8:45 AM - 0 Comments

Courtesy of YouTube, a selection of budget bill speeches from Conservative MPs.

Pierre Poilievre

James Bezan

Patrick Brown

More from Ray Boughen and James Lunney.

Justin Trudeau vs Patrick Brazeau: the weigh-in

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 12:07 AM - 0 Comments

Liberal MP Justin Trudeau and Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau held a weigh-in at the Aulde Dubliner & Pour House before their big charity boxing match on Saturday in Ottawa. Fight for the Cure 2012 is an annual fundraising initiative for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Since training for the event Trudeau has put on 20 pounds. His shirt collars are now too tight and he can’t do up the top bottom. Brazeau says his weight has pretty much remained the same. Brazeau, who is 5-feet-10 weighed in at 183 pounds, while Trudeau, who is 6-foot-2, is now 180 pounds. Tory MP Patrick Brown, who was at the bar, said he would also be happy to battle Trudeau so long as it was on ice and they were wearing skates and hockey equipment. Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport), noted this was one sports event where he would not remain neutral and sported a Brazeau T-shirt which said Patrick “Brazzknuckles” Brazeau. The majority in the bar were Brazeau supporters.

Justin Trudeau (left) and Partrick Brazeau.

Justin Trudeau.

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This is the week that was

By Aaron Wherry - Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 12:11 PM - 1 Comment

The long-gun registry split the NDP leadership contenders. Paul Dewar talked medical infrastructure. Nathan Cullen pitched energy policy. And Romeo Saganash explained how the NDP can grow.

Charlie Angus brought attention to Attawapiskat. Justin Trudeau quizzed Peter Kent, who spoke of treachery and dismissed himself. Rob Anders napped. Bob Rae was named parliamentarian of the year. Rob Merrifield and John Weston were dutiful partisans. Two New Democrats tried to sing along. Patrick Brown allowed that all MPs love Canada. Rick Dykstra segued. The NDP turned up new emails in the G8 Legacy Fund affair and Tony Clement pleaded his innocence. Jason Kenney brought props. And MPs debated disturbances in the House.

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Patrick Brown Maverick Watch

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, November 24, 2011 at 11:29 AM - 5 Comments

Conservative backbencher Jeff Watson twice used the term “anti-Canada” to describe the NDP during a statement before QP yesterday. Meanwhile, fellow backbencher Patrick Brown posted the following note to Facebook last night.

Had our first government vs opposition hockey match tonight in Ottawa. All in all it was a great social outing for MPs from all three parties in the Commons to get to know each other. We may all come from different parties but we are all in public service because we love Canada. (and yes team govt won….)

The Commons: A salute to cognitive dissonance

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 5:52 PM - 21 Comments

The Scene. Shortly before the start of Question Period this afternoon, Conservative backbencher Patrick Brown rose to repeat his side’s line that the NDP is too “disunited” to govern. A moment later, Conservative backbencher Greg Rickford rose to lament that the NDP, in punishing two MPs who defied the party’s decision to whip a vote on the gun registry, was also too committed to enforcing unity.

Presumably this was Mr. Rickford’s way of protesting his own government’s decision to whip this week’s vote on asbestos exports. Hopefully his caucus leadership won’t too severely punish him for so bravely asserting the independence of individual MPs.

Immediately thereafter, the Speaker then called for oral questions and the official opposition sent up Joe Comartin, Mr. Comartin having apparently discovered an example of irony that he was eager to share with everyone. Continue…

Hockey Night in Barrie: NHL meets MPs

By Mitchel Raphael - Sunday, August 28, 2011 at 6:14 PM - 2 Comments

Ontario Conservative MP Patrick Brown’s annual Hockey Night in Barrie continues to grow. Each year the charity fundraiser for the Royal Victoria Hospital has MPs and NHL players sharing the ice for a game.

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The MP who has to talk about the Senate all summer

By Mitchel Raphael - Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 9:20 AM - 2 Comments

Mitchel Raphael

Handy having an orthopaedic surgeon

Ontario Conservative MP Patrick Brown’s annual Hockey Night in Barrie continues to grow. Each year, the charity fundraiser for the Royal Victoria Hospital has MPs and NHL players sharing the ice for a game. This year (the fourth) raised almost $200,000 for the hospital’s cancer care centre. Current and retired NHL players this time included Ryan O’Reilly of the Colorado Avalanche, Bryan Little of the Winnipeg Jets, Luke Pither of the Philadelphia Flyers and Darcy Tucker. Also attending was Conservative MP Kellie Leitch (who beat Helena Guergis in the last election). The rookie MP would have been handy in an emergency: Leitch is an orthopaedic surgeon who has sports- injuries training going back to the days when she worked with the Toronto Argonauts.

Calgary Conservative MP Michelle Rempel (who took former cabinet minister Jim Prentice’s old seat in the last election) arrived at the game to support Brown and her fellow MPs. But when she got drafted as one of the coaches, she quickly rose to the challenge. (Last year, Stephen Harper put in an appearance and coached the same team.) Defence Minister Peter MacKay arrived with all his hockey gear but had to borrow one of Patrick Brown’s sticks. Most of the MPs present agreed that Brown is one the Conservatives’ best players.

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Olympians and Gold Medal Plates

By Mitchel Raphael - Tuesday, November 30, 2010 at 10:15 AM - 3 Comments

The National Arts Centre hosted Ottawa’s Gold Medal Plates dinner to raise funds for the Canadian Olympic Foundation. Local chefs prepared special meals and high profile Olympians attended including Alexandre Bilodeau (below), the first Canadian to win gold on Canadian soil.

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Labour Minister Lisa Raitt.

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Hockey Night with Don Cherry and Stephen Harper

By Mitchel Raphael - Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 5:24 PM - 0 Comments

Ontario Conservative MP Patrick Brown’s third annual Hockey Night in Barrie charity game was packed with fans and celebrities. For the first time Stephen Harper (below) attended the event. He coached the blue team with Hockey Night in Canada‘s Don Cherry.

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Patrick Brown and Don Cherry.

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Mitchel Raphael on John Baird's mom, his Grade 7 teacher, her sister . . .

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 9:20 AM - 5 Comments

Kelly Block and the Bloc
MPs from all parties took home prizes at Maclean’s fourth annual Parliamentarians of the Year awards ceremony held in the West Block. For the fourth time in a row, Nova Scotia NDP MP Peter Stoffer won for Most Collegial. (Stoffer said he voted for Liberal whip Rodger Cuzner, a fellow Nova Scotian, who came in second.) Ted Menzies got the prize for Hardest Working MP. It was the first year the Bloc won awards: Gilles Duceppe for Most Knowledgeable and Robert Bouchard for Best Represents Constituents. There was even a joke that the party was on a roll when it was announced that Saskatchewan Conservative Kelly Block had won for Rising Star. Toronto Liberal MP Bob Rae won for Best Orator, which was not surprising since he seems to be one of the few MPs who can ask a question in the House without reading from a piece of paper and can even do a follow-up question that takes into account the answer he just got from the government. The big winner of the night, though, was Transport Minister John Baird, who was named Parliamentarian of the Year.

Attending the awards ceremony was Baird’s mother, Marianne Anderson. Anderson told Capital Diary she tapes question period every day and watches it in the evening. Besides her son, her favourite people to watch in QP are Liberal MP Hedy Fry and NDP Leader Jack Layton. Also there to honour Baird was his Grade 7 teacher Kay Stanley, who happens to be Tory Senate leader Marjory LeBreton’s sister. “John was a very curious student,” said Stanley, who is credited with getting Baird into politics. Stanley used to have a phone in her classroom because she was head of the local teachers’ federation. But she was also heavily involved with the Progressive Conservative party and once received a call during class from then-PC leader Joe Clark. That really impressed Baird. “I never thought my sister and John would end up in cabinet together,” says Stanley. LeBreton said Baird always calls her “Marg, like in The Simpsons. So I call him Homer.” Laureen Harper, who often has Baird as her date at Ottawa social functions, was also at the party. When Stephen Harper famously surprised guests at the National Arts Centre by playing the piano, Mrs. Harper said Baird got a text from a friend saying: “It’s a real drag when your date’s husband shows up.” The night of the awards, Baird had a fundraiser scheduled in his riding so he sent Defence Minister Peter MacKay there in his place. Labour Minister Lisa Raitt, who was at the Maclean’s awards ceremony, said she learned that Baird has two stories he tells every time at fundraisers. She said that when she heard one of them the first time, “I thought it was the funniest joke I ever heard and I believed it as a true story.” Baird describes going to a rickety old house no one ever hits while campaigning in the dead of winter. The person opens the door and says, “Who are you and why are you bothering me? I hate everything to do with the government.” Baird’s punchline? “I’m Dalton McGuinty and I’m here to get your vote for the Liberal party.” Baird’s award wasn’t without controversy. According to Toronto Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, “Anyone who has such great disdain for Parliament and parliamentary procedure makes it an embarrassing evening for Maclean’s. It makes a mockery of the contest.” Though Newfoundland Liberal MP Scott Simms noted that, “given the fact Parliament is immature, maybe it’s a good choice. Despite the bravado, Baird is an approachable guy. But I once called him a blowfish in the House.”

The MP and the pilots
Tory MP Patrick Brown hosted a special reception in the West Block for Air Canada’s pilots union. There are more than 200 Air Canada pilots who live in Barrie, Ont., the city Brown represents. That’s because pilots, Brown explained, must live close to the airport they work out of and Barrie is near Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. The Barrie pilots have a monthly pub night and a hockey league. Brown says Barrie is nicknamed “Terminal 4,” a reference to when Pearson had three terminals.

Jason Kenney couldn’t stop laughing
During a scrum on his immigration bill, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney was told that Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis, an outspoken MP who at times rubs people the wrong way, was complaining that had the bill in its current form been around when he immigrated to Canada from Greece, he would not have been allowed into the country. A cheeky journalist immediately asked, “Will the bill be retroactive?” Kenney started to crack up and couldn’t continue.

One ballroom, two very different days
The Council of Arab League Ambassadors in Ottawa held a celebration to showcase their countries in the Fairmont Château Laurier ballroom. Tables were set up highlighting a variety of Middle Eastern cultures, though Palestinian representatives kept their table empty as a sign of mourning for the aid flotilla that attempted to reach Gaza. The honoured guest was Senate Speaker Noël Kinsella. Treasury Board President Stockwell Day’s aide noted that the previous day the room had been made kosher by rabbis because Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was supposed to have had an event there but had to return to Israel early to deal with the flotilla crisis.

The Maclean’s Parliamentarians of the Year party was sponsored by TD Bank Financial Group, Pfizer Canada, the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC), the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association and Wayne Gretzky Estates winery and was hosted in association with the Historica-Dominion Institute and L’actualité.

Hebrew University on the Hill

By Mitchel Raphael - Monday, May 31, 2010 at 8:44 PM - 13 Comments

The Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem held a special reception on the Hill to celebrate Canadian-Israeli partnerships. Below, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Diane Finley with her husband, Senator Doug Finley.

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(Left to right) Sammy Katz, Transport Minister John Baird and Tyler Golden.

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Carmi Gillon, vice-president of external relations for The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

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MPs attend ACTION party

By Mitchel Raphael - Friday, March 26, 2010 at 10:09 AM - 6 Comments

The politicos came out for the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC) annual ACTION party in Toronto.  (Left to right) Bernie Farber, Nathan Jacobson and Transport Minister John Baird. Behind Farber is Jamie Ellerton, aide to Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.

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Baird and Toronto mayoral hopeful George Smitherman.

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Brave voices for the status quo

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, March 5, 2010 at 3:06 PM - 6 Comments

Peter MacKay and Tim Uppal join Rod Bruinooge and Patrick Brown in opposing changes to the national anthem.

Dean Del Mastro is open-minded.

A grand total (II)

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, January 25, 2010 at 1:39 PM - 48 Comments

Vancouver Sun, Dec. 7, 2008. A self-described non-political person, Kathleen Chafe didn’t vote for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives in the last federal election — but that didn’t stop her from saying she was Tory yesterday. The 23-year-old Vancouver corporate headhunter was one of about 250 people who braved yesterday’s rain to show support for the Conservatives at the Rally for Canada at Library Square — one of several similar rallies held nationwide … Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day said the message is clear. ”Canadians want to send a strong message that they don’t want to see a coalition,” said the Okanagan-Coquihalla MP, clad in a Team Canada hockey jersey and Vancouver 2010 scarf. “We’re saying that is enough. Canadians are responding by saying we love Canada — they are rising up.”

Barrie Examiner, Jan. 25, 2010. Getting an idle House of Commons back to work was on the minds of protesters who gathered around Memorial Square downtown, Saturday. About 150 or 300 people — depending upon who you ask — braved cold winter breezes to share their contempt for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s proroguing of Parliament last month until after the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver … Conservative MP Patrick Brown did not attend the rally due to other commitments on Saturday, but did send a representative. He suggested there were “151 people” from across the region at the event. ”Out of a catchment area of half a million people, I don’t think 150 people speaks to a great rally,” he said, Sunday. “I think most residents believe this is just a partisan ploy.”

(The Sun story is not available online and was pulled from the archives via Infomart.)

MPs and Mark Wahlberg’s red tie

By Mitchel Raphael - Friday, January 8, 2010 at 2:57 PM - 0 Comments

The Canadian AIDS Society held a special “It’s A Red Tie Affair” fundraiser. Below, NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis with Jordan Tarini from the Canadian AIDS Society.

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Transport Minister John Baird.

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It probably shouldn't be this easy to scale the Parliament Buildings

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, December 7, 2009 at 11:04 AM - 47 Comments

Greenpeace stages a protest. Twitter reaction from MPs Patrick Brown, Glenn Thibeault, Brent Rathgeber, Michelle Simson, Rod Bruinooge and Olivia Chow. The Ottawa Citizen’s Glen McGregor tweets the scene.

His what now?

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, August 28, 2009 at 10:47 AM - 5 Comments

Conservative MP Patrick Brown reacts to Gary Doer’s appointment, discloses previously hidden nature of the Prime Minister.

doer is great pick for washington too. it shows non partisan nature of PM Harper. Doer always seemed reasonable in office

Mitchel Raphael on why Ambrose worried about MacKay

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, August 27, 2009 at 12:20 PM - 0 Comments

Life after Parliament Hill for Rahim Jaffer
Former Edmonton Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer says he is now enjoying running his own business. Jaffer is part of GPG Corp., a new company specializing in alternative energy sources. The company will be building a solar farm in Bancroft, Ont. Jaffer says Ontario has a great solar subsidy program and pays people for supplying the power grid. GPG is also looking into a “dragon power system,” which consists of plates on the road that capture kinetic energy from moving vehicles and turn it into electricity. The Chinese, notes Jaffer, are very interested in this because of their huge traffic volumes. He is looking to open an office in China, but that may not sit well with his close friend Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, who has always taken a tough stand on China. “Jason will be mad,” admits Jaffer. “But our government is getting excited about China. Stockwell Day was there. Jim Flaherty was there.” Jaffer and his wife, Helena Guergis, minister of state for the status of women, are looking to buy a house together in the Ottawa area and hope to have children soon. Jaffer says they need a home with large closets. “After all the years I did politics, I have as many clothes as Helena.”

Rona Ambrose coaches hockey
Ontario Tory MP Patrick Brown hosted and played in his second Hockey Night in Barrie charity game at the Barrie Molson Centre. Each team had a mix of players including Conservative MPs such as Gord Brown, Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean, Olympic medallist goalie Sami Jo Small and former and current NHL players like Brian Little of the Atlanta Thrashers. Also in attendance, but not playing, was former NHLer Eddie Shack. Bringing some comedy to the game with an animal print protective cup was Marc Hickox from the TV show Rent-a-Goalie. Coaches included Labour Minister Rona Ambrose for the white team and Helena Guergis for the blue team. Defence Minister Peter MacKay played for the whites. His arm is still not at 100 per cent after being broken in a rugby match on Parliament Hill. Ambrose told the medic on site to make sure MacKay wasn’t in pain and to get him off the ice if he was. The medic said, “He won’t let me pull him.” Ambrose’s firm response: “I’ll pull him if I have to.” She also asked MacKay’s team members Aaron Johnson of the Chicago Blackhawks and his brother Cory Johnson to keep an eye on their fellow Nova Scotian. The event raised $121,000 for Barrie’s Royal Victoria Hospital. Team Blue won 15-13. Continue…

Hockey in Barrie with Conservatives and animal print protective cups!

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 12:47 PM - 13 Comments

Ontario Tory MP Patrick Brown hosted and played in his second Hockey Night in Barrie charity game at the Barrie Molson Centre. The teams were a mix of Conservative MPs, past and present NHLers and some celebrities. The event raised $121, 000 for Barrie’s Royal Victoria Hospital. Team Blue won 15 to 13. Below, Labour Minister Rona Ambrose and Defense Minister Peter MacKay.

Hockey Night in Canada’s Ron MacLean.

Marc Hickox from the TV show Rent-A-Goalie.

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Dave Batters, 1969-2009

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 2:23 PM - 2 Comments

Sad news from Saskatchewan.

“The family of Dave Batters is grieving the sudden loss of their beloved husband, son and brother, who sadly chose to take his own life at home in Regina on Monday, June 29. Last fall, Dave courageously made public his battle with depression and anxiety when he chose not to run for re-election as the Member of Parliament for Palliser. He entered treatment and his family and friends hoped he would overcome his illness. Tragically, this was not to be.

“Dave and Denise’s family greatly appreciates the support of their friends during this extremely difficult time and requests that the media respect their privacy. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.”

More from Kady. Reaction from James Moore, Tim Powers, Andrew Scheer, Cheryl Gallant, Patrick Brown, Rick Dykstra and Jason Kenney.

MPs dole out the pork, literally

By Mitchel Raphael - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 12:50 PM - 4 Comments

The Canadian Pork Council held a Hill BBQ to show the safety of Canada’s white meat in the midst of the panic over the H1N1 swine flu.

Labour Minister Rona Ambrose serves up the pork.

Iggy chows down.

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