Posts Tagged ‘Rob Merrifield’

Out of order

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, November 29, 2011 - 0 Comments

This afternoon, like it had with Rob Merrifield last Wednesday and John Weston last Friday, the government sent John Williamson, the duly elected and relatively well compensated representative of the people of New Brunswick Southwest, to ask the Public Safety Minister about the views and actions of two NDP MPs in regards to the long-gun registry. Alas, before Vic Toews could read his part of the script, the Speaker stood to rule this out of order.

I am afraid that question has nothing to do with the administration of government.

This would seem in keeping with the standard enforced by Speaker Scheer’s immediate predecessor.

  • This is the week that was

    By Aaron Wherry - Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 12:11 PM - 0 Comments

    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.

    Continue…

  • Holding the government to account

    By Aaron Wherry - Friday, November 25, 2011 at 3:37 PM - 0 Comments

    Like Rob Merrifield earlier this week, here is the question Conservative MP John Weston asked this morning of the parliamentary secretary for the Minister of International Trade on behalf of his constituents in West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country.

    Could the parliamentary secretary please explain to the House how the NDP views trade?

  • Planted questions

    By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 1:03 PM - 0 Comments

    In addition to the questions posed by opposition MPs each afternoon, a few spots are set aside each day for government MPs to ask questions. In theory, Conservative backbenchers might use these opportunities to perform their duty of holding the government to account. Instead they are generally used by the government side to lob friendly requests that ministers stand and expound on the greatness of the government’s efforts in some regard or another.

    Yesterday though, the government side abandoned even that pretence and sent up Rob Merrifield to mouth the following on behalf of the people of Yellowhead. Continue…

  • Difference of opinion alert

    By Aaron Wherry - Friday, October 21, 2011 at 9:00 AM - 3 Comments

    A few weeks ago, the official opposition suggested a difference of opinion on the government side perhaps indicated that the Prime Minister had “lost control of his caucus.”

    Yesterday, with a difference of opinion on the opposition side, the government sent up Rob Merrifield to declare the NDP was consequently unfit to govern.

    Mr. Speaker, our government is focused on what really matters to Canadians; that is, creating jobs, creating economic growth. Instead of working with us, the NDP caucus members have become so disunited that they are contradicting each other on important issues that are important to Canada, particularly, western Canada.

    Yesterday, the NDP leader tried to argue, wrongly, that Parliament could not amend legislation that would give farmers marketing freedom. One of her own colleagues, the member Winnipeg Centre, said that he actually did not buy her argument. Now, I seldom agree with him, but on this one I do. In fact, he recognized that our legislation can give farmers the freedom that they are asking for. Unfortunately, his leader does not agree with him.

    This contradictory position from the NDP is just yet another worrying example of how weak and disunited the NDP is and that it is nowhere even close to being fit to govern.

  • This year's models

    By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 10:43 AM - 65 Comments

    Welcome to live coverage of this morning’s cabinet shuffle, wherein we find out which backbenchers we have to pretend to take more seriously for the next little while.

    There’s been a steady stream of Conservatives arriving at Rideau Hall and the Prime Minister is due shortly. So far we seem only to know for sure that John Baird will be the next Foreign Affairs Minister. Presumably he will be counted on to bluster away opposition criticism of the government’s international endeavours, charm foreign officials and periodically convene breathless news conferences to report the latest breathtaking developments in our make-believe war with Russia. Presumably he’ll do fine. His image problem notwithstanding.

    10:45am. Our Andrew Coyne is already deeply disappointed with all of this. Follow his Twitter feed this morning to watch his head explode repeatedly.

    10:52am. The Prime Minister has now arrived. The swearing in is to commence in about 20 minutes.

    11:04am. CTV reports a 39-member ministry, which equals an all-time high mark. Welcome to the new era of smaller government.

    11:07am. Peter Van Loan apparently goes back to House leader. Welcome to the new era of non-partisan Harper governance. Continue…

  • Our current standard of decency would be imperiled

    By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 5:39 PM - 13 Comments

    Liberal Michael Savage says he’s fine with an auditor general audit of MP expenses. NDP MPs John Rafferty and Bruce Hyer are of mixed opinion. Conservative Rob Merrifield worries that the auditor general’s scrutiny might incite dysfunction.

    “What we don’t want is to have Ottawa, particulaly the House of Commons, becoming more dysfunctional than it is right now,” says Merrifield. “I’m comfortable as long as we have those third-party audits, and we have a committee that oversees all expenditures. As long as that’s being done, Canadians should be very comfortable with that.”

  • What scary Conservatives really look like

    By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 2:03 PM - 33 Comments

    The Conservatives held their packed and fun Halloween party on the Hill. One of the best costumes was MP Rob Clarke (centre) seen here with his staff.

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    MP Candice Hoeppner (right) with her staffer dressed as Liberal MP Hedy Fry.

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    Tory staffer as NDP MP Linda Duncan’s “campaign manager.”

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    Continue…

  • MPs mingle with the RCMP

    By Mitchel Raphael - Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 4:36 PM - 7 Comments

    RCMP officers mingled with MPs at The Mounted Police Members Legal Fund reception held in House Speaker Peter Milliken’s dining room.

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    (Left to right) Anthony Carricato from Speaker Milliken’s office, Tory aide Matt Deacon, Transport Minister John Baird.

    IMG_1592 Continue…

  • Lede of the year

    By Aaron Wherry - Monday, March 23, 2009 at 10:44 PM - 15 Comments

    David Akin produces an early contender.

    In Richmond, B.C., senior citizens are getting $18,500 from the federal government to hold a few “intergenerational” movie nights.

    Granted, the most interesting finding may come at paragraph 12.

From Macleans