Marcus Gee, 8:07 p.m. EST: It's a bit rich for Jack Layton to say he wants young Canadians to get ready for a 21st century economy. This from the guy with an archaic, semi-socialist program that springs from the belief that Canada reached a state of perfection in the 1970s and should never change.
Marcus Gee, 8:10 p.m.: Oh, and I love this idea of grandfathering same-sex marriage. So that gay couples who got married in the last couple of years could stay married but others never could wed, thus creating 2 categories of gay citizens. Very bizarre.
Mary Janigan, 8:12 p.m.: This is truly a very dicey issue for Stephen Harper. By grandfathering existing marriages, he is not standing on principles. And the Charter remains a potent weapon when invoked in a debate.
Marcus Gee, 8:13 p.m. Duceppe's right: this issue of gay marriage is settled, like it or not. We've had a free vote, We've had court decisions across the land. We've had people marrying now for a couple of years. And Harper is going to turn the clock back? He can't -- and he more or less admitted it when he said he wouldn't use the Notwithstanding clause.
Sean Fine, 8:15 p.m. If a Conservative party won't use the notwithstanding clause on gay marriage, when would it use the notwithstanding clause?
Sean Fine, 8:19 p.m. I'm still trying to figure out why Layton stresses getting results for PEOPLE. Are the rest of them working for plants and animals?
Marcus Gee, 8:19 p.m. Layton's clearly discriminating against plants and animals.
Mary Janigan, 8:20 p.m. It's interesting though how the two issues so far that they are dealing with -- gay marriage and gun control -- really are serving to differentiate the party positions. I was quite dubious about this format but so far it is working in terms of policy explanations.
Sean Fine, 8:24 p.m.: Touche to Harper for mentioning the Supreme Court on health care. Martin was the one who talked of the Charter and the court as unassailable. Serves him right.
Marcus Gee, 8:36 p.m.: Martin's right to say that he is reacting quickly and thoroughly to the sponsorship scandal. But, but, but .... this is the biggest scandal in recent Canadian history. If the Liberals don't get thrown out over it, what will they get thrown out over?
Sean Fine, 8:39 p.m.: Of course, I didn't mean that personally.
Mary Janigan, 8:42 p.m.: They are all so much more plausible and smooth than the rabble that they were in the debates last year. Funny how good behaviour makes everything from mild class warfare to decrying corruption sound so civilized.
Marcus Gee, 8:44 p.m.: Perhaps it's a good thing to have mild and decorous debates. Folks are so sick of politicians yelling at each other in the House.
Mary Janigan, 8:49 p.m.: But they are being quite argumentative. It's just that the lore of how to behave on television in Canada .... cooler, more decorous ... is cloaking their clashes.
Marcus Gee, 8:49 p.m.: Martin says parties that break their promises should be punished by voters -- a shot at Dalton McGuionty and his famous no new taxes whooper?
Sean Fine, 8:50 p.m.: Hey, we've got elections to punish politicians who don't keep their promises. Or sometimes, to punish those who do keep their promises. Mike Harris, anyone?
Marcus Gee, 8:50 p.m.:TV is a cool medium -- Marshall McLuhan.
Mary Janigan, 8:51 p.m.: ...but politicians are nnot.
Sean Fine, 8:51 p.m.: That's a petard he might be hoisted on. Didn't he promise to fix medicare for a generation? (Or was that in a generation?)
Marcus Gee, 8:51 p.m.: Or for a geriatric?
Sean Fine, 8:52 p.m.: I wonder what McLuhan would have made of Stephen Harper?
