Wednesday, November 4, 2009 5:26 PM
Olympic mittens and 1-800-Mike-Duffy
Jane Taber
Flu, guns and, 1-800-Mike-Duffy - Question Period had it all today, including props, as Tory MPs, with the exception of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, put on red Olympic mittens and waved their hands to mark 100 days until the Vancouver Games.
Later, NDP Leader Jack Layton and his MPs announced they are giving up the 65 Olympic tickets allotted to their caucus for purchase. Mr. Layton says his MPs will wait in line like everyone else.
Now, where to start?
Flu: Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff accused the Tories of pushing back availability timelines from November to Christmas, making everything so unpredictable local authorities are unable to plan.
“When will the Prime Minister take his responsibilities and give provinces and territories the predictability they need, but also the resources?”
Mr. Harper said six million doses have so far gone to the provinces and territories with 1.8 million more following next week.
Guns: The issue of the controversial vote tonight to abolish the long-gun registry was covered off by Conservative MP James Bezan, who asked Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan to remind opposition MPs about the importance of putting an end to “the Liberals' billion dollar boondoggle.”
A challenging request for a Tory but Mr. Van Loan was clearly up to the task, noting that the registry does a good job of “harassing law-abiding hunters and farmers and it does a good job of wasting money.”
1-800-Mike-Duffy: This was a rather comical exchange between deputy NDP leader Thomas Mulcair and Transport Minister John Baird.
It began with Mr. Mulcair reminding the Tories of their promise four years ago to govern differently than the Liberals.
“No more cronyism; dozens of Conservative lobbyists, thousands of contracts. No more Senate stuffing; 1-800-Mike Duffy. All that they have changed is that we now have the Conservative logo on the same old Liberal sleaze.”
Not the case, said Mr. Baird, who proceeded to list off all of the accomplishments of the government, concluding (and this may be a bit of political exaggeration) that the Prime Minister and “this government are providing one of the most ethical governments in our history.”
Question Period ended on a note of civility with all parties paying tribute to the late Romeo LeBlanc, former governor-general, senator, MP and father of Dominic LeBlanc, who listened from his seat on the Liberal bench.
Once the tributes ended, however, the Liberals popped back to take umbrage with the mitten caper, accusing the Tories of using props in the Commons (a no-no). To add insult to injury, Liberal whip Rodger Cuzner noted, the mitts were made in China and being worn by government members who say they stand up for Canadian jobs.
Speaker Peter Milliken said he wasn’t surprised by where the mitts were made. However, the use of props rattled him.
“I was shocked so many members were using props, which we know we have trouble with.”
