Oh man, now we’ve embarassed ourselves in front of Mali

The president of Mali had ringside seats for what had to be one of the lowest days in our Parliamentary history. This is getting ridiculous. Harper says that Martin set the budget vote for next week in the hopes that sick MPs would get sicker and be unable to vote? That’s fucking awful. And now he’s going to stall Parliament to try to force a vote, ensuring that nothing gets done.
Way to piss away any credibility you had left, Harper. While the Post carried on its tradition of buying into Conservative spin hook, line and sinker, the Globe’s John Ibbitson pointed out that Martin’s decision will allow sick MPs to make travel arrangements well in advance. If you ask me, hauling them to Ottawa for a vote that you know the government will not accept as a confidence vote is more detrimental to their health than giving them a week to get their affairs in order.
I’m embarassed that these people are our elected representatives. I encourage everyone to watch Question Period today. Our MPs are acting like children and it sickens me.

Balanced reportage for terrorists? No thank you.
The Citizen ran an interesting little story on Air India today. Apparently, there were a bunch of documents that were declassified in 1996 that showed tapes of conversations involving the man suspected of being the mastermind behind the bombing weren’t listented to for months after. Despite never being convicted (he was killed before he could be), the article calls the man a terrorist. And it contains this gem of a line:
“The revelation, contained in documents declassified in 1996, but never before reported on, leads to a shocking conclusion. . . ”
Not only did the “news” report draw conclusions, it drew shocking ones.
That’s some good reporting there.

And in the “you’ve got to be kidding me” file. . .
As part of its ongoing coverage of the Michael Jackson trial, the Toronto Star ran a one-source story suggesting Jackson sold his Neverland Ranch. The source? The National Enquirer. That’s right, the most famous supermarket tabloid in world reports that the ranch was sold and that warrants a story in the largest-circulation newspaper in Canada.
Unbelievable.

3 comments

  1. Yea, and as if Canadians didn’t see right through these political manoeuvrings, what’s all this stupid jockeying for votes gonna get anybody? with the BP set to take 60 seats in Quebec, and barring the unlikely possibility that Ontario might lose its mind overnight and vote Conserative, we’re headed straight for another minority government. parliamentarians better get used to the idea of compromise.

    my only hope is that, this time, the Liberal and NDP seats add up to 155+.

  2. The Conservatives have made their point and Martin has set a date for the vote. What they’re doing now is only going to hurt Harper and the Conservatives. They got what they wanted when Martin announced the date for the budget vote next week. So this continued pressing and accusations are ridiculous. Warren Kinsella makes an interesting point on his blog that he wouldn’t put it past the Liberals to schedule a vote to take advantage of the health of a handful of MPs.

  3. “Warren Kinsella makes an interesting point on his blog that he wouldn’t put it past the Liberals to schedule a vote to take advantage of the health of a handful of MPs.”

    that’s fair enough, i suppose, but the Conservatives could be accused of pulling the same dirty trick earlier this week with John Efford (and Chuck Cadman, one of their own!). if you ask me, it seems a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, as my grandma would have said…

    anyway, with the NDP’s offer to ‘pair’ up absent MPS — and what seems like Martin’s willingness to accept such an idea — our parliamentarians just might manage to slink away from this one without all looking like complete slimeballs.

    maybe.

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