Maybe it is more striking because of the parliamentary recess, but Question Period looks more and more an esoteric exercise in nothingness. How are Canadians supposed to take the process seriously when you have Ministers who seem more concerned with delivering the "zinger" than actually answering a question? A contest in who wins today's soundbite, how inspiring. Good one Mr. Baird, good one. Hehe.
14 comments:
It's been like that for a long time - at least since they brought the TV cameras into the H of C, and probably longer, regardless of whether Libs or Tories were on the govt side.
That's not to say it's necessarily a good thing, but looking for legit answers (or for that matter, legit - versus just point-scoring) questions in Question Period is a mug's game. If you want to see something even close to an approximation of serious give & take on the Hill, you're pretty much stuck with watching parl. committee meetings on CPAC.
"It's been like that for a long time"
Agreed.
Steve,
You just knew Baird would come up with something like this, I heard it too. I hate our question period so much, it's just absurd, and the sad thing is, the "buy a dog..." quote is probably as substantial as anything else said in QP today. The Brits do QP so much better than we do.
"The Brits do QP so much better than we do."
Olaf, I was actually thinking that today while watching- before I turned it off that is :)
You had a link for one exchange didn't you? A substantive debate, how novel. Welcome back.
That's actually not a bad line. They should have used it in those stupid attack ads.
Compared to the record the Cons have during that time (and now come to think of it) buying a dog and naming it Kyoto is still more action on the Environment they they did.
And that is why this fight to polish the environmental turd between the Libs and Cons would be laughable if it weren't so tragic...
Whooee! Well, I reckon it's like the dippywips used t' say - "Liberal, Tory, same ol' story."
Canajuns is tolerant but I ain't sure we're gonna tolerate grandstandin' an' song'n'dance routines instead o' real green action. More House o' Comments shenanighans from the Cons an' the Grits jest means more votes fer the onliest party that puts ol' Mother Earth first -- The Greenies.
JimBobby
Recent poll numbers indicate that neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives have the moral high ground on the environment. (Which party has the best Green plan? The Green party was at 30%, The Liberals at 16% and the Conservatives at 12%)
I’ve been hearing that the Liberals will be unveiling a new logo soon that will have the color green in it.
Purely symbolic measures like that will not increase support for the party.
I think the best way for the Liberal to truly capitalize and show real leadership on this issue is to start talking carbon tax/tax shifting. Its too bad Dion has been dismissing the idea consistently. It may bite him in the ass.
While there is merit to what you are saying Steve, Dion, Ignatieff and others asked pricipaled questions, to which they either received no answer or no answer compounded by a lie.
While I'm no expert on the role of speaker, there should be some mechanism in the House to force at least the semblance of an answer in QP.
I heard Dion tonight, speaking to the ad's and the general demeanour of the Conservative's. His position is that he has confidence in the intelligence of the Canadian people. He has always campaigned positively and will continue to do so in the future.
Glad to see him take the high road.
"I think the best way for the Liberal to truly capitalize and show real leadership on this issue is to start talking carbon tax/tax shifting"
I still say that Ignatieff had the best environmental agenda of all the leadership candidates.
knb
They were principled questions, and Goodale spoke of the lie about the "6 billion to Russia" in a point of order after QP, to which the Conservatives skated around.
Baird never has an answer - just tries with the so-called zingers.
Interesting that today Baird, mini-Lunn and O'Connor all "LIED" with their so=called facts.
The party is now "getting lies out to Canadians"
"I still say that Ignatieff had the best environmental agenda of all the leadership candidates."
I agree with you 100%, but Dion had the green t-shirts. T-shirts I tell yah, they do wonders.
Dion's passion on the environment+ Ignatieff's ideas on the environment = best shot at majority.
Whether Dion has too much pride to accept the above equation remains to be seen, imho.
Steve V:
Which was followed up by the NDP against O'Connor for putting words in her mouth, which in turn got a follow-up from Goodale clearly showing his anger on this practice and the Speaker made clear he will look into it but that while the members in question were not present on the government side that was all he could do at that moment. The CPC appear to be abusing Parliamentary privilege by making clearly false statements about their opposition (mainly the Liberals but the other parties clearly are not exempt) during QP for the news broadcasts to pick up. Yet the CPC got all offended a while back when the comparison to the manual of Goebbels was referenced in terms of their willingness to lie about their opposition being comparable to the big lie technique he was so fond of using. Gee, what a shock given their apparent devotion to one of his most egregious propaganda tools.
ooooh, it's going to be fun watching Harper bringing some green into his blue and red background he's played around with on the can.gov site.
Think back, especially home-schooled types: red plus blue plus green makes a really crappy colour.
new attack ad: the Cons are going earthy! looks like mud to me.
p.s., can't these Cons let go of that poor dog?
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