2005 Political Plays: A Year in Review

[FiveParadox]

2005 political plays
A Turbulent Year in Review

With the end of both a turbulent year, and a turbulent Parliament behind us, perhaps it's time to begin discussing what events on the political stage in Canada we believe were the most significant, the most influential, and perhaps simply the most extraordinary or unusual to occur in 2005.

From a tied Budget vote, to crossing to and from the Government side of the House, to extending the date of adjournment of the House to push through C-38 and C-48, here we can introduce and discuss these events in what is now the history of the Thirty-eighth Parliament.

So — what political play caught your attention more than any other?

 

[FiveParadox]

Confidence Deadlock in the House

deadlock of confidence in the house of commons

On May 19th, 2005, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 23, 2005, more intimately known to Canadians as Bill C-43, came to its second-reading vote in the volatile House of Commons.

For the first time in the history of Canada, the vote on the Budget was recorded as an equality — 153 in favour, and 153 opposed. The House of Commons, on the Government side at least, roared with applause and taunting of the Opposition when Chuck Cadman, the late Independant Member of Parliament, stood in support of the Government.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, the Hon. Peter Milliken, delivered a casting-vote in favour of the Government, and the Liberal Government of Canada survived to live another day. The moment of waiting to see whether or not Mr. Cadman would stand with the "yeays" was possibly the most tense and suspenseful moment in Canadian Parliamentary history.

 

[Finder]

Well I'm undecided. I have two in mind.

When the NDP and Liberals came together to pass the budget. Man it was exciting to hope that those indies were going to vote for it or not. Though it saddens me to see one of those people who bravely stood up for the government MP C, Cadman who I might not share the same politics with but who stood up for what he believed in, and even fought for it on his dieing breath. RIP MP Cadman


Second power play would be the proposal the NDP drew up to give the Liberals a chance to run Government untill early feb and delay an election. Conservatives, the Bloq and the NDP fully supported the notion which carried more votes the the Liberals but the Liberals denounced the idea, forcing the opisition to vote down the government a week later.


I'd say those are my two highlights of the year.

 

[Finder]

Edit: Sorry, I have a stupid computer!

 

[JomZ]

The Release of the first Gomery Report.

It set off the chain of events that led to the election that we are in right now.

 

[FiveParadox]

Agreement in Principle

I agree, for the most part.

May the late Hon. Chuck Cadman rest in peace, and may the Members of the Thirty-ninth, and each and every subsequent Parliament, look up to his behaviour as an example of how one should represent one's own beliefs and one's constituents, rather than the party line.

Agreed, the Opposition motion was an interesting one indeed; for some reason, I think that the Liberal Government of Canada was uncomfortable continuing to govern, knowing that it would have been on the terms of the Opposition. With respect to this decision, in particular, I cannot support the Government — while it was perfectly within the rights of the Rt. Hon. Paul Martin to refuse to establish the date of the election ahead of time, in this case I believe that he should have co-operating with the Opposition, in the interest of preventing certain measures from having died on the Order Paper.

 

[zoofer]

Note that not everyone was smitten with the late Chuck Cadman.

Cadman failed his constituents
National Post
Published: Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Re: My Pick For The Year's Best Politician, Don Martin, Dec. 27.
Another bromide is born. Don Martin admiringly recounts how Chuck Cadman forwent any feelings he may have had last May as to whether or not the country should be plunged into a spring election. Instead, says Mr. Martin, Mr. Cadman nobly deferred to the wishes of his constituents and voted with the government.

Those constituents must have been one volatile group, as I distinctly remember seeing Mr. Cadman on CBC news a few days before the big vote, saying that his constituents were demanding an election and that they wanted the Liberals thrown out.

So let's demythologize the Cadman-as-populist schtick a bit.
Wayne Eyre, Saskatoon.

Letter to the Editor
I wonder how many of those emails and calls to his office urging no election were from his genuine constituents and not Liberal/NDP pretenders?

 

[Finder]

Note that not everyone was smitten with the late Chuck Cadman.

Cadman failed his constituents
National Post
Published: Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Re: My Pick For The Year's Best Politician, Don Martin, Dec. 27.
Another bromide is born. Don Martin admiringly recounts how Chuck Cadman forwent any feelings he may have had last May as to whether or not the country should be plunged into a spring election. Instead, says Mr. Martin, Mr. Cadman nobly deferred to the wishes of his constituents and voted with the government.

Those constituents must have been one volatile group, as I distinctly remember seeing Mr. Cadman on CBC news a few days before the big vote, saying that his constituents were demanding an election and that they wanted the Liberals thrown out.

So let's demythologize the Cadman-as-populist schtick a bit.
Wayne Eyre, Saskatoon.

Letter to the Editor
I wonder how many of those emails and calls to his office urging no election were from his genuine constituents and not Liberal/NDP pretenders?

Reformers, Canadian Alliance voters, Greens and even conservatives too. Unlike you I don't have godly like powers to read peoples minds and thoughts and know what party they are coming from. But it shouldn't matter anyways. These are people who in our broken system you are supposed to listen to you constituents no matter what party you support. If everyone in parliment had the professionalism Cadmen had I don't think I'd support democratic reform, as he truly followed the spirit of what our system was built to be. As I said before I may not agree with him on most subjects, but the man was a democrat and he has more respect from me then anyone else in the last parliment.

 

[Hank C]

I think the one that sticks in my mind was when Belina Stronach neglected her constituency and sold democracy out for a seat in Paul Martins Cabinet. Hopefully this spurs some changes in Parliment forbidding such selfish actions....I even support Ed Broadbents ethics package.

 

[zoofer]

Reformers, Canadian Alliance voters, Greens and even conservatives too. Unlike you I don't have godly like powers to read peoples minds and thoughts and know what party they are coming from. But it shouldn't matter anyways. These are people who in our broken system you are supposed to listen to you constituents no matter what party you support.

My Godly powers says its not in my opinion, above the Liberal spindoctors to urge Libs to flood Cadman's office with emails urging him to save Martin's regime.

MPs can listen to you but in the final analysis they listen to the party whip who jumps for Paulie. If they do not they are out, fat pensions and all. Paulie will not sign their running papers next time.
Trained seals ring a bell?

 

[FiveParadox]

Re: RE: 2005 Political Plays: A Year in Review

I think the one that sticks in my mind was when Belinda Stronach neglected her constituency and sold democracy out for a seat in Paul Martin's Cabinet. Hopefully this spurs some changes in Parliament forbidding such selfish actions....I even support Ed Broadbent's ethics package.

With respect to the issue of the Hon. Belinda Stronach having crossed the floor, leaving Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition to join the Government of Canada, I would argue that she had always seemed a more "moderate" member of her party.

Furthermore, consider these facts:

(a) Ms. Stronach was elected to the House of Commons, under the banner of the Conservative Party of Canada, with a vote of 42.4 %.

(b) In her riding, the electoral district of Newmarket—Aurora, the combined vote of the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party amounted to 51.0 %.

(c) As represented by the parties for whom a majority of the constituents of Newmarket—Aurora had voted for, namely the NDP and the Liberals, the Conservatives were elected in that riding by only plurality — not a majority of voices.

In my opinion, considering the facts, above, if Ms. Stronach had voted against the Government on this matter, against the view of the Liberals and the NDP for whom a majority of the vote in Newmarket—Aurora had represented, wouldn't this constitute the neglecting of her riding?

She acted in the best interest of Newmarket—Aurora, as supported by 51.0 % of her constituents, spread over two allied parties, rather than the 42.4 % who would have supported the defeat of the Government of Canada.

:!: Edit Corrected a formatting problem.

 

[TenPenny]

I find it pretty funny that people are questioning Belinda Stronach for abandoning such paragons of ethics and living up to your commitments as Peter MacKay. He promised not to merge the PC party with the Alliance, and then did exactly that! He's about as trustworthy as a slug. Never mind his personal life. How can he honestly hold his head up in public?

She was elected to represent her constituents, and she continued to do so. She just happened to wake up and realize what a bunch of neanderthal dorks the rest of the Harperites are.

 

[zoofer]

I like your colourful logic FivePar.

If I remember correctly the Fiberals garnered about 37 percent of the vote country wide. The means a vast majority voted against them. IMHO they should have resigned toot sweet.
(Thats French for right now FivePar.)

 

[Hank C]

She was elected to represent her constituents, and she continued to do so. She just happened to wake up and realize what a bunch of neanderthal dorks the rest of the Harperites are.

ummm, no..... most people vote for the party rather than the MP....she deserved to sit as an indipended if she diden't want to be part of the CPC, or hold a bi election to be elected as a liberal...anything else is undemocratic.

 

[Karlin]

Re: RE: 2005 Political Plays: A Year in Review

The Release of the first Gomery Report.

It set off the chain of events that led to the election that we are in right now.

Ya, so what is the final conclusion of the sponsorship program investigation? Nobody up high was ever fingered, yet we are sure the PM and Fin. Min and cabinet generally would be the ones to have got it going. Why would a civil servant start distributing "ad money" to Liberal supporters? Maybe the Liberal Party asked for it, but they used govt. money so someone up high knew about it.

The ones who were fairly high up who got fingered by Gomery were not jailed or anything, right? Gomery cant do that, but he passes info to the RCMP.

I think Gomery show that the Liberals own investigation is also corrupt, multiplying the guilt of the top Liberals like Chretien and Martin and the whol cabinet back then. Who else could do both the directing of the sponsorship swindling AND whitewashing the investigation into it?

There are guilty people from the spinbsorship scandal who were not charged , this fact must not be forgotten.