Opposition wants Commons speaker given new powers to keep unruly MPs in line

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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Opposition wants Commons speaker given new powers to keep unruly MPs in line

OTTAWA - The Opposition says the Speaker of the House of Commons should have more power to crack down on MPs behaving badly.

New Democratic Party House Leader Nathan Cullen says Speaker Andrew Scheer needs greater clout to keep politicians in line.

Cullen wants the Speaker to be able to bar MPs from asking questions in the Commons if they don't heed warnings to be civil.

It's not the first time the New Democrats have called for greater powers of punishment for the Speaker.

Cullen's predecessor, Joe Comartin, asked for the same thing last fall.

But Cullen says behaviour in Parliament is getting worse and MPs need to be reined in.

Opposition wants Commons speaker given new powers to keep unruly MPs in line - Winnipeg Free Press
 

SpectateSwamp

New Member
Apr 19, 2011
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Citizen Video of their bad acts would quickly put and end to disruptors

Just lift the ban on Citizen Video. Anybody sleeping, missing or having a tantrum would be posted on YouTube If I were allowed to video those Representatives of Ours.

Transparency with Video would be a start at cleaning up Govt.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
61
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Ottawa, ON
It's not the speaker but the voters who should clean up government. But I suppose a more powerful speaker would be the next best thing. It's just sad it has to come down to that.
 

IdRatherBeSkiing

Satelitte Radio Addict
May 28, 2007
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Re: Citizen Video of their bad acts would quickly put and end to disruptors

Just lift the ban on Citizen Video. Anybody sleeping, missing or having a tantrum would be posted on YouTube If I were allowed to video those Representatives of Ours.

Transparency with Video would be a start at cleaning up Govt.

Or provide feeds for all cameras not just the one focused on who has the floor.
 

Niflmir

A modern nomad
Dec 18, 2006
3,460
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Leiden, the Netherlands
Re: Citizen Video of their bad acts would quickly put and end to disruptors

Just lift the ban on Citizen Video. Anybody sleeping, missing or having a tantrum would be posted on YouTube If I were allowed to video those Representatives of Ours.

Transparency with Video would be a start at cleaning up Govt.

Don't they still air the sessions on CPAC? You can read the debates in the Hansard at least.

And yeah, those people are completely childish.
 

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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Re: Citizen Video of their bad acts would quickly put and end to disruptors

Don't they still air the sessions on CPAC? You can read the debates in the Hansard at least.

And yeah, those people are completely childish.

The one of the Con sleeping and that other Con wagging the "gun fingers" are my favs.
 

WLDB

Senate Member
Jun 24, 2011
6,182
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Ottawa
The Speaker already has enough powers to handle this issue. They just usually dont use them for some reason. They should.
 

damngrumpy

Executive Branch Member
Mar 16, 2005
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kelowna bc
Some are assuming we want the politicians to be reigned in, personally I don't.
Parliament is a place of get the job done mixed with theatre and a sense of
comic relief. Parliaments of all governments that have gone on for centuries
have seen the conditions change back and forth.
Right now there is a lot of bitter stuff going on and that is because we have
elected a lot of small minded people who do not have the countries interests at
heart. We used to have lively debate on issues and some of the greatest and
intellectual one liners. Now we have insults and posturing for what limited camera
space there is.
This would also be in keeping with what we call an open society.