Politics on TV: Mulcair, Moody’s and Mali

Here are the three things you should not have missed:

1. Thomas Mulcair talks the Moody’s downgrade
2. Bob Rae talks about Canadian special forces in Mali
3. MPs talk Idle No More

Mulcair on the Moody’s downgrade:

On Power Play, NDP leader Thomas Mulcair offered his explanation the Moody’s downgrade of Canadian banks. According to Mulcair, it stems from the government giving $50 billion in tax breaks to oil companies and banks who don’t need it, and as a result, the downgrade is a reflection of income inequality, where the ratings companies say that the banks are holding too much household debt, but that the government can change this by addressing the issues of the middle class. Are you following? (And yes, economist Stephen Gordon’s head exploded just a little bit).

Mulcair gave the same explanation on Power & Politics, and added that he’s okay with having Special Forces troops protecting our embassy in Mali, as we don’t want another Benghazi incident.

Bob Rae on Mali:

On Power & Politics, after learning that there are Canadian special forces on the ground in Bamako, Mali, in order to protect our embassy and personnel there, Liberal interim leader Bob Rae said that he’s not surprised because there is an obligation to protect our resources there, and that he refuses to use the term “boots on the ground” because it isn’t helpful. Rae said that Canada has troops in all kinds of places in different capacities, and that we have an important part to play on the security position in the world. Rae said that engagements have to be intelligent and be explained.

While on Power Play, Rae added that the government’s attacks against Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page were “disgusting” and that for Page’s successor, the P in PBO would stand for “patsy” or “poodle.”

Idle No More:

Evan Solomon had an MP panel of Chris Warkentin, Jean Crowder and Carolyn Bennett to discuss Idle No More and First Nations issues in the House. Warkentin said that while he hasn’t seen Romeo Saganash’s Private Member’s Bill yet, the government takes consultation seriously because it’s in the constitution, and reminded everyone that there isn’t a single voice for the Aboriginal community. Crowder said that consent as part of the UN declaration was never termed as overriding other concerns, and that the government’s language around “willing partners” is about picking winners and losers on its own terms. Bennett said that Nation-to-Nation means government should meeting with First Nations, and not making them take a number with other stakeholders.

On P&P‘s Power Panel, Chris Hall noted that “willing partners” means the AFN, and not Idle No More.

Worth Noting:

• While Daniel Paillé insisted the Clarity Act was a bad bill that needed to be repealed, Jean Lapierre said the bill to repeal it is simply the Bloc trying to reignite their flame as they are desperate for ideas, while Robin Sears noted that the Clarity Act was not about numbers, but the wording of the referendum question.
• Susan Delacourt and John Ibbitson discussed Harper’s #DayInTheLife tweeting, and how it humanizes him.