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    Ed Fast’s pointy finger

    Did the International Trade Minister form an imaginary gun with his hands and gesture at NDP MP Niki Ashton?

    Nick Taylor-Vaisey
    <p>Journalists watch a T.V. as the Speaker of the House of Commons Peter Miliken tallies votes in the the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Tuesday, May 10, 2005 the Conservative party and Bloc Quebecois are pushing for a non-confidence vote. (CP Photo/Jonathan Hayward)</p>

    Journalists watch a T.V. as the Speaker of the House of Commons Peter Miliken tallies votes in the the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Tuesday, May 10, 2005 the Conservative party and Bloc Quebecois are pushing for a non-confidence vote. (CP Photo/Jonathan Hayward)

    Niki Ashton tried to catch Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq in a lie, or at least an exaggeration. The NDP MP accused Aglukkaq of falsely taking responsibility for the installation of cameras that helped Nunavut air passengers acquire proper photo identification in the wake of 9/11. Ashton said the cameras predated Aglukkaq’s time as a territorial minister. Aglukkaq replied that, no, Nunavut purchased the cameras after she was elected in 2004.

    For that, Aglukkaq’s colleagues jumped to their feet. International Trade Minister Ed Fast joined the standing ovation. And that was that.

    Except that one of Ashton’s colleagues, NDP MP Dan Harris, thought he saw Fast form an imaginary gun with his hands, gesture in Ashton’s direction and, further, mouth “boom” as he was on his feet. Harris raised the issue with Speaker Andrew Scheer after Question Period, and demanded an apology on Ashton’s behalf. Fast immediately denied the claim, and demanded that Harris apologize. A near-fracas ensued.

    Watch the video, and witness Fast’s gesture. That’s him in the lower, left-hand corner.