Ottawa

The Backbench Top Ten

Our weekly, and wholly arbitrary, ranking of the ten most worthy, or at least entertaining, MPs, excluding the Prime Minister, cabinet members and party leaders. A celebration of all that is great and ridiculous about the House of Commons. Last week’s rankings appear in parentheses.

1. Jim Prentice (1)
At the risk of belabouring the point, here is a rough sketch of the precedents Mr. Prentice is now up against. Whatever the spasm of adulation that followed his exit, his chances for a successful return are slim.
2. Larry Miller (-)
Reportedly the steadfast conscience of the Conservative government. Though it’s difficult to know how much credence to give that report, given the press gallery’s well-noted agenda.
3. Maxime Bernier (2)
4. Michael Chong (3)
Mr. Chong’s motion on Question Period reform received its first day of committee hearings late last month: the transcript of which is here.
5. Keith Martin (-)
Which Al Pacino speech should inspire Mr. Martin‘s final address to Parliament: And Justice For All (“This whole trial’s out of order!”) or Scent of a Woman (“If I were half the man I was five years ago, I’d take a flamethrower to this place!”)?
6. Jack Harris (5)
7. Serge Menard (7)
8. James Rajotte (9)
9. Ken Dryden (10)
10. Bob Rae (-)
Another Liberal with a new book to his name. If nothing else, the official opposition is making good use of its time out of government.

Previous rankings: March 12March 19April 3April 10April 25May 1May 9May 16May 23May 30June 6June 13June 20September 26October 3October 10October 17October 24October 31. November 7.

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