Jim Abbott
Au revoir, Chuck Strahl and John Cummins
The Transport Minister and the Conservative backbencher will also refrain from seeking reelection. Both were members of the Reform party’s class of 1993.
A procedural pursuit of the truth
Here then an interesting test of the system’s ability to demand and require the whole truth. After Question Period on Monday, Liberal John McKay rose on a point of privilege to assert that International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda had misled the House on the matter of KAIROS.
Much ado
Conservative backbencher Jim Abbott—an MP for the last 17 years—says the census isn’t much of a controversy now, but nor was it before.
Shh! He might hear you
Last week, Jim Abbott was quite insistent that “no one” wanted to debate the issue. Today, Conservative Senator Nancy Ruth told aid groups to “shut the f— up.” Glen Pearson, meanwhile, lends a firsthand perspective to the debate we’re not advised to partake in.
That’s a no
The government having previously said that its maternal health initiative had nothing to do with capital punishment nor gay marriage, that it did not want to reopen the debate on abortion, but that it was not closing the door on any possibilities, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Cooperation did stand in his place this afternoon and announce that “Canada’s contribution will not include funding abortion.”
Colvin redux
Richard Colvin is in Ottawa today to testify at hearings of the Military Police Complaints Commission. The morning was mostly a repeat, with some added detail and commentary, of his testimony at the special committee last year. Early reviews are in from the Globe, Canadian Press, CBC, Canwest, Star and Sun.
The Commons: Weirder still
Iggy: “The government has made a total mess of a great institution, Rights & Democracy”
The 48-hour rule?
An exchange between the NDP leader and the Transport Minister this morning at Question Period.
This actually happened
Still sorting out some thoughts in response to Mark Kingwell’s essay on political civility. In the meantime, here is the CP dispatch from yesterday’s meeting of the foreign affairs committee.
Au revoir, Jim Abbott
The Conservative MP steps way so he can spend more time with his family.
No show
It would seem that Conservative members of the special committee on Afghanistan failed to show up for today’s 4pm meeting.
Former Parliamentarians gather with future former Parliamentarians
The Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians held a dinner in the Fairmont Château Laurier ballroom. Below, former Reform MP Deb Grey.