Phil McColeman

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, Monday. I encourage all Canadians during this Citizenship Week to take some time to learn about Canada’s history, symbols and institutions, reflect on the great gift of being Canadian that has been passed to us, and as the Oath of Citizenship instructs, commit to faithfully observe the laws of Canada and fulfill our duties as Canadian citizens.

Between 2pm and 3pm this afternoon in the House, four Conservative MPs—Phil McColeman, Peter Kent, Kellie Leitch and Denis Lebel—combined to make nine references to a “carbon tax.” Mr. McColeman did so during a members’ statement. Mr. Kent did so in response to a friendly Conservative MP’s question about government efforts to clean up contaminated sits. Kellie Leitch did so twice in response to Liberal questions about employment insurance policy. Mr. Lebel did so twice in responding to NDP questions about airport fees.

Among the Conservaties who stood in the House this week and criticized the NDP’s stance on cap-and-trade were Kyle Seeback, Peter Van Loan, Gord Brown, Leon Benoit, Shelly Glover, Chris Warkentin, LaVar Payne, Gerry Ritz, Pierre Poilievre, Christian Paradis, Rick Dykstra, Randy Hoback, Pierre Lemieux, Ed Fast, Tony Clement and Andrew Saxton. These individuals—like Phil McColeman, Joe Preston and Ed Holder, who attacked the NDP last week—were all Conservative candidates in 2008 when the Conservative party platform included a commitment to pursue a continental cap-and-trade system.

Aaron Wherry on the first day back

With Thomas Mulcair visiting Brantford, Conservative MP Phil McColeman uses the phrase “carbon tax” three times in the space of a five-sentence quote (and his remarks are reported without being challenged).

A statement from Conservative backbencher Phil McColeman, tabled shortly before Question Period this afternoon.

I wasn’t in the House this afternoon on account of other commitments, but I’m told that shortly after Question Period, Speaker Peter Milliken rose to rule on a point of order previously raised by Liberal Derek Lee. Mr. Lee complained last month that a statement by Conservative MP Phil McColeman should have been ruled out of order as a personal attack on Liberal Mark Holland. That the time allotted for statements by members—15 minutes each day normally reserved for noting charitable causes, the accomplishments of constituents and such—was being used to launch partisan attacks was identified as a problem last March by Speaker Milliken, a problem he attempted to addresses with limited success.

On Monday, several Conservative MPs were reported to be less-than-completely scornful when three former convicts appeared before the public safety committee to express concerns about the government’s recent moves to restrict pardons.

Excluding those born outside Canada, the following Conservative MPs have lived, studied or worked outside the country.

The Scene. “Mr. Speaker,” Chuck Strahl said the other day, scolding Todd Russell, the typically loud Liberal from Labrador, “there is that old saying on the preacher’s note, ‘unsure of point, must yell louder.’”