Tuesday, November 18, 2008

On stragglers

Kady points out the comical list of MPs in the running for Speaker of the House of Commons. But a look at the MPs who seem to be on the list due to a failure to inform the Clerk that they didn't want to stand for election - rather than any indication that they actually want the position - turns up a noteworthy pattern.

On my review, the only two opposition MPs on the list in the absence of a public push for the Speaker's chair are the Bloc's Christian Ouellet and the Libs' Alan Tonks.

Meanwhile, the Cons - despite a minority of the seats in the House - boast 7 members who didn't pull their names (Anders, Calandra, Del Mastro, Lunney, Smith, Tilson and Weston). And the list of Con MPs includes one who they've rewarded with the title of Manitoba caucus chair, as well as four other multiple-term MPs who should have at least some idea what's going on in the House of Commons.

Which would seem to offer yet another indication of the calibre of MP one can expect in voting for the Cons - and one more reason to question how long Canada can afford to be governed by a party with so many MPs who can't be bothered to pay attention to what's going on around them.

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