Three Ring Circus
What an odd day on Parliament Hill. First of all, the Liberal Kyoto plan was revealed, garnering less fanfare than Peter MacKay’s speeding ticket last week. It certainly received less media attention than the never ending speculation about the innocuous Kyoto amendment last month that threatened to bring the government down.
On the topic of hot air, there were some absolutely jaw dropping quotes heard on the hill today. I almost wish the following was satire, but alas, the following were all said today:
“We have no room for traitors,” said Anne McLellan on the National tonight, in reference to David Kilgour’s defection. Well, except for Scott Brison and Jean Lapierre.
“You don’t want to be a Liberal? Don’t stay in my caucus. You don’t believe in liberalism? Get the [expletive] out.” said MP Jim Karygiannis about David Kilgour. Yes, the same Jim Karygiannis who has built up a reputation as one of the least Liberal and least loyal members of the Liberal caucus.
“It’s a good position to be in, you don’t want to peak too soon.” Said Jean Lapierre, on the Liberals nose-dive in the polls in Quebec on the National. Lapierre, who took over as Martin’s Quebec Lieutenant amid speculation the Bloc was about to go the way of the Socreds, refused to reveal when he hopes the party will “peak” in Quebec. 2008? 2012?
“Stephen Harper has a hidden agenda on health care.” Screamed Paul Martin in the house. Woah. Health care is an issue again? Even after it’s been fixed for a generation? Colour me confused.
“We are not prepared to see Stephen Harper and Gilles Ducceppe become this decade’s version of Brian Mulroney and Lucien Bouchard.” Said the Prime Minister in the House of Commons today as his Quebec Lieutenant, who co-founded the Bloc Quebecois with Lucien Bouchard, cheered him on.
And finally, the quote of the day:
“Stephen Harper sent Mike Harris and Preston Manning to reveal his health care platform” said Martin. I’m sorry. But this one is just too rich. A former Progressive Conservative Premier and the former leader of a defunct party can represent the Conservative health care vision but when high ranking Liberals are involved in scandal, they’re “rogue Liberals”? This is an absolutely mind-boggling contradiction to me. I can’t remember the last time a federal government looked this desperate.
Thursday Morning Update: Paul Martin is going to run on national unity and on a “who speaks for Canada?” platform. Wow. The ghost of RB Bennett’s “new deal” is alive and with this deathbed conversion. If this is true, then Stephen Harper is going to have a fun time.
“How many Bloc Quebecois founders are in the Conservative caucus right now?”
“Paul, give me one example of a time when you have actually stood up to a Provincial Premier.”
And best of all, courtesy of matt in the comments section,
“Liberals: The cause of, and solution to, Canada’s unity problem.”