IN TOUCH WITH MP EARL DREESHEN
May 25, 2016
Last week was one of the most bizarre weeks I have ever experienced in the House of Commons. You have seen the news of the physical altercation on May 16th, but I wanted to provide you my perspective on the week of events that led to it.
Monday Morning Vote and Motion 6
The events began Monday morning. The Liberal MPs have had a habit of skipping out on debates Monday and a vote was called at approximately 12:30 pm. The opposition MPs and the Liberal MPs who had bothered to show up voted and the vote ended in a tie despite the Liberal majority. It then fell to the Speaker to break the tie and he did, casting a vote to continue the debate which he was obligated to do.
The Liberals, embarrassed by almost losing a vote on Bill C-10 (which has to do with reclassifying the scope of work for Air Canada workers) put a motion on the order paper that basically hamstrung the opposition’s ability to have any effect in Parliament. This was unprecedented and never seen before in a Western democracy.
May 16th Altercation
On Wednesday, the Liberals were trying to speed along the Physician Assisted Dying legislation (Bill C-14) by putting time allocation on it. During the lead up to the vote, Conservative Whip Gordon Brown was delayed getting to his seat when Prime Minister Trudeau took it upon himself to storm across the House of Commons, verbally abuse Mr. Brown and several NDP MPs and physically drag him to his seat in order to speed along the voting procedure. Of course, in the process Mr. Trudeau also elbowed MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau who had to leave the House and missed her opportunity to vote on the time allocation.
What followed was a privilege motion that MP Brosseau’s privilege to vote as an MP was breeched. The fact of the matter is that the Prime Minister had no business coming across the aisle, putting his hands on another Member of Parliament and verbally abusing a handful of MPs who stood in his way. In order for the privilege motion to drop, the Liberals agreed to withdraw the draconian Motion 6 and promise to allow all MPs who want to speak on Bill C-14 the opportunity to do so.
It was truly a week of firsts that I have never seen in my time as a Member of Parliament. I would like to say with confidence that I will never see a week like it again, but with a Government who has such a disdain for Parliament and the voice of Canadians, I have suspicion we may see more incidents like this one sooner rather than later.
Mobile Office Update
The next mobile office will be in Cremona on June 1st from 10-2 at 112 Railway Avenue (the FCSS Building).
Sincerely your Member of Parliament,
Earl Dreeshen