Reforming the Question Period

[Topaz]

Does anyone here think that he politicans in Question Period will reform and become NICE and CIVIL to each other? A poll on CBC said 90% say NO!! I too, say no and unless Harper's wife visits this forum and tells him about it. I say HE is the one that starts the balls rolling. Someone suggested of taking the cameras out but I say put more in, so we , Canadians can see more. Why can't these grown-ups act like grown-ups and if they can't then the cheapest way to stop this is throw all of them out of office in the next election! Just think, if we had election every 4 years , we could save big bucks in pensions by not re-elected them!

[Jack Weber]

Well...Your diatribe aside,I have to say that Quetion Period in the Candian House of Commons gets a little bit silly.And I can only imagine how silly it will be this Fall when I see things like Mr.Baird,Mr.McGuinty,and,the idiot Pierre Poilievre acting the way they did on TV today...

I have to say I also occassionally watch Questio Period in the British House of Commons...Tey actually have questions that actually...Ya'know...Question politicians??It's even sometimes witty...

I like Andrew Coyne's idea wher we change the House of Commons in Ottawa to something resembling the one in London,where the members sit very close to each other.He felt it makes it alot less likely to hurl an insult at someone who's close by,instead of the way it is now,and we might get back to actually questioning the governing party.

However,Question Period is all about TV theatre anyway...If one actually watches the debates on certain bills,they would see that there is usually a very good exchange of ideas...

Edited September 18, 2010 by Jack Weber

[waldo]

trust in Baird!

closer Jack... really?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFBhceg6ooY

[Jack Weber]

trust in Baird!

closer Jack... really?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFBhceg6ooY

I was'nt talking about the Taiwan legislature...That's stuff is just crazy and hillarious!!!

I'd like to give us more credit with that,but now that Mr.Baird is the House Leader...

I think we should have an MLW board countdown until Johnny Boy's head literally explodes!!!

Edited September 18, 2010 by Jack Weber

[capricorn]

However,Question Period is all about TV theatre anyway...

Yes it's theater. Politics without modern day Question Period would be even more boring for a good chunk of voters/non-voters. I'd like to keep the same format, if only for its comedic aspects. Once in a while it's informative for those who don't follow politics.

This week on a politics panel, Sheila Copps said that before the camera era, some politicians showed up drunk and there were more than a few fisticuffs between rival MPs. So I would think the presence of cameras has a taming effect on the more unruly MPs.

Edited September 18, 2010 by capricorn

[Jack Weber]

Yes it's theater. Politics without modern day Question Period would be even more boring for a good chunk of voters/non-voters. I'd like to keep the same format, if only for its comedic aspects. Once in a while it's informative for those who don't follow politics.

This week on a politics panel, Sheila Copps said that before the camera era, some politicians showed up drunk and there were more than a few fisticuffs between rival MPs. So I would think the presence of cameras has a taming effect on the more unruly MPs.

Sir John MacDonald regualrily sipped gin during debates in the House...

That half wit,Darryl Stinson,tried to start a fight in the House almost 20 years ago...He looked like he was drunk when he did it...

I say we bring back the booze and have everyone sit close together...

[capricorn]

I say we bring back the booze and have everyone sit close together...

And make them eat beans for lunch.

[Topaz]

The Commons will be getting a new speaker and I can't imagine who would want this job. Even though the present Speaker tries, it is up to the speaker to control the Commons. Maybe if they started to fine for personal insults, we could some of our money back. If the seating government would actual answer the question, then most of this wouldn't happen.

[Jack Weber]

I did'nt know this??

Is Peter Milliken stepping down?

[Smallc]

I did'nt know this??

Is Peter Milliken stepping down?

When the next election is called he is.

[Jack Weber]

When the next election is called he is.

That's what I thought,so unless he was ill or something,he's still in the chair.

I think what Topaz is talking about is the Con's have a new House Leader after Jay Hill retired???

John "Watch my head explode" Baird...

[Smallc]

John "Watch my head explode" Baird...

I'm always reminded of this:

Just a bit more than 3 minutes in.

[Jack Weber]

I'm always reminded of this:

Just a bit more than 3 minutes in.

Hehehe...

I think this sitting od the House is going to be pretty entertaining...Not because I think anything of note is going to be accomplished,but because Baird is such an ideologue and gets so annoyed with anyone who would dare question the Conservatives on anything,Ithat I'm just waiting for him to have some sort of crazy meltdown in public...

And the road to that meltdown is going to be fun to watch...Wait until Scott Brison,David McGuinty,or,Mark Holland start to grill him on things...Watch for the veins in Bairds head to start pulsating...

[waldo]

Hehehe...

I think this sitting od the House is going to be pretty entertaining...Not because I think anything of note is going to be accomplished,but because Baird is such an ideologue and gets so annoyed with anyone who would dare question the Conservatives on anything,I that I'm just waiting for him to have some sort of crazy meltdown in public...

And the road to that meltdown is going to be fun to watch...Wait until Scott Brison,David McGuinty,or,Mark Holland start to grill him on things...Watch for the veins in Bairds head to start pulsating...

well... Rusty really stepped in it - big time! Apparently, there are a few pissy Toronto elites who didn't take kindly to Baird's latest tirade against Toronto... perhaps an easy excuse to rail on about Rusty's (closeted) hypocrisy. You want to talk about heads exploding, just wait till Baird's new heightened visibility presents a most uncomfortable reality; uncomfortable, that is, to the Conservative base:

Baird's dig at elites a bit rich, Murray says - Toronto MPP says minister 'qualifies' as member of group he attacked

"Funny Baird attacking Toronto elites," Murray tweeted. "Who are they? I imagine given the # of cosmos I have had with Rusty @ Byzantium he qualifies."

[bloodyminded]

well... Rusty really stepped in it - big time! Apparently, there are a few pissy Toronto elites who didn't take kindly to Baird's latest tirade against Toronto... perhaps an easy excuse to rail on about Rusty's (closeted) hypocrisy. You want to talk about heads exploding, just wait till Baird's new heightened visibility presents a most uncomfortable reality; uncomfortable, that is, to the Conservative base:

Baird's dig at elites a bit rich, Murray says - Toronto MPP says minister 'qualifies' as member of group he attacked

Sure. If "elites" is a moniker of insult, then it's foolish to let some of these "elites" conveniently determine the parameters of discussion, making the word synonymous with "liberal."

[Argus]

Does anyone here think that he politicans in Question Period will reform and become NICE and CIVIL to each other? bucks in pensions by not re-elected them!

It's ironic you use the word "reform" in your subject header. Because those of us with memories going back more than a few years remember when the Reform Party came to Ottawa. One of the things they wanted to change was the poisonous atmosphere in parliament. They decided that they would shout no insults, would pose their questions without grandiose accusations, and would always be polite.

The national media mocked and ridiculed them. The other parties did the same, openly jeering, sneering, insulting and mocking them throughout every question period and on every media outlet. Eventually, the Reformer abandoned their efforts at bringing civility to the House.

[Mr.Canada]

My MP Michael Chong is trying to bring in some changes to make it more civil. So people who want question period reform should support his initiative.

[ToadBrother]

It's ironic you use the word "reform" in your subject header. Because those of us with memories going back more than a few years remember when the Reform Party came to Ottawa. One of the things they wanted to change was the poisonous atmosphere in parliament. They decided that they would shout no insults, would pose their questions without grandiose accusations, and would always be polite.

The national media mocked and ridiculed them. The other parties did the same, openly jeering, sneering, insulting and mocking them throughout every question period and on every media outlet. Eventually, the Reformer abandoned their efforts at bringing civility to the House.

Question Period has always been a game show. What counts is the dull stuff; mainly committee work, and that, by all accounts, has become much less civil under the Tories than before.

[RNG]

The concept of cameras or no cameras is really intriguing. I wish I knew which way to go. Right now it is mostly playing for the cameras but we don't want drunken replicas of the S. Korean or Ukrainian parliaments. A neutral and really mean speaker who has some teeth, like the ability to fine big time, or limit advertising for transgressors might work, but it is the same lottery as dictatorship. A dictatorship with a "good" dictator is the best, most efficient form of government, but...............

[Jack Weber]

Question Period has always been a game show. What counts is the dull stuff; mainly committee work, and that, by all accounts, has become much less civil under the Tories than before.

Correct...

Mr.Bairds display last Spring in a committee meeting would be Exhibit A of this behaviour....

[Argus]

Question Period has always been a game show. What counts is the dull stuff; mainly committee work, and that, by all accounts, has become much less civil under the Tories than before.

Actually, committees were predictable, boring, and almost completely unimportant when there was a Liberal majority government. All the government MPs said and did what they were told, and of course, voted how they were told, so the results were entirely predictable in every way. They were rubber stamps for whatever the government wanted to do.

[RNG]

Actually, committees were predictable, boring, and almost completely unimportant when there was a Liberal majority government. All the government MPs said and did what they were told, and of course, voted how they were told, so the results were entirely predictable in every way. They were rubber stamps for whatever the government wanted to do.

As I said, I would love to be a Conservative, but Harper has pissed me off way too much. And one of the major ways is that he has really made it a "my way or the hiway" party. Admittedly, he is just following the successful style of the Liberals, but that don't make it right.

A US dominated message board I have subscribed to for about 3 years has a recurring theme expressed by both lefty Democrats and righty Republicans, all seats have a one term limit. They claim that might make people work towards and vote for things what would actually help the country rather than work towards getting themselves re-elected. I'm not sure it would work, but we do need a significant change.