MP Calandra's apology

[The_Squid]

MP Calandra apologises in the House of Commons. Why is he crying?

I think he is crying because he was put into such an embarrassing position by his superiors.

Here is the answer that is apologising for and now crying about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vM---XpJwQ

After some confused looks from his colleagues, they heartily applaud while cheering "hear hear".... And now MP Calandra is crying about that answer! Shouldn't the other Conservative Party members who cheered this nonsensical answer also apologise for being party hacks and nothing more? What an embarrassment.

[Argus]

There's no crying in politics. If I was running against him next election I would put endless clips of him blubbering into all my advertising.

[Topaz]

He's another Doug Ford and I think this was all an act.

[The_Squid]

There's no crying in politics. If I was running against him next election I would put endless clips of him blubbering into all my advertising.

I think having to spout nonsense finally got to him and he cracked. His blubbering is not the only thing that his opponents will seize upon, but having to walk back a totally nonsensical answer to a pretty straightforward question.

This isn't the first time he has been embarrassed by his nonsensical answers. There has been a website dedicated to MP Calandra's inability to answer questions over the span of him speaking for Harper.

http://www.askpaulcalandra.com/

[WWWTT]

Here's part of what was said

Paul Calandra: Mr. Speaker, what does the Leader of the Opposition not understand? Our friends in Israel on the front lines, combatting terrorism.

When people who work for the NDP, like Alex Anderson, who identifies himself as a fundraiser at Canada’s NDP, calls what the Israel Defense Forces are doing an “effing genocide” and calls the media BS for not supporting the fact that they call it an effing genocide, what does he not understand?

Israel is on the front lines. Canada will continue to support our friends in Israel. We will stand up for peace and security around the world. Unlike them, we are not confused by our position.

Thomas Mulcair: Mr. Speaker, there are rules in the book about question period. You are our arbiter. We ask you to enforce the rules on relevance and on question period.

When asked at foreign affairs committee just a couple of weeks ago, the minister said that a forces agreement with Iraq outlining operating rules for Canadian forces had not yet been completed.

Has that agreement now been completed? If so, when can Canadians see it?

Paul Calandra: Mr. Speaker, again, clearly the Leader of the Opposition does not identify or understand the fact that our friends in Israel are on the front lines, combatting terrorism in the region.

That is why on this side of the House we support our friends in Israel, unlike the NDP whose position is all over the place. Canada will stand up for Israel, will stand up for freedom around the world.

The NDP supporter calls it an effing IDF. He claims that the media is ignoring it, and calls it BS.

We will stand up for Israel. We will stand up—

WWWTT

[WWWTT]

It looks like that when you ask the conservatives a question in question period, their answer is for some reason about how much they support Israel?!?!?!? Regardless of the question!

And the real scary part is, the conservatives are the government of Canada!

WWWTT

[On Guard for Thee]

If I recall correctly I think Calandra was made the head "pit bull" after Del Mastro went down on charges of election fraud. In any case, since it has been his role for some time, I have to wonder if it was a part of Harper's playbook or was Paul just feeling a little "frisky" with the boss being out of town. Call me paranoid but I'm thinking the former. We've seen this type of strategy before. He get's his nasty little BS digs in at the Dippers, then makes his phony little Croc tears apology today, when there is no QP, and on the eve of the weekend.

[Big Guy]

I was watching the various TV station coverage of question period. All the pundits made note of the unprecedented and (apparently) arrogant replies by the person chosen by the Conservatives to answer for the government - Calandra.

All analysts agreed that he has been specifically ordered to do what he did and has done so on occasion - but never to this ridiculous degree. The analysts then started to place the blame for Pauls actions on who ordered him to do so - the PMO. The blowback on the Calandra actions seemed to make some back room guys nervous so Paul was ordered to fall on the sword and apologize and accept blame to get the focus off the PMO.

There may be one or two people who follow politics who really believe that Caladra, not even a member of the Cabinet, would be allowed to free lance during question period.

Nice attempt at damage control - maybe it will work.

[PIK]

It looks like that when you ask the conservatives a question in question period, their answer is for some reason about how much they support Israel?!?!?!? Regardless of the question!

And the real scary part is, the conservatives are the government of Canada!

WWWTT

And thank god for that.

[Peter F]

Well, at the very least he stopped digging. Which is a good thing but was obviously a tremendous blow to the ego to apologize to the terrorist loving NDP.

[WWWTT]

And thank god for that.

Israel thanks Canada at least.

WWWTT

[On Guard for Thee]

I doubt it will work Big Guy. You'd have to be still pooping in diapers not to see the whole thing was staged. I think they just went too far this time (more bad judgement) and hopefully the embarrassment they brought to the house will be further reflected in their already sagging polls.

[WWWTT]

Well, at the very least he stopped digging. Which is a good thing but was obviously a tremendous blow to the ego to apologize to the terrorist loving NDP.

Ya those children getting their limbs blown off and dieing from Israeli F-16's, that'll teach them kids for throwing rocks at Israeli troops!

WWWTT

[Battletoads]

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry to the nation. I am so sorry that the NDP is allowed to get away with ignoring our allies in Israel who are fighting on the front lines against terror every single day!"

[Big Guy]

“Sincerity - if you can fake that, you've got it made.” - George Burns

[On Guard for Thee]

Hopefully Mulcairs' upcoming motion he plans to table to give the speaker the authority to rein in goofy shit like Calandras and require at least some sort of response to the actual question will carry. Under Harper's term(s) things really have gotten stupid.

[On Guard for Thee]

Calandra is now making things even worse. It's out that he got the bullshit from the PMO, but he's of course denying it saying he was "freelancing"

It would be hilarious if not for the fact we are paying these dolts!

[Big Guy]

Looks to me like the BOSS was out of town and the "guys in short pants" were left in charge. That is what happens with that kind of management system.

[cybercoma]

Hopefully Mulcairs' upcoming motion he plans to table to give the speaker the authority to rein in goofy shit like Calandras and require at least some sort of response to the actual question will carry. Under Harper's term(s) things really have gotten stupid.

the Speaker already has the authority under Standing Order 11(2). He just refuses to use it.

[Smallc]

No speaker has for a very long time. It would break precedent.

[On Guard for Thee]

Well I'm no expert but I wondered about that when this whole horrorshow was hapenning in front of my very eyes/ears. I thought Mulcair was totally on target when he asked the speaker to intervene and was agahst when Scheer came back and cut him off from his next question. OK maybe he stepped out of line a bit by questioning Scheer's neutrality. But hey, I pay Scheer's god damn wages and I say his neutrality needs to be questioned based on the performance in question.

[eyeball]

Well, at the very least he stopped digging. Which is a good thing but was obviously a tremendous blow to the ego to apologize to the terrorist loving NDP.

I have to say when I heard Calandra's answers to Mulcair I could have sworn I was listening to Rue. Of course his apology put that notion to rest, but all the same when politicians are implying anyone who isn't with them are little different than Jew-haters it's hard to tell the difference between Parliament and a good part of the smellier underbelly of the internet these days.

[cybercoma]

No speaker has for a very long time. It would break precedent.

And for very good reason. The Australian Parliament enforces it. There's absolutely no reason ours shouldn't either. I don't want the speaker determining whether something is subjectively good. However, he should be competent enough to determine that an answer is at least pertains in some way to the question. Saying that the speaker shouldn't intervene because it would break precedent literally says that he shouldn't and cannot step in if someone asks a question about war spending and a Parliamentary Secretary gets up and starts singing "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus. I think anyone with two brain cells to rub together could see that the response is irrelevant. I personally feel it's the Speakers duty As arbiter of the debate to ensure that the executive doesn't make a mockery of responsible government and is actually compelled in some way to address the questions posed to it. Even if their answer is simply, "We do not wish to answer that question at this time." That's more of an answer than what Calandra gave.

For everyone's entertainment, here's that Australian video.

Edited September 27, 2014 by cybercoma

[On Guard for Thee]

Calandra singing "Wrecking ball" Oh jeez no. Don't get me wrong, I love the song, but I prefer her to do it. Maybe we could borrow a page from RoFo's council meetings and have taped Raggae and just everybody start to dance when the BS starts.

[GostHacked]

No speaker has for a very long time. It would break precedent.

So the Speaker is not doing his job. Fire the lot of them.