Saturday, November 19, 2011

Canada is a Better Place with Pat Martin in Parliament

I'm a Liberal, but there's a lot about the NDP that I like. Foremost is the straight talking approach of some of their MPs. In the few televised committee hearings I've watched (such as the Mulroney graft inquiries), Pat Martin stood out as someone who asks intelligent, incisive questions. Over and over on issues of the day, Martin was the reasonable voice rising above the politichatter. I don't follow him closely enough to know how widely I agree with him, but as an approach, a mind, and a brave unweasely approach to politics, I'm a fan.

This week Martin swore on Twitter, and what a kerfuffle. Our local talk radio station devoted a morning phone-in to his "foul mouth" and the local paper has written about his "profane tirade". I'm not complaining about the exposure: but what a pity that the discussions didn't touch the issue.

Swear words are a very effective part of language. They convey something that words like "extremely annoyed" cannot. What Martin was talking about was the Conservatives using closure on the budget.

Martin got the issue into the top of the media and public agenda. It's our fault for ignoring the important part and focusing on the nonessentials. The good news is that Martin's twitter followers jumped from a couple hundred to several thousand (not including me; I'm just not that interested, in general, in the mass communicated soundbite).

So here's what seems to be the problem.

NDP MP Charlie Angus: "I think what’s really offensive is what’s happening here, the continual undermining of Parliament, the shutting down of committees, the use of in-camera, the vitriolic attacks that we see the Conservatives using again and again. I think Pat Martin called it like it is."

Liberal interim leader Bob Rae: the government is coming "pretty close to being abusive in its use of time allocation."

What Martin asked was: Shouldn’t Parliament be able to debate the budget? And he drove it home with: “This is a fucking disgrace… closure again. And on the Budget! There’s not a democracy in the world that would tolerate this jackboot shit.”

I'm writing this post about Martin rather than about the closure because I'm bothered that the Conservatives have used this issue as an opportunity to try to hound him out of office. I heard a party rep on the radio making all sorts of claims beyond the swearing that Martin is unfit for office, even suggesting that his riding should rise up against him. We're familiar with that sort of tactic from the Harperites now. It's just more jackboot shit.

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3 comments:

marie said...

Great post. When will all Canadian citizens demand good and fair government from the Harper regime.

Hitler comes to mind. At the beginning he was liked and supported by Germany but in the end, he was despised and forced into committing suicide by his own hand and gun.

What a coward Hitler turned up to be.Yes he is dead today and the country is far better and safer than it ever was under his communist ruling.

As for Pat Martin, if his own party cannot support and stand up for him,he has other options which he can tackle.It will be a huge NDP loss if they do not support him and he leaves his party.

Then he can put all his efforts on other options that will be opened for him.When a door is closed, usually their is another one that opens which could be a better place for him to be.

Annie said...

I like the way Pat Martin derided that government, and about time, but the words are not strong enough.!
Marie, Hitler ws a Nazi, not a Communist. He was ultra right, like Harper.

marie said...

Annie,You nailed the Nazi dictator and our very own government into the same mold. In my view there is no difference. They are both dictators and I am afraid Canada has their very own now. Scary thoughts

Yes!!!Stalin was a communist, Nazi, Hitler and Stevie, two peas in a corrupted government.

Whose only goal in lifeis too demolish the Liberals,democracy and freedom and have the perfect army of zombie like followers which is apparent he has gatthered.