Conservatives backbenchers are revolting!

[SebC]

Conservative backbenchers complain of muzzling by Stephen Harper.

Anyone been following this?

OTTAWA—Some Conservative MPs are speaking out against what they believe is an erosion of parliamentary democracy by denying them opportunities to air their views on abortion and other issues.

Mark Warawa, the Conservative MP for Langley, B.C., took the unusual step Tuesday of asking the Speaker of the House of Commons to look into what he argued was a breach of his parliamentary privileges.

Warawa said he was prepared to deliver a statement in the Commons ahead of question period last Thursday, when, for reasons he did not explain, he was removed from the list of MPs slated to speak.

“We need to have those rights to be ensured that we have the opportunity to properly represent our communities,” Warawa told the Commons as he asked Speaker Andrew Scheer to rule whether this constituted a breach of privilege.

Of course, now they're downplaying it.

[PsYcNeT]

Small 'c' versus big 'C'. Been brewing since the Reform merger.

Gonna be interesting to see if this spark catches fire.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Small 'c' versus big 'C'. Been brewing since the Reform merger.

While the specific abortion issue might fit that, the more general issue about MPs' being able to speak in parliament seems to affect the other parties as well.

To me that's the side of the issue I'm more interested in. How can one say we have a representative democracy when our representatives can be so easily silenced?

[Jacks]

It's pretty obvious why the Cons don't want this discussion, if anyone even brings it up then the opposition and media will claim that the government wants to ban abortion. It doesn't need to be true, they've been accused of it during every election. The party position is that they aren't opening up the abortion debate, Warawa ran on the party platform and was elected as a member of the Conservative Party. He is free to form the "no abortion party" whenever he wants.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by SebC

How can one say we have a representative democracy when our representatives can be so easily silenced?

That's a byproduct of the party system, the MP's have to represent their constituents but they also have to represent the policy and platform that they were elected under. It's no different than the Liberal MP's who have opposed abortion or NDP MP's who opposed the gun registry. Is he truly representing the voters of this community or is he simply pushing his own agenda?

[Zulu29]

If I recall correctly it was regarding sex selective abortion not blanket ambition. Regardless, it's clear Harper has a muzzle on his MP's and a chunk of them have had enough. I can see this snowballing on the Cons.

[Puppet Guy]

never mind the backbenchers, I find the whole party revolting.

[MarchHare]

This is the natural end result of a party that has attracted numerous candidates who have political views that are incredibly unpopular with a large percentage of the Canadian public. Harper has no choice but to keep a very tight muzzle on his MPs because he knows all too well how a few "bozo eruptions" from his members could cost his party future elections. Here in Alberta, the Wild Rose Party learnt a similar lesson last year.

It's interesting how, prior to becoming PM, Harper promised that a Conservative government would be more open and accountable than the previous Liberal regime. Since assuming power, he's concentrated more and more power in the PMO and has been anything but open, effectively silencing anyone within the Conservative ranks until their comments are cleared by Harper's communications team. Given the nature of some of his MPs, it makes perfect sense why he would do this, but it certainly doesn't jive with the type of government the CPC promised Canadians before they came to power.

[FlamesAddiction]

I hope some of these and future "small c" conservatives make it back to the Liberal party again, because they are really missing that balance.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by Puppet Guy

never mind the backbenchers, I find the whole party revolting.

There it is

[peter12]

If backbenchers had half a mind, there would a cross-partisan revolt. Hopefully this turns into something significant.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by peter12

If backbenchers had half a mind, there would a cross-partisan revolt. Hopefully this turns into something significant.

I hate cross overs. I'd rather them just become independents until the next election if it came to that.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I hate cross overs. I'd rather them just become independents until the next election if it came to that.

So do I. What I mean is that MPs, as a whole, should be standing up for their right to form independent caucuses within caucus.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I hope some of these and future "small c" conservatives make it back to the Liberal party again, because they are really missing that balance.

It's not moderate red Tories who are complaining; it's true blue Conservatives who are being muzzled by Harper because he knows their views do not resonate with Canadian voters.

[calgarywinning]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

It's not moderate red Tories who are complaining; it's true blue Conservatives who are being muzzled by Harper because he knows their views do not resonate with Canadian voters.

This is so true.

[GirlySports]

Why is it a problem now? Weren't Chretien's backbenchers muzzled during his 3 majorities? They had disagreements too. Didn't Martin and Chretien hate each other by the end of it all?

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Why is it a problem now? Weren't Chretien's backbenchers muzzled during his 3 majorities? They had disagreements too.

Remember Carolyn Parrish? She made a few stupid comments (as is her right) that didn't please the party leadership, so Paul Martin kicked her out of the Liberal caucus.

What the CPC is doing now is entirely different. Harper's staff is banning Conservative MPs from discussing certain topics. In this particular case, Mark Warawa wanted to speak about the issue of sex-selective abortion in the House of Commons, but he was denied the time he requested by the CPC leadership. I certainly have different views on abortion than Mr. Warawa does, but as an elected MP, it's his parliamentary privilege to raise an issue in the House if he feels it's important.

[Zulu29]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Remember Carolyn Parrish? She made a few stupid comments (as is her right) that didn't please the party leadership, so Paul Martin kicked her out of the Liberal caucus.

What the CPC is doing now is entirely different. Harper's staff is banning Conservative MPs from discussing certain topics. In this particular case, Mark Warawa wanted to speak about the issue of sex-selective abortion in the House of Commons, but he was denied the time he requested by the CPC leadership. I certainly have different views on abortion than Mr. Warawa does, but as an elected MP, it's his parliamentary privilege to raise an issue in the House if he feels it's important.

Not only if he feels its important, if his constituents who elected him to the House of Commons as their representative feels its important.

[peter12]

EDIT: Dumb post.

[Jacks]

I'm not sure if it would be possible for Harper to have been more clear in the last couple of elections. They will not be reopening the abortion debate as long as he is PM period. The people who voted for Warawa knew that they were voting not to reopen the debate. If that was a problem for Warawa then he shouldn't have run as a CPC candidate. If there are other cases where MP's can't speak then lets hear them but if we are talking about something this is totally opposite to the platform and policy they were elected under then I don't see the problem.