Eugene Forsey Liberal

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

'MPs cancel oilsands pollution probe, tear up draft reports'-But How? Opposition Had Majority On Committee!

Politicians cancel oilsands pollution probe, tear up draft reports Shocking story - But I don't understand how it can be, as Opposition had majority on committee (Bezan of CPC in chair, so Opposition had 6-5 voting majority). I know they are bound by in camera strictures, by WTF?! Can someone explain? LPC Scarpaleggia (pro-Dion in 2006) and NDP Duncan both claim they'll keep on it and issue own reports. Did Bloc do the deed, for some completely incomprehensible reason, given Bigras' etc. stated views? Did McGuinty or Tonks, for Iggy - is that why JTrudeau had Tonks replace him, to avoid casting that vote? Is this what Spector is getting at (along with comment on Iggy's queasy China suck-up, ignoring even criticism from brave Chinese student that he didn't address human rights)?
If the idea of summoning business leaders to parliamentary committees takes off, perhaps we will learn one day why Stephen Harper no longer believes that human rights in China are much of a problem — a position that former human rights professor Michael Ignatieff extended yesterday in China. And speaking of the Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, wouldn’t you love to know who in the business community helped Mr. Ignatieff better understand the importance of Alberta’s tar-, oops, oil-sands?
PS. Inspiring (sic):
Another student, 22-year-old computer science undergrad Xiong Chao said he came to the lecture to, see how “top politicians in the world,” conduct themselves on a podium. (ed. comment: "top"?)
“I think he enjoyed his lecture,” Xiong said, “but as a politician he avoided some crucial questions.” (ed. comment: shurely not)
Xiong said Ignatieff properly praised China for pulling so many people out of poverty with the success of its economic engine, but he had avoided saying anything substantial about human rights challenges, “the fact, for example, that there are many activists currently imprisoned for no apparent reason. He just avoided that.”
In an interview, Ignatieff said he didn’t believe in “megaphone” diplomacy — a reference to Prime Minister Harper’s early, high-profile, public criticisms of China on human rights.
But he would raise such issues in private discussions, he said.
“I will raise lots of cases,” he stressed. (ed. comment: that's OK then chaps. Don't fret Xiong, while you're in prison and being tortured, Iggy will mention it over tea, between meetings w/ Chinese Leadership and Desmarais)

3 Comments:

  • At 8:56 AM, Blogger Greg Fingas said…

    Agreed that it's a weird situation, and I'll definitely hope that some explanation is forthcoming. But I wonder whether this might instead be another page in the Cons' dirty tricks manual - could Bezan have stifled the report by shutting down meetings or refusing to deal with business needed to get it completed?

     
  • At 1:35 PM, Anonymous Joan said…

    Eugene, your visceral comments about Ignatieff become a bit tiresome. He is the leader, like it or not, and better to criticize him to his face than post all the nasties. Can you not work with the party to come up with policies more to your liking or do you need to find another party? As for his meetings in China, it seems he is more right than Harper in addressing human rights. China certainly doesn't seem to be paying any attention to Harper! Better to establish a rapport with the people and businesses and make changes from inside the country than to attempt to impose changes from our small-minded government, which has zero influence at this time.

     
  • At 1:42 AM, Blogger Eugene Forsey Liberal said…

    AD: no, read the minutes as linked, there was an actual vote. So at least one Opposition MP voted with CPC or abstained.

    Joan: your comment speaks for itself, although I should add that there's a further false premise embedded in the 3rd clause of your 2nd sentence, although you couldn't know that, probably, to be fair. I'll leave you to figure what it is, if you can.

     

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