Blue Like You
Conservative musings - formerly Joanne’s Journey
Is Irene Mathyssen crazy? Updated - With forced apology
Friday, December 7th, 2007Afternoon Update: Well it would appear that Ms. Mathyssen had a sudden change of heart (NDP MP sorry for ’scantily clad woman’ attack):
“The member has explained what those images were and I have accepted his explanation,” Mathyssen said Friday in the House, after cancelling scheduled events in her London-area riding and flying to Ottawa to make the statement.
Robert Fife says she’ll have to explain why she said one thing to her home-town paper, and then turned around and hoofed it to Ottawa for this volte-face. He offers his interpretation of how it likely went down:
“But I’m sure that the New Democratic Party leadership said Irene, you were wrong, completely wrong on this, you owe Mr. Moore an apology, get up there and unreservedly apologize and let’s put this matter to rest. That is what she has done.”
Meanwhile, I’m sure James Moore will be refraining from showing pics of his dog in the House from now on.
Post - Should James Moore be satisfied with today’s apology? John Turley-Ewart nails it:
Perhaps Jack Layton has also learned a lesson from this whole incident as well — that Ms. Mathyssen is a liability rather than an asset to a party with the pretension of having a conscience but a track record for being unscrupulous.
CTV video available via Jack’s Newswatch. H/T Plattytalk.
Platty wonders where Jack Layton is in all this. I’m thinking he wants to distance himself as much as possible from the stench. I’m sure Karen Redman wishes she hadn’t hitched her wagon to this train wreck.
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Original morning post:
I was planning to go on a brief hiatus, but reader Ruth left this tip in a previous thread - Mathyssen stands by her complaint. (also posted at National Newswatch).
How can her constituents ’stand by’ her now? This is absolutely outrageous.
James Moore has shown a lot more class and grace in this situation than I would have. I have great admiration for him. He has taken the high road.
Mathyssen has succeeded in casting herself as a swarmy, vindictive fool, by not letting this go.
Even her fellow NDP members were apologizing and saying it was a lesson learned.
Mathyssen needs to take a time out, and as Karen Redman had originally suggested to Moore, take a close look in her heart and perhaps try to examine her true motives.
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Related: Lorrie Goldstein - May I peek over your shoulder?
L. Ian MacDonald - MP savaged for having pictures of his girlfriend (obviously written before the latest Mathyssen misstep):
Moore, one of the most promising young members of the House, was devastated.
As it happened, voters from his riding were his guests in the visitors’ gallery that day. How humiliating is that? As he later said: “That’s on Wikipedia under my name for the next five years.”
In light of the latest, I wonder what Goldstein and MacDonald would say?
Personally, I am beyond anger. I can’t imagine how James Moore is feeling today.
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By way of contrast, check out yesterday’s Hansard (10:05 mark). I’ll give Karen Redman full credit for issuing her apology in the House. Class act, Karen.
Notice how Libby Davies assures the House that Mathyssen will formally apologize too. No mention of any qualification that she thinks Moore should not have personal pics in the House:
Hon. Karen Redman (Kitchener Centre, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Yesterday the member for London—Fanshawe rose on a point of order concerning alleged behaviour by the member for Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam. I also spoke on this point of order and made comments that I would like to apologize for if they caused any undue concern and embarrassment to the member for Port Moody–Westwood–Port Coquitlam.Hon. Jay Hill (Secretary of State and Chief Government Whip, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my appreciation to the chief opposition whip for that apology.I would like to point out though, on this point of order, that all too often some members in the Chamber jump to conclusions and they can do other members a lot of damage and cause a lot of hurt unnecessarily.
Obviously, we look forward to the apology that I understand will be forthcoming from the member for London—Fanshawe as well, but the point is that what we have seen in the Chamber is some of the worst. When people are unjustly accused, it becomes a national media circus and story.
On behalf of my colleague who is not in the Chamber at the moment, and I know I am not supposed to say that but I think that is obvious, I will accept the apology of the hon. member.
However, I would point out that, especially as whips, we are the people who are responsible for the morale and the discipline of our respective caucuses. I think it is incumbent upon us to reflect on that and not jump to conclusions.
The Speaker:
I thank both whips for their submissions. The hon. member for Vancouver East is rising on the same point of order.Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say, listening to the opposition whip and the government whip, that certainly the member for London—Fanshawe will at the earliest opportunity be in the House to make an apology. Therefore, I just want to confirm that indeed that will happen.The Speaker:
I thank the hon. members for their attention to this matter. As I indicated yesterday, in my view it was a completely invalid point of order and I also indicated that it was not appropriate for it to have been raised in the House.
Time to dump Irene, Jack.
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