Speaker’s race heats up even more
Ottawa-Orleans Conservative MP Royal Galipeau has now joined several other MPs in a bid for the Speaker’s chair.
I was shocked to see that 100% of my 58 respondents to a recent poll believe that it’s time for a new Speaker. I’ve never had an unanimous poll result before. Should be interesting to watch who ends up with this cushy job that has lots of lovely perks including an official residence.
Meanwhile, that other race is getting a bit more interesting too. At least now there’s a remote chance that it won’t have to be classified as a ’sleep aid’ anymore.
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Monday Update: Speaker’s perks draw objections (Chronicle Herald):
…The speaker’s job comes with a cozy apartment in the rear of the Centre Block, a rustic mansion and grounds in the Gatineau Hills near Ottawa, a car and driver to shuttle the Speaker between the two, and a $1-million budget that includes up to $167,500 for hospitality.
The country residence at Kingsmere, Que., called The Farm, has its own wine cellar.
And when Parliament is adjourned, the Speaker has a foreign travel budget that allows flights to exotic destinations around the world.
Milliken has drawn on that extensively, spending several hundred thousand dollars over the last two years on visits abroad, always with a contingent of MPs from all parties along for the ride.
In Parliament, Milliken has established a practice of hosting informal weekly dinners, invariably a meal of lamb with wine, in his Centre Block apartment for up to two-dozen MPs …
Interesting insider strategy here at The Hill Times - House Speaker race heats up, gets interesting:
One Liberal MP said Mr. Milliken, who has been the Speaker since 2001, has been in the position for too long, the MP said he felt he’d been treated unfairly by him in the past and that Mr. Milliken panders to the government. The MP, who said he plans on voting for Mr. Scheer, said " a few" people in his caucus are looking for someone else to support besides Mr. Milliken. "Peter has been there too long, Peter thinks that we owe it to him…Besides, it gets the Tories down by one vote."
Mmm… Something tells me Joe Comartin is the best choice here.
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Globe’s Lawrence Martin - Wanted: A Speaker who can end the bedlam:
...Speaker Milliken, who has been in the job seven years, is a nice, soft-spoken man. But therein lies the problem. He’s too nice, too soft-spoken. He’s like the high school teacher who knows his stuff but can’t control the class. We all remember those types. You spotted them the first time they entered the room. The paper airplanes and spitballs started to fly. ..
Excellent column. Please read the whole thing.
Kady’s rooting for Andrew Scheer. And check out her poll! How many times has Peter Milliken voted for himself?
Stephen Taylor has interviews with the candidates!
November 16th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Do you realize that the number of MPs seeking the position now outnumbers the Liberal leadership hopefuls by double? 6-3.
Furthermore, of the Conservatives seeking the position, the number is 4 of 5, not including the incumbent speaker Milliken.
The candidates:
Ottawa-Orleans Conservative MP Royal Galipeau
Windsor–Tecumseh NDP MP Joe Comartin
Brandon—Souris Conservative MP Merv Souris
Regina-Qu’Appelle Conservative MP Andrew Scheer
Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock Conservative MP Barry Devolin
Incumbent Speaker Peter Milliken
Which rather means it’s likely that Joe Comartin will likely get the position.
November 16th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
My guess for Speaker, if indeed there is a change would be Royal Galipeau, he’s been doing it part time.
Who said Iggy and Rae have buried the hatchet? That’s another myth. Iggy can SAY he isn’t running against any of his fellow Liberals for the leadership, woo haw to that one! He better get set to have a little bout with his all time buddy and dear friend Rae. Looks like Power Corps boy has taken the gloves off.
Get in line for tickets for another blood bath Liberal style.
November 16th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Hey Joanne - I may eat my words on this but we really shoudn’t miss the fun and games re: the spat between frat boys Bob Rae and Iggy.
Bring out the microscopes folks and let’s look closely at the shock and awe of the Liberals not inviting the media to their pow-wow this afternoon, and how it’s all being spun.
Doesn’t appear that the Liberals have learned much, and that contrary to Mr. Dion’s speech they’re still not going to listen to their own members.
Oh, and check CTV and Kinsella’s blog for updates.
It appears that the guy who brought us Steffy and his four buddies(Holland being one of those) are rumoured to be coming out in support of Iggy and make a big splash about it.
If I were on Iggy’s team I wouldn’t be terribly sure I’d want too much light shone on this bunch coming on side.
November 16th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
p.s. - another treat today is provided by S. Janke on Lizzie May’s sanitizing her party’s summary of the campaign. There’s a before and after illustration that speaks volumes.
see for yourself.
November 16th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Hey Joanne - I may eat my words on this but we really shouldn’t miss the fun and games re: the spat between frat boys Bob Rae and Iggy.
What happened to you, Sol? You were the one saying not to give the Libs so much attention because it legitimizes them.
November 16th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I was talking to a MP that was running for Speaker, but it was just before the Nicholson scrum and for the life of me I didn’t get his name in the excitement. Sorry.
November 16th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Hi TT! Well, I don’t blame you. There are so many now, it’s hard to keep track!
November 16th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
“the shock and awe of the Liberals not inviting the media to their pow-wow this afternoon”
No media? What are they trying to hide? Do they have a hidden agenda? No. Impossible. Well, perhaps they DO have a hidden agenda.
Hypocrite, thy name is Liberal.
November 16th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
No Media>>>>> HIDDEN AGENDA>>>>>>>>of course “shining a light on that bunch would have them all scurrying for a dark corner.
cheers Bubba
November 16th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Settle in for another Gong Show aka Liberal leadership race.
EofE, think maybe they’re trying to hide the depth of the tiff between Rae and Iggy? Iggy, after all, says he’s not running against the other candidates for the leadership so it’s going to be between Rae and LeBlanc.
Iggy can’t be Mr In Between either, that’s considered to be Dominic LeBlanc is it not? After the other two have been prepping for this run for some months now.
Latest news has it Rae is not a happy camper with what’s been going on. Could things be about to explode?
Oh the drama!
November 16th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Bubba - you cracked me up. Yup - like rats on a sinking ship. Wait, I’m wrong. The ship did sink…but they did pay their carbon offsets first. LMAO.
LizJ - but, but, but the Liberals are all for complete transparency and democracy. Gee, do you think that they would hide something? Well, I’m shocked. Shocked. What a bunch of maroons, as my pal Bugs would say.
Hypocrite - thy name is Liberal.
November 16th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
speaking of the sinking ship, did Jennifer Wright get her money for the “borrowing” of her Green Shift?
Cash only - no IOUs?
November 16th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Bubba - you cracked me up.
Yeah, that was quite the visual image. Memories of Toronto in a highrise. *shudder*
I am hoping that Dominic LeBlanc will be the dark horse in this race. I really do like his style.
November 16th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
I don’t care who becomes Speaker as long as it isn’t Milliken. It is way past time for someone new in the Chair.
Hel-lo, Joanne..
November 16th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Hel-lo, Omar [complete with Seinfeld sneer].
Hey, good to hear from you. And here we find ourselves in agreement.
Milliken is toast.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Check it out, if you want to see the Prince of Darkness try to return Bob Rae to the NDP(see WK’s blog).
Nasty puffin!
November 16th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
And Bourque’s really going after Iggy.
Heh.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Man, when the MSM and the Liberals warned Canadians about a nasty campaign, who’d of thunk it that they meant the Liberal leadership campaign?
I wonder what the truth is in all of this? It’s playing out to be one of those “he said, he said” spats.
November 16th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
ps - also apparently Rae hasn’t formally annouced his candidacy yet…..maybe he will not and this is just Rae having fun at the expense of his party?
If he hasn’t formally announced, why is Kinsella feeling threatened and fighting back? Why not just let it go?
November 16th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
If neither Dion or Iggy are in the shadow cabine, and therefore not front and center, how much time will Dion give them in QP. Who is his deputy leader.
And when did PMSH enter the liberal leadership race, guess I missed that news flash. Iggy can’t run against PMSH for at least 2 yrs. He will have the same result Layton had when applying for the PMs job.
Who is putting up the money for the campaign entry fee.
November 16th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Oops, that should read, If neither Rae or Iggy are in Dion’s shadow cabinet-
November 16th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I agree it is time for Milliken to go!!!
November 17th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
There’s no need for the Speaker to have that many perks. That hospitality and travel allowance is ridiculous. No wonder Milliken can’t/won’t give them up, pampered namby-pamby.
November 17th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
“There’s no need for the Speaker to have that many perks.”
I completely agree. That is why I would favour raising all MPs’ salaries if necessary, but cut out all the perks and spending allowances that CAN be subject to abuse.
If MPs want to go on fact-finding missions because they think an issue needs that kind of research, let them fund it out of their own pockets.
Travel allowances? Nix them.
Hospitality allowances? Abolish them.
The existence of such perks gives rise, sometimes justified, of ordinary people asking questions, wanting to nickle & dime MPs.
Why expose themselves to such scrutiny? Why have to list such items as a pack of gum on an expense account? Why have people assume you’re living high on the hog while they’re struggling to make ends meet?
Just pay your own expenses out of your own pocket and save yourself all the unnecessary criticism … and perhaps the temptation …
November 17th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
The Speaker should not be a pushover who cannot maintain order.
Here is an idea: Since the party with the most votes becomes the government and the party with the second most votes becomes the official Opposition, why not elect the Speaker from the party with the third most votes? That would remove most partisan concerns about the Speakers objectivity and would allow the third party a significant role in the operation of the House.
I am not so concerned about the Farm and the hospitality perks for the Speaker since it can be argued that the type of Ministerial gatherings Milliken has been hosting are a part of the Speaker’s role behind the scenes. The $1 Million budget seems high though.
Don’t forget that the Speaker is still an elected MP who has the same responsibilities to his/her constituency that all the other MPs have. So an extra budget to balance the additional responsibilities is not unreasonable.
November 17th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Stephen Taylor is interviewing the candidates for speaker on his blog.
November 17th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Sol, thanks. I just noticed that too. I’m looking forward to his Joe Comartin and Andrew Scheer interviews.
November 17th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Have to remember the fact the Speaker has to be Bilingual too. Word is the blocheads like Comartin and will vote en bloc for him. If his NDP cohorts add their votes, he’s got a good lead.
We have no idea what the Libs and Conservatives will do.
It may still end up with Milliken because of his vast knowledge of the job. In a minority parliament they may decide to stick with Milliken. Bets are off though!