I've voted NDP all my life, partly because I always felt it was the party of compassion, but also the party of truth. And certainly truth and politics are not easy bed fellows. So I was shocked to see the NDP lying for political gain, trying to make people believe Justin Trudeau has no concern about women, going so far as to call him a molester, just because he happened to elbow a woman he didn't see behind him. If anything is a lie, that is. It's exactly the kind that Donald Trump would indulge in. The only reason the NDP would say these things, that I can imagine, is that it is hoping it might convince people not to vote Liberal, people who only hear the rumours of their accusations but don't actually see the video of the event itself.
It's even worse than this. What Trudeau was trying to do that got him in so much trouble was help the party whip of the opposition Conservative Party move to his bench to talk to Conservative members. He couldn't because he was physically being blocked by the bodies of a number of NDP members, including the leader, Mulcair, and the woman whom Trudeau bumped into when he barged through the wall of their bodies and pulled the Conservative whip out by the arm. Why was the NDP doing this? It was trying to force things to go the way it wanted them to go. Force. That's not the NDP party I used to vote for. And then to call Trudeau a molester of women, which was obviously a way of punishing him for rescuing the Conservative. Canadian politics isn't a hockey game. NDP members shouldn't be acting like goons.
I'm not voting for this kind of behaviour.
Elizabeth May, representing her little party of one, the Green Party, stood up in the Commons afterwards and supported Trudeau, saying it was obvious he hadn't done it on purpose, and that he nevertheless fully apologised.
The NDP should be ashamed of itself.
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Gord McCaw I completely agree with you Stan, even though the PM ill advisedly got into this fray the NDP members acted shamefully as well. It is very clear from the video that the milling NDP MP's were blocking the Conservative whip in an attempt to delay the vote. It is even more clear that Tom Mulcair, a physically big man, purposely blocked his path.
It is also fairly clear that there was no intent on JT's part to elbow the NDP member.
Nobody behaved well in any of this but this is being blown massively out of proportion...
Unlike · Reply · 2 · 19 May at 23:43 · Edited
Gord McCaw http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/.../elbowgate-assisted-dying...
Know What's Deeply Traumatic, Elbowgaters? Needing Assisted Dying
HUFFINGTONPOST.CA
Like · Reply · Remove Preview · 1 · 19 May at 23:56
Stan Burfield The person who will gain big from it, thankfully, is Elizabeth May. Because a lot of people, myself included, are asking themselves maybe for the first time how the NDP would behave if they held power in Canada. What we saw here was not a good sign.
Like · Reply · 5 · 19 May at 23:58
Erin Foley I honestly believe that Elizabeth May is exactly what this country leads. I wish people would hear her.
Unlike · Reply · 2 · 21 hrs
Stan Burfield Me too!!!
Like · Reply · 21 hrs
Aldous Richards Moi aussi. She's one of the most intelligent politicians we've seen in Canada. She would be no slouch on the world stage either.
Unlike · Reply · 3 · 6 hrs
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Herb Ware Sadly they're so busy making political points that the issue they were on about has gotten lost. Also, they're calling out Trudeau as a bully when they were the ones intimidating and blocking the party whip from taking his seat.
Unlike · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 00:48
Stan Burfield Yeah. It's enough to turn you off of politics completely.
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 00:51
Aldous Richards And the reason the NDP were purposefully blocking the Opposition Whip? Because they had no pr0cedural options to delay the upcoming vote, and so decided to physically stall the vote, hoping time would run out. If that meant blocking the passage of a fellow member (which is contempt) then so be it. They knew they couldn't win the vote, so resorted to these undemocratic, bullish tactics. Then they top it off by calling Trudeau the bully, and then having the nerve to trivialize assault in the attacks on the PM, and overall creating chaos in the house. How can anyone see Mulcair and the NDP as the 'voice of conscience' they once were under other leaders, like Broadbent and Layton? Childish behaviour, orchestrated to create a mess, simpy because they knew they couldn't get their way on a bill. So much for democracy, Mulcair. You are the one who should be apologizing next.
Unlike · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 13:39 · Edited
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Yulia Lobachova I guess Trudeau wasn't acting in a fully rational/calm manner, but the comments have gone too far now.
Besides...even if he lost his temper (and I'm not saying I agree with either side 100% - I just don't know enough to do so) - I personally want a leader who does get passionate and loses his/her tempter because of issues that are important, not someone who is simply always rational and politically correct.
Unlike · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 01:08
Yvonne Maggs I too am a staunch NDP supporter, and this was so pathetically childish, am shocked that anyone believed it...
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 09:49
Isabella CK · Friends with Venera Fazio and 31 others
Thank you for this . That smarmy smile Mulcair often wears belies a heart that hungers for power. Mulcair is the problem. The NDP would be smart to get rid of him. I stopped voting NDP as soon as he got the top job and i witnessed that smile on more than one occasion.
Like · Reply · 2 · Yesterday at 10:02
Aldous Richards Mulcair has always despised Trudeau. Now that Trudeau's election win has cost Mulcair the leadership of the NDP, and he has had to come to grips with his delusion that he was going to be PM, Mulcair's venom is pretty evident. It shows in the way he comports himself int he House, and what he is willing to do to beat Trudeau in any petty way possible. Winning at any and all costs is still the driving force behind this man. Serving his constituents and the country certainly appears to be secondary.
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 13:44
Brandi Michielsen Aldous Richards that is an untrue statement about Tom Muclair. He approached Trudeau before the elections, in regards to forming a coalition, believing that there was a great chance of Liberals and NDP being able to work together to undue a great deal of the damage that the P.C. government did to Canadians. Why he would do that, when it is fact that Tories / Libs are Corporation pleasers and don't care about the general public or well being of Canadian citizens, was a real downer for those of us who are true orange blooded supporters. Irene Mathyssen, Teresa Armstrong and many other NDP MP's / MPP's can vouch for what it is like working with a District / Provincial / Federal Liberal or Tory MP / MPP, who wants to keep their works in our communities to Boardroom secrecy, rather then giving us than public transparency view of what is going on. Unless 1 attends meetings, gatherings, events throughout the year and hears first hand what is taking place in Ottawa, all they get via media is a virtual view and a bunch of propaganda they have to filter through on their own time - and who has time to sift through all that bull manure ? After the election is over, have heard many stories of people being turned away by the party they voted for, rather than receiving direction to the proper resources in their community that can assist them. NDP MP's, MPP's and staff continue on 24/7 in working endless hours to see our needs and are met / voiced in Parliament, Frustration, taxpayer's money and time wasters - while trying to have the public turn on the Canada’s NDP / Le NPD du Canada great works, Internationally known. Who claims the credit for that work accomplished - GUESS - and the first 2 ruling parties are correct. Sometimes the smarmy smile of Tom Mulcair is justified Isabella CK, as it keeps us from bursting out laughing / crying, with all the injustice we have heard about, suffered by us who stand up and shout out against the corruption of government leaders who give us nothing more than lip service and bread crumbs from their tables of good & plenty. Have you sat at the table with Tom & his wife, or is your opinion just from what you have viewed on TV, Internet, media ? He is a man of conviction and knows what it takes to be a true leader,. Knows that no one can please all of the people all of the time, but liked what strategic planning he laid out for Canadians rising above past poor governing, clearing our National debt in 5 years, rather then doubling the $3.9 billion that the previous P.C. P.M.O.. and backers left us with. Fighting against the wrongful injustices of our communities / Globally doesn't win NDP'ers popularity votes - but we are for real and have moral / ethical values that are so lacking in those who are just in politics for the money / pension plan / fame / power. No - I don't believe Tom Mulcair despises Justin. He is too busy and wise of a man to waste energy on Trudeau - other than an immediate blow off when something as ignorant and careless as elbowing a female MP in the chest and manhandling a Tory whipper comes into play. Has anyone in this thread lost your cool, when you have seen something similar happen played out in your life ? He may have distainment for many of the decisions Justin makes / actions he has taken / campaign promises he has reneged on over the years ... but then, we all knew that Justin was not ready for the job and all that he was saying in the campaign was mimicking lip service that Canada’s NDP / Le NPD du Canada were ready to put into place, had Tom become P.M. Oh well, Jr Harper, is just a Liberal northern reflection, of a 10 yr. preparation of grooming the young lad, to follow in his father's path in life.
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 15:53
Aldous Richards Well, that's one very passionate commentary. I agree with you on some points - such as the commitment and ethics of such as Irene Mathyssen, whom I know and have worked with as an activist. But it is not cycnicism or lack of understanding that makes me say what I have about Mulcair. That he was willing to talk coalition government in order to get rid of Harper is no great virtue; it may have been his only chance to play a part in governing this country. He might be a great guy in the right circumstances, and in the past, he has shown himself to be a solid debater. His desire for power, however, has been a vexing issue, prior to, during and after the election. We have seen an uglier side to Mulcair in the House, from his stubborn denial over NDP MP expenditure claims, to this latest bullish act to obstruct the process of voting on a bill he couldn't defeat. It's interesting that you excuse and defend Mulcair for losing his cool over Trudeau's actions, but then snidely reiterate the old saw that Trudeau is unfit for the job. I guess Trudeau losing his cool over Mulcair and his gang showing contempt for parliamentary decorum and process is somehow different to you? That speaks to me of partisanship blinding reason. I neither support Liberals, NDP or Cons. (I tended toward the NDP during this election and have voted NDP many times.) But I'm sorry, I'm just as able to form an intelligent assessment of a politician and party as you are. Mulcair, as I have witnessed him, actually does dislike Trudeau intensely (if you don't like the word 'despise.') He is also no paragon of virtue, and not above Machiavellian tactics to get his way. I respect his intellect, but I do not respect what I have seen over the past year or so. This infantile act of obstruction was the last straw for me. The NDP have a long way to go to restore my confidence in their ethics. They are as hungry for power - and as warped by it - as any other party, notwithstanding some of the great MPs in the party. There are also some great MPs in the Liberal party; I am not fool enough to then conclude that the party or its leader can do no wrong. Trudeau acted wrongly and apologized. Mulcair acted wrongly and hasn't deigned to even countenance apology. Public opinion is turning against him on this latest fiasco.
Like · Reply · Yesterday at 16:31
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Linda Eva Williams I absolutely agree, Stan.
Unlike · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 22:25