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Hitchhiker
Rear Admiral
Joined: 11 Aug 2004
Posts: 3514
Location: Ontario, Canada
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 Thu Nov 18, 2004 10:20 pm PM turfs MP from Liberal caucus |
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| CANOE wrote: | November 18, 2004
PM turfs MP from Liberal caucus
By DAN DUGAS
OTTAWA (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin dropped the hammer on outspoken MP Carolyn Parrish on Thursday and no one shed a tear over her ouster from the Liberal caucus.
Cabinet ministers, backbenchers and even opposition critics on the left who share many of her views said she had it coming.
The suburban Toronto Liberal gained notoriety for her outspoken anti-Americanism - "Damn Americans, I hate the bastards," she once said - and for calling George W. Bush "war-like."
Earlier this week, she taped a segment for CBC-TV's comedy show This Hour has 22 Minutes in which she stomps on a Bush doll.
That prompted the Conservatives to demand Martin boot her from caucus for offending the Americans.
But the final straw for Martin came after Parrish took direct aim at his leadership in an interview with The Canadian Press.
"I cannot, as leader of our party and the government caucus, tolerate behaviour that demeans and disrespects others," Martin said less than 24 hours after Parrish's attack.
"It is unacceptable."
Parrish, 58, had said that if Martin "loses the next election and he has to resign, I wouldn't shed a tear over it."
"I have absolutely no loyalty to this team - none," she said.
She said she lost respect for Martin when he refused to intervene to ensure a "clean race" for the Liberal nomination in her riding of Mississauga-Erindale.
She did not return phone calls Thursday.
Showing a lack of faith in the leader has not always been a firing offence in the Liberal party.
Former cabinet minister Stan Keyes, a Paul Martin supporter, once called for then-prime minister Jean Chretien to resign and make way for Martin, but kept his job.
Parrish's firing reduces the minority Liberal ranks in the 308-seat Commons to 134 seats.
The Conservatives hold 99 seats, the Bloc Quebecois 54 and New Democrats 19.
Parrish becomes the second Independent.
No one was complaining after Parrish was shown the door, said Ontario caucus chair Sarmite Bulte.
"The prime minister did come and speak to the national executive and, yes, it was the unanimous decision by the executive to support the prime minister's decision - unequivocally, I might add."
Defence Minister Bill Graham said Martin was forced to take action.
"Basically, what she did was virtually say to the Liberal party and to the prime minister: 'I don't really think I'm a member of the team,' and the prime minister had to say 'If you're not going to behave and be a member of the team, why should you be a member of the team?"'
NDP House Leader Libby Davies said many New Democrats agree with what Parrish has to say it, but not the way she said it.
"We share some of those concerns about the Bush administration but I think what's really significant is when you look at how the NDP has conducted itself . . . in expressing ourselves in a very respectful way."
Martin had reprimanded Parrish twice in the past for her anti-American comments but had ignored Opposition calls to eject her from caucus.
Conservative MP Jason Kenney said the firing was long overdue.
He criticized Martin for not taking action when Parrish insulted Bush, but moved swiftly when she criticized the prime minister.
Since her initial "bastards" comment, Parrish was elected for a third time with a healthy majority in her riding. |
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2004/11/17/718863-cp.html
I find this particularly funny, particularly this part:
| Quote: |
That prompted the Conservatives to demand Martin boot her from caucus for offending the Americans. |
Agh! A capital crime! 
However, I recently wrote a "Letter of Concern" about this topic for Civics class . . . and surprisingly I'm on their side. I love freedom of speech and all, but I think Parrish was a little out of line here . . .
::waits for the comments to fly::
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