However, after watching it on TV and reading about it in the paper, I think this little kafuffle in the House of Commons the other day has been blown all out of proportion! I say let's give Justin a break, put this whole thing to rest and get on with the more serious problems which face Canada.
It was quite clear that young Justin was very frustrated with how the Opposition was stalling on the business of the House. Many opposition members appeared to be refusing to return to their desks so a vote could proceed.
The Prime Minister crossed the floor in anger (not a good move) and physically confronted the Opposition Members (another bad move). Some physical pushing, shoving and bad language resulted. There were no physical injuries as far as I could see.
Parliament is something like the game of volleyball. Things get batted back and forth over the net (or in the case of Parliament-over the Hansard Table and Mace). There is to be no physical contact! The ref controls the volleyball game and the Speaker of The House controls Parliament.
In this case were the actions of the Prime Minister un-parliamentary? Yes, they were, but so were the actions of several members of the Opposition!
Let's stop wasting time, effort and money running around this one and get on with running the country! I think it would very difficult to explain to a fire evacuee from Fort McMurray why this silliness in the House of Commons would be more important than their plight!
I am so glad to read a sensible response to Elbowgate.
ReplyDeleteLike you I think Mr. Trudeau needed some time before he became PM but the other citizens decided otherwise. I think he is a nice man. He will do well in the job.
But this comment is not about Mr. Trudeau so I hope you won't mind me asking you an unrelated question here.
I am wondering why the folks in Airdrie do not have a hospital. You wrote several posts that gave some information but I am still curious.
I wrote to the government of Alberta about the fact that Edson (which has less than 10,000 citizens) got a brand new state of the art hospital and yet Edson is about 45 minutes away from Hinton which has a hospital.
Meanwhile Airdrie which has more than 42,000 citizens cannot get AHS or the Calgary Health Region Authority to put this hospital at the top of its infrastructure wish list.
Do you know why AHS will not put this hospital at the top of the list? According to Alberta Health it's not their fault. AHS has to put the hospital on their wish list.
Here is part of Alberta Health's response to me about the Airdrie versus Edson hospital business:
From:
Date: Fri, May 20, 2016 at 12:24 PM
Subject: RE:How are infrastructure decisions made about hospitals(ACR-402433)
To:
**********please do not reply THIS EMAIL ADDRESS IS NOT MONITORED **********
Thank you for visiting the Alberta Government feedback web site. Following is the response to your question prepared by Health :
Alberta Health received your inquiry.
Health Authorities are responsible for assessing health needs in Alberta, determining how its operating funds will be allocated and developing its capital plan.
In 2004-2005, the Aspen Regional Health Authority submitted their multi-year capital plan to Alberta Health. This capital plan identified the Edson Health Centre replacement as amoung the highest unfunded priority health projects in the health region . The Aspen Regional Health Authority also submitted the required capital planning documents which allow Alberta Health to evaluate and submit this proposed project as per government’s annual capital planning process in 2005. The project was approved in 2005
The Calgary Regional Health Authority (CRHA) and then Alberta Health Services (AHS) have not identified a new hospital in in Airdrie as a high priority in any of their multi-year capital plans. CRHA and AHS have not requested approval of a new health facility in Airdrie. Therefore a new health facility in Airdrie has not been submitted by Alberta Health into government’s capital planning process for approval consideration as part of the annually budgeting process.
Thank you for contacting Alberta Connects.