Making An Impression in Politics
In a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black, a sanctimonious Jack Layton has called upon Parliament to observe the niceties of civil discourse, rather than continue to present as a fractious, bellicose and ill-behaved chamber.
No one would defend the level of discourse in Parliament. It has disgusted those who observe the lack of courtesy, the submission to sarcastic irony and accusatory demagoguery. Dignity and observance of classic courtesy in interactions should be the order of the day, but remain elusive.
And here is a jubilant Jack Layton, still pinching himself with glee over his great good fortune in amassing around him a record number of Members of Parliament sitting under the auspices of the New Democratic Party, advising his caucus and the world at large that it is his intention to alter the tenor of debate in Parliament.
He abhors the lack of common courtesy, the biting rhetoric, the adversarial stance taken all too frequently, lowering substantially the value of the Parliamentary debate.
He is now the Leader of the Official Opposition. Gravitas descends upon him, as an elder statesman, a leader whose responsibility it is to point out to the governing Conservatives the manner in which they consistently err, short-changing the electorate by their errant priorities and values, and inordinately anxious to set them straight.
In the past, when Jack Layton has launched himself in Parliamentary debate, it has been in accusatory tirades, accusations, demands. Consistently shrill.
His anodyne solution now is to impose upon others restraints and constraints which he himself has never suffered under. His contemptuous calling out of his adversaries has been legendary, he leaps all over himself in his anxiety to ensure his points have been made, resoundingly, redounding to his credit among his crew, happily clapping their approval.
A newly-released civility index courtesy of McMaster University sets the record straight.
On a scale from zero to 100, Jack Layton measures at the bottom of the heap, at 39. Rona Ambrose of the Conservatives represents the opposite end of the measurement, at 68. The index identified an average rating among all MPs to be 49, 43 for opposition MPs, and government MPs a far more respectable 54.
Yet it has been the opposition MPs who have claimed loudly and proudly that they observe the niceties of courtesy, and government MPs do not.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper scored 50 on the civility index, while the unlamented Gilles Duceppe, known for his smooth delivery scored 51. It was the opposition leaders, Jack Layton for the NDP at 39 and Michael Ignatieff for the Liberals at 40 whose withering lack of courtesy in addressing the House during Question Period stood out as aggressively dismal.
Interesting how claims simply do not match reality.
No one would defend the level of discourse in Parliament. It has disgusted those who observe the lack of courtesy, the submission to sarcastic irony and accusatory demagoguery. Dignity and observance of classic courtesy in interactions should be the order of the day, but remain elusive.
And here is a jubilant Jack Layton, still pinching himself with glee over his great good fortune in amassing around him a record number of Members of Parliament sitting under the auspices of the New Democratic Party, advising his caucus and the world at large that it is his intention to alter the tenor of debate in Parliament.
He abhors the lack of common courtesy, the biting rhetoric, the adversarial stance taken all too frequently, lowering substantially the value of the Parliamentary debate.
He is now the Leader of the Official Opposition. Gravitas descends upon him, as an elder statesman, a leader whose responsibility it is to point out to the governing Conservatives the manner in which they consistently err, short-changing the electorate by their errant priorities and values, and inordinately anxious to set them straight.
In the past, when Jack Layton has launched himself in Parliamentary debate, it has been in accusatory tirades, accusations, demands. Consistently shrill.
His anodyne solution now is to impose upon others restraints and constraints which he himself has never suffered under. His contemptuous calling out of his adversaries has been legendary, he leaps all over himself in his anxiety to ensure his points have been made, resoundingly, redounding to his credit among his crew, happily clapping their approval.
A newly-released civility index courtesy of McMaster University sets the record straight.
On a scale from zero to 100, Jack Layton measures at the bottom of the heap, at 39. Rona Ambrose of the Conservatives represents the opposite end of the measurement, at 68. The index identified an average rating among all MPs to be 49, 43 for opposition MPs, and government MPs a far more respectable 54.
Yet it has been the opposition MPs who have claimed loudly and proudly that they observe the niceties of courtesy, and government MPs do not.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper scored 50 on the civility index, while the unlamented Gilles Duceppe, known for his smooth delivery scored 51. It was the opposition leaders, Jack Layton for the NDP at 39 and Michael Ignatieff for the Liberals at 40 whose withering lack of courtesy in addressing the House during Question Period stood out as aggressively dismal.
Interesting how claims simply do not match reality.
Labels: Government of Canada, Life's Like That
posted by Pieface | 7:42 PM
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