Wasn’t expecting radio host’s question, MP says

Larry does not care about the Yukon or its people.  All Larry cares about is his job.  People are starting to wake up Larry.  It took them a while, but people are realizing that you do nothing for us. You’re great at shaking hands and flipping burgers but you’re not prepared to represent the Yukon.

I can’t understand why the Liberals and NDP can even find candidates to run in a place like the Yukon unless those candidates are in favour of gun registration and controls.  After all, it only makes sense that any such candidate should be aware of the party stand on the issue and know what’s expected of him or her.

Bagnell is a Liberal.  His boss expects support for a control that doesn’t work, and Bagnell’s more likely to remember Ignatieff than thousands of Yukoners, particularly since he seems to be unchallenged as the Yukon’s MP!

Ignatieff is whipping his party – demanding Liberal MPs hold the line on the party’s support for the registry.

This comment is supported by Ignatieff’s statements on public record.

Faced with toeing the party line, Bagnell is touting Liberal-proposed amendments and reminding voters that the Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois are also being whipped on Hoeppner’s bill.

Show us where PM Harper has made any statement to ‘whip’ the Conservative party, as Mr. Ignatieff has clearly done to the Liberals.

Private member bills are traditionally a free vote.  Mr. Ignatieff is the only party leader to speak out against that Parliamentary tradition.

Come on Larry, the choice is simple! Either you are Iggy’s whipped boy or you stand up like a man and represent the Yukoners who sent you to Ottawa to speak for them. It is not near good enough to quietly play hooky when the time comes to be accountable to your constituents. Forget that nonsense. Yukoners have plenty of southerners from big cities who would tell them what is right for the north. Surely you haven’t become one of those, have you?

Of course you have a choice Larry!
You can do the right thing and join the Conservatives.
Then you can represent us properly and not have to kiss your leaders arse.

Larry, get a haircut!  The Eighties have called . . . it’s over, get a haircut. 

And, about your principles: When it comes to voting on the long gun registry remember that as a politician you have your principles.  And if people don’t like your principles you can always get others; after all, you’re a Liberal!

Larry,
Grow some balls or resign your seat and try and get yourself elected in Toronto where you can show your true liberal colors, voting as you are told and not have to worry about representing the wants of your constituants.

Jack Layton Showing Integrity?

Anyone who knows me knows I’m no fan of Jack Layton’s.  I think he’s a conniving, opportunistic man who will do almost anything to get in front of a TV camera.  So his stand on “allowing” a free vote on Bill C-391 is very surprising to me. 

It’s no secret old Jack is anti-gun.  If he had his way he’d ban them all in a heartbeat.  Good thing he doesn’t get his way, if you’re a gun owner like me.

Yet he is steadfastly refusing to whip the party vote on C-391, and at the possibility of great political cost to himself.

Liberal “leader” Michael Ignatief is slamming Layton every chance he gets.  Ignatief is, naturally, forcing his Liberal MPs to vote his party line or face the consequences of his wrath.

Yukon’s Liberal MP Larry Bagnell is feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place.  His rural riding is filled with hunters, miners, prospectors and outdoors people.

When asked if he would avoid the House instead of voting against his constituents, Bagnell said “I’m not sure, I haven’t explored that possibility to see if that’s an option”.  He’s got to ask Iggy’s permission to be absent, I guess.

Terrified of opposing his party leader, and equally scared of facing his constituents at election time if he votes to keep the gun registry, Bagnell is feeling left out in the cold by a party leader out of touch with rural Canada.

Bagnell needs to “man up” and do right by his constituents, and to hell with his party and its leader.  His constituents will re-elect him as an independent if he does right by them.  Will they re-elect him if he spits in their face on C-391?  I wouldn’t bet my election hopes on it if I was Larry Bagnell.

NDP MPs, on the other hand, are able to vote the way their constituents desire, which is how democracy is supposed to run in the first place.  Representatives voting the will of the people they represent.

While not a philosophical dilemma for most Conservative MPs, they too will be expected to vote the party line on C-391, even if Harper doesn’t make it official.

Bloc Quebecois MPs will vote against the bill, as their party leader demands, leaving Jack Layton as the only federal party leader willing to act with integrity on this issue of free votes on Private Member’s Bills.

Did I really say that?  Did I really use the words “Jack Layton” and “integrity” in the same sentence?

Yes.  Yes, I did.

Wasn’t it Larry, who just 2 weeks ago, said that he wanted Prime Minister Stephen Harper, to listen to Yukoners, like Iggy did?

Iggy apparently, didn’t hear Yukoners, when it came to the flawed firearms registration.  The PM did.

Who’s Larry listening to?  Iggy, or Yukoners?

Larry

Here’s the deal.  You work for us, not Iggy.  The Yukon public has grown weary of you ‘every man’ glad handing. 

Do what we sent you to Ottawa for and represent us.  Opting out of the vote shows your cowardice. 

Here’s another news flash: Iggy won’t be around after the next election and if you’re not careful you won’t be either.

There is only one other aspect I would like readers to consider: if Bagnell does not vote with his party, he will not receive certain benefits in return. All parties operate this way. If you toe the party line, you may receive a Cabinet seat, priority in party meetings, etc. These benefits directly contribute to the MP’s ability to bring home benefits to their consituents.
So before you throw an MP to the wolves for voting with the party, you have to consider the long term. Would you have have your MP inside or outside of Cabinet in the next government?