NDP Suddenly Accountable

---

Can They Stand The Glare?

Thomas Mulcair, not a rooky NDPer accused the President of the US of lying about the death of Osama bin Laden. On a CBC program he made the comment on Power and Politics, and never backed down on his assertion that from 'what he had heard' he doubted bin Laden had been killed. His party quickly distanced themselves from his statement saying they had no reason to doubt President Obama.

It must come as a sudden shock to find that you are now responsible for what you say and actually have to behave like someone IN government and not just someone used to throwing spit balls from the sidelines. It is quite easy to play the part when all that is required is to criticize the government all the time, knowing full well the press will never hold you accountable. A position the NDP have occupied forever.

Ruth Ellen 'Vegas' Brosseau

Turns out this new MP has two people who are saying they don't remember signing her nomination papers. In addition to that she raised more than a few eyebrows by continuing to live and work in Ottawa which is several hours away from the riding she was elected in, instead of campaigning full time. She is also the candidate that thought vacationing in Vegas during the election campaign was a good idea also.  She does not speak French well and is now an MP for a francophone riding. She had been working as an assistant manager in a pub on the campus of Carleton University in Ottawa.

Pierre-Luc Dusseault

19 Years Old

After voting for the first time in an election, Pierre-Luc Dusseault will now be responsible for voting for the Federal Budget in the House of Commons. If the whole political thing hadn't worked out Pierre-Luc had planned on working at a golf course this summer.

He had agreed to an interview with the CBC but the 'ever transparent' NDP quickly stepped in and said he wasn't ready just yet to be interviewed!! Ducking the press already? Probably a good idea. The youngster will be earning $157,731 a year while learning the ropes in Ottawa. It kind of makes you wonder if we are getting a good bang for our buck here!

It could be this can of Orange Crush was left out in the sun a little too long, and shaken vigorously before being opened. Voters in these youngsters ridings will be forgiven if they are suffering from a little 'buyer's remorse' now that they get to see their new MP's in the bright light of day.

Something tells me Vegas could spend the next four years in Vegas, and Pierre-Luc could spend the summer on the golf course and no one would likely know the difference.

Honeymoon Is Over For Mr. Layton

The press and most Canadians never really gave Mr. Layton and his party any real consideration, nor paid any serious attention to what they said. After all, they were just a fairly insignificant party who have been riding on the success of the CCF and medical care for ages now, without actually making any real contributions other than being able to constantly criticize whatever government was in power.

Well all that has changed now, that they are the official opposition and just listening to one scrum Mr. Layton had with the press yesterday makes it clear he is no longer getting a free ride from his old buddies in the press gallery. As much as he will criticize the PC for limiting the press access to Harper, or MPs, he quickly learned how that works now, with having to gag his youngest MP so he would not embarass himself or the party in a CBC interview. At the same time he found himself having to contradict the statement from seasoned MP Mulcair who basically called President Obama a liar on national television. Welcome to the real world, Jack. Remember, how you would always try to make much political hay when one of Harper's loose cannons fouled up, trying to convince the country, the loose lipped Conservative was actually spouting PC policy?

During the press interview yesterday, Mr. Layton made a comment, which he should reflect upon, now that what he says, is actually going to be scrutinized. He said, that even though Harper formed government, there were still 60% of Canadians who did not vote for him. He was using this logic to shore up the idea that his party can change the policy of the PC which now hold a majority. Fair comment, but the other side of that coin is the fact that 70% of Canadians didn't support the NDP, so that is a saw that cuts both ways. Something that is foreign to the NDP who are used to always being able to tell us the faults of the other guy, safe in the knowledge that no one was holding them to account for their statements.

No, Jack, the honeymoon is over, and I suspect that until you get a short chain and good gag on your members, you will be on damage control for sometime to come.