Who would have thought that anyone would do that! Well, actually Hacks and Wonks, Blogette and The Tiger in Winter live blogged it as well.
The Prime Minister is making a statement regarding the passing of Pope John Paul II.
Now MP Stephen Harper is making a statement.
It is MP Gilles Duceppe’s turn to make a tribute to the Pope. And finally MP Jack Layton.
They are continuing with Statements by Members. I am not sure how long this will last.
Here we go!
MP Harper: Liberal spin doctors…Liberals are the victims of the Sponsorship Scandal. Only victim is the Canadian Taxpayer.
PM Martin: Dedicated to their country. Those members should not have to burden of the few. We will defend these Liberals. They are Canadians who have given their all.
Break: CTV has an article regarding this, with a video of this exchange, and I quote:
...The opposition questioned the "gall" of federal Liberals Monday, after the governing party asked the RCMP to investigate the possibility it was a victim of fraud
in the sponsorship program.
"They have the gall to depict the Liberal Party as the victim of the sponsorship scandal," Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said as the daily question period got underway in the House of Commons Monday afternoon.
"Will the Government at least have the decency to simply admit that the only victim is the Canadian taxpayer whose money was stolen?"
..."There are of thousands of men and women in Quebec and across this country who are dedicated to the Liberal Party and to their country," Martin said.
"Those members of the Liberal Party should not have to bear the rumours ... or the burden of the activities of a very small few who may have colluded against the party," he added, promising to defend them.
MP Harper: Kazemi question.
PM Martin: We should not have an immediate election.
MP Harper: This is exactly what is wrong with this government. Should have used the opportunity to defend a Canadian citizen, not the Liberal Party.
PM Martin: Leader of Opposition should not mix questions. Iran must admit they were wrong.
...MP Duceppe: Question on Kyoto.
Looks like the Opposition Parties are not going to touch the “Explosive Testimony”.
...MP Layton: Crocodile tears for Liberal Party but then onto a Kyoto question.
...MP Layton: Calls PM a Neville Chamberlain on environment. Pot, meet kettle, but not on the environment of course.
...MP Ablonczy: Dirty under-belly. Why is government not protecting whistle-blowers. (On an entirely different story though)
As I feared. Nothing to see here. Looks like the House of Parliament is taking a day off from Gomery questions. Funny...usually there is about a dozen questions.
Back to the CTV article:
...Later outside the House of Commons, NDP Leader Jack Layton told reporters that he believes his party agrees with most Canadians in supporting Gomery's work to its conclusion.
"We shouldn't be trying to undermine it, trying to sidetrack it," he said. "That is what the prime minister is now trying to do with his claims that somehow the Liberal party or his organization is somehow the victim here."
If the government really believes that, Layton said, "Why wouldn't they give Canadians their money back. They're the real victims."
...transcripts of the testimony are being circulated among Ottawa insiders.
Hmmm, how long until the actual transcript is leaked?
