Michael Ignatieff surveys damage in Liberal 'clown city' : How not to run an effective opposition.

April 06, 2010

“It’s raining frogs across the aisle,” Industry Minister Tony Clement said.

It was a gong show in the Commons for Michael Ignatieff and his Liberals; one Liberal MP is even calling it “clown city.”
First, the Liberal motion on the Harper government’s maternal health initiative, aimed at stirring up the Tory bench over reproductive issues, such as abortion, failed. The Grits lost the vote after three of their own MPs opposed it; others abstained and some Liberal MPs, who are pro-life, were told to stay away from the Commons, according to sources.

 “The motion did not specifically talk about abortion, but there was sufficient inference that some people stayed away and a few actually voted against it,” said Albine Guarnieri a Liberal MP. “If it had been a more straightforward motion, everyone would have been standing on one side or the other.” The vote was aimed at dividing the Tories; instead, it ended up dividing the Liberals.

“Michael went to war without checking,” said one Liberal MP, noting that the Liberal Leader did not clearly canvas his caucus as to how they felt about the motion.
And so confused were the Liberals after losing their own motion that on the following vote, Chief Opposition Whip Rodger Cuzner mistakenly told some of his MPs to vote with the government. They ended up supporting the Conservatives’ spending plans, which led to much glee and gloating from the government bench.

“Libs lose Mat Health vote, then accidentally vote for Budget Estimates. It's raining frogs across the aisle,” Industry Minister Tony Clement gleefully tweeted.
Heritage Minister James Moore was also busy tweeting: “Liberals are showing just about the worst moment of parliamentary dysfunction I have ever seen in 10yrs.”

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