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Globeandmail.com
Martin boots Parrish from Liberal caucus
By BRIAN LAGHI
From Friday's Globe and Mail
UPDATED AT 2:06 AM EST Friday, Nov 19, 2004
Paul Martin fired controversial MP Carolyn Parrish yesterday after a final verbal outburst in which she heaped scorn on colleagues and the Prime Minister.
“I told her that, while I defended her right to express her views frankly, I cannot, as leader of our party and the government caucus, tolerate behaviour that demeans and disrespects others,” Mr. Martin said yesterday after dismissing the four-times-elected MP from caucus.
“It's unacceptable. There are better, more civil and more effective ways to make your case than those that she has chosen.”
Ms. Parrish said Wednesday that she has no loyalty to the Martin team and, earlier, had filmed an item for a popular comedy show in which she was shown stomping on a doll resembling U.S. President George W. Bush.
The departure of Ms. Parrish, who will now sit outside the Liberal caucus as an independent, comes just two weeks before the arrival of Mr. Bush for an official state visit. Ms. Parrish would not comment yesterday on her expulsion, but said she would be available all day today.
She was quoted Wednesday saying that she would not heckle Mr. Bush if he addresses Parliament, but she wouldn't silence her criticism of the U.S. administration outside the Commons. She also said she would not toe Mr. Martin's line.
“And if he wants to know why he can't control me, I have absolutely no loyalty to this team ― none,” she said in an interview with The Canadian Press on Wednesday. “After what they've put me through and lots of my colleagues, they can all go to hell. But he's not going to control me, so all he's going to do is end up looking weak.”
She said she wouldn't be upset if Mr. Martin loses the next election, and complained that the Prime Minister did not intervene in a tough nomination battle between herself and former MP Steve Mahoney this year.
Ms. Parrish, 58, was first elected to the Mississauga-Erindale riding in 1993. She taught secondary school in the late 1960s after graduating from the University of Toronto and served two years as chair of the Peel Board of Education. She and her husband, David, have two daughters, Suzanne and Lindsay.
She has gained a reputation as a loose cannon, especially for her habit of making anti-American remarks. She has made a number of them in the past, referring to Mr. Bush as “warlike” and to Americans as “bastards.” Ms. Parrish was not disciplined at the time, as colleagues in the caucus said they did not wish to draw more attention to the issue.
Her firing leaves the Liberal minority government with 134 MPs. Until now, the Liberals and the NDP, with 19 seats, could together control half the House's 308 seats. They now find themselves one short of that mark and in a slightly more perilous position.
Ms. Parrish joins Chuck Cadman as the only independents sitting in the Commons.
The last Liberal MP to be kicked out of the caucus was John Nunziata, who was turfed over a disagreement on the government's economic policy.
Caucus chair Andy Savoy said yesterday that Ms. Parrish's remarks this week were the straw that broke the camel's back.
“She indicated indifference to our election and our success and I think it's all about respect to our team,” he said.
Most MPs agreed with the decision.
“You make your bed, you sleep in it,” Jim Karygiannis said.
Paul DeVillers said he supported the Leader's right to make the decision, although he wouldn't say he agreed with it.
“Sometimes those are tough decisions to make,” he said. “It's the leader's prerogative and I support that.”
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said Ms. Parrish was not expelled for her anti-American remarks, but for attacking the Prime Minister.
“She should have been expelled for what was deemed, repeatedly, unacceptable behaviour by the Prime Minister.”
A party official said last night that no steps have been taken to revoke Ms. Parrish's party card. Asked whether Ms. Parrish might be allowed back into caucus, the official said there is no thought being given to that at the moment.
“I think it would take an act of contrition.”
NDP House Leader Libby Davies said although her party shares some of Ms. Parrish's concerns, the way you express them is also important. Asked whether Ms. Parrish might find herself in the NDP, Ms. Davies appeared to discourage the idea.
Toronto Liberal Sarmite Bulte said losing a member in a minority-government situation should not be a worry.
“We can't worry about making decisions because it's one vote short or not.”
Bell Globemedia
© 2004 Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Martin boots Parrish from Liberal caucus
By BRIAN LAGHI
From Friday's Globe and Mail
UPDATED AT 2:06 AM EST Friday, Nov 19, 2004
Paul Martin fired controversial MP Carolyn Parrish yesterday after a final verbal outburst in which she heaped scorn on colleagues and the Prime Minister.
“I told her that, while I defended her right to express her views frankly, I cannot, as leader of our party and the government caucus, tolerate behaviour that demeans and disrespects others,” Mr. Martin said yesterday after dismissing the four-times-elected MP from caucus.
“It's unacceptable. There are better, more civil and more effective ways to make your case than those that she has chosen.”
Ms. Parrish said Wednesday that she has no loyalty to the Martin team and, earlier, had filmed an item for a popular comedy show in which she was shown stomping on a doll resembling U.S. President George W. Bush.
The departure of Ms. Parrish, who will now sit outside the Liberal caucus as an independent, comes just two weeks before the arrival of Mr. Bush for an official state visit. Ms. Parrish would not comment yesterday on her expulsion, but said she would be available all day today.
She was quoted Wednesday saying that she would not heckle Mr. Bush if he addresses Parliament, but she wouldn't silence her criticism of the U.S. administration outside the Commons. She also said she would not toe Mr. Martin's line.
“And if he wants to know why he can't control me, I have absolutely no loyalty to this team ― none,” she said in an interview with The Canadian Press on Wednesday. “After what they've put me through and lots of my colleagues, they can all go to hell. But he's not going to control me, so all he's going to do is end up looking weak.”
She said she wouldn't be upset if Mr. Martin loses the next election, and complained that the Prime Minister did not intervene in a tough nomination battle between herself and former MP Steve Mahoney this year.
Ms. Parrish, 58, was first elected to the Mississauga-Erindale riding in 1993. She taught secondary school in the late 1960s after graduating from the University of Toronto and served two years as chair of the Peel Board of Education. She and her husband, David, have two daughters, Suzanne and Lindsay.
She has gained a reputation as a loose cannon, especially for her habit of making anti-American remarks. She has made a number of them in the past, referring to Mr. Bush as “warlike” and to Americans as “bastards.” Ms. Parrish was not disciplined at the time, as colleagues in the caucus said they did not wish to draw more attention to the issue.
Her firing leaves the Liberal minority government with 134 MPs. Until now, the Liberals and the NDP, with 19 seats, could together control half the House's 308 seats. They now find themselves one short of that mark and in a slightly more perilous position.
Ms. Parrish joins Chuck Cadman as the only independents sitting in the Commons.
The last Liberal MP to be kicked out of the caucus was John Nunziata, who was turfed over a disagreement on the government's economic policy.
Caucus chair Andy Savoy said yesterday that Ms. Parrish's remarks this week were the straw that broke the camel's back.
“She indicated indifference to our election and our success and I think it's all about respect to our team,” he said.
Most MPs agreed with the decision.
“You make your bed, you sleep in it,” Jim Karygiannis said.
Paul DeVillers said he supported the Leader's right to make the decision, although he wouldn't say he agreed with it.
“Sometimes those are tough decisions to make,” he said. “It's the leader's prerogative and I support that.”
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said Ms. Parrish was not expelled for her anti-American remarks, but for attacking the Prime Minister.
“She should have been expelled for what was deemed, repeatedly, unacceptable behaviour by the Prime Minister.”
A party official said last night that no steps have been taken to revoke Ms. Parrish's party card. Asked whether Ms. Parrish might be allowed back into caucus, the official said there is no thought being given to that at the moment.
“I think it would take an act of contrition.”
NDP House Leader Libby Davies said although her party shares some of Ms. Parrish's concerns, the way you express them is also important. Asked whether Ms. Parrish might find herself in the NDP, Ms. Davies appeared to discourage the idea.
Toronto Liberal Sarmite Bulte said losing a member in a minority-government situation should not be a worry.
“We can't worry about making decisions because it's one vote short or not.”
Bell Globemedia
© 2004 Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.
