Saturday, May 7, 2011

New NDP MP: “I’m very excited about visiting the riding. I hear it’s a lovely area.”

If the first week after the election is any indication, this is going to be a fun 4 years! One of the newest Quebec NDP MPs Ruth Brosseau said in an interview today that she has never been to the riding she now represents, but that she is very excited to visit. I'm sure that will be of great comfort to her new constituents; but when they finally do get to talk to their newly elected representative to voice their opinions on issues, that voice had better be speaking English. She insists that she will not resign her seat, and will be going to Ottawa (fortunately she already lives there) to sit in Parliament because "once I’ve decided to do something, I do it". I'm sure the $150K salary has nothing to do with it...

Now that's entertainment! Poor NDP candidate selection at the riding level never ceases to amaze me. She's no Dana Larsen, but she is still completely unqualified to sit in Parliament, as are many of her new colleagues.

18 comments:

  1. Well perhaps the blame lays with the voters who elected a candidate they did not even see. Personally I think the NDP and Quebec deserve each other.

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  2. There are many politicians completely unqualified and unfit to hold office. What does she lack, exactly? A rush to judgment might be fun, but I think this is one of those situations that will have to play itself out.

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  3. Boo Hoo - she is a victim - typical NDP meme - single parent, under employed (no longer under compensated), young etc. Need I say more. Can you imagine if the pr option was in full effect - not not only would you get "Ms Vegas", but the approved full list of bobbing placeholders. Some enterprising reporter should ask if her last name was "anglo" how many votes she would have received. If she turnes out to be "the best of the rest", you have got to feel a little sympathy for the Quebec voter. NOT!!! Cheers.

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  4. I am with David on this one.

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  5. Just go listen to her interview. Most of it is in english. Check it out here :
    http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-nouvelliste/actualites/201105/06/01-4397108-ruth-ellen-brosseau-sort-de-son-mutisme.php?utm_categorieinterne=trafficdrivers&utm_contenuinterne=cyberpresse_B4_manchettes_231_accueil_POS1

    The first 30 seconds is french.

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  6. This has nothing to do with the fact she's a woman or a single mother. I'm not attacking single mothers. Two of my sisters are single mothers. If a married man with no relevant experience had been chosen to run for the NDP in the same riding in Quebec, and he'd never been there and spoke little to no French; I'd be criticizing him just as much, if not more.

    It is not a matter of "give a girl a break", it is about a party's careless selection of an unqualified candidate. Trust me, I will have plenty to write about the inexperienced young men who are new NDP MPs, just as soon as Jack lets them talk to the media.

    And I'm sure the people who voted for her are embarrassed as they find out more information.

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  7. I live in Northern BC so next election I'm going to run in Quebec for the NDP and if elected I will cross the floor to the Conservatives. Think Quebec voters will know or care that I'm out of province!!!!!!!!!!

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  8. William in Ajax said...

    She was never expected to win...
    She was only there to hold the cup that taxpayers put $2 dollars per/vote in...

    She "IS" connected to the party and would have had to agree to allow her name to be used for "fundraising" while being available to drop everything and become an MP if by chance the miracle happened.

    There are a couple of hundred such "candidates of convienence" mainly Greens and NDP's, and Liberals west of Ontario,
    NOT expected to win ...only there to attract votes for that $2 dollars per, for the party!

    Jack Laytons Quebec caucus is proof as to why such a funding system is corrupt and DOESN'T work.

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  9. I agree. We have got to get rid of that electoral welfare.

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  10. If she has never been in the riding how did she get nominated?

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  11. At our family get together today we were all wondering why we each did not choose to run in a Quebec riding...we are all women and would move to Ottawa for a nice salary...I too blame the electorate for voting for someone they had never set eyes on. Maybe when everyone fell in love with Jack they should have done a little work to see exactly who they would be voting for...will be fun to watch.

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  12. When the PM tried to eliminate that subsidy a lot of media etc felt Jack should have supported it, as the ndp is great at fundraising. Now we know why he planned a coup instead. But, the coup and the plan for another minority backfired big time. Now he will be the butt of lots of jokes,as will his caucus. The title vegas gal will stick like glue.
    Wonder how he will fudge the election documentation he has to file. And we will be waiting to go over every income and listed for all those Quebec candidates.

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  13. No, I do not blame this girl.
    That is the way democracy works! The VOTERS are always right.
    The voters decide election results and they have to live with its consequences. I respect that.

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  14. why would anyone vote for someone they do not know? are the people of that riding just plain stupid.

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  15. No, voters are not stupid. They are to be respected.
    In Quebec, they liked Jack (for various reasons) and didn't like angry Gilles anymore! But don't call them stupid..... that is .....the way those Liberals of the LPC have treated voters for years and they deservedly now live with those consequences!

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  16. "What does she lack, exactly?"

    She attended Carleton for a while but lacks a degree. She has a child but lacks a husband. She ran for Parliament in Quebec but lacks even rudimentary fluency in French. Perhaps most importantly, if you listen to that interview you will understand hat she definitely lacks any knowledge of political issues and probably lacks a three-digit IQ.

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  17. I just listened to the interview with Ms. Brousseau, and it was great hearing here set the record straight about her election victory, and all the criticism that she faced throughout the election campaign.

    She never attended Carleton University and only worked there at a university pub as an assistant manager while she was taking care of her son. She attended a community college in Kingston but dropped out just two credits shy of graduating to return to Ottawa to look after her family.

    As for her French, its sounds good albeit it is limited and with more lessons, her french language skills are going to improve so she could serve her constituents in her riding of Berthier-Maskonge.

    Even though I support the conservatives and am very glad they got a majority, personally, I would give Ms. Brousseau a chance as an MP instead of prejudging her. She even said in the interview once you made your mind, you have to stick with it, and I commend her for stick with her choice as an elected MP even though Quebec voters voted for Jack Layton and cared less about the other candidates whether they are qualified or not. That's democracy.

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