I had never expected a Canadian political story could be funny, sad, and insightful all at the same time. Thanks to Conservative Senator Mike Duffy, we now have such a story. Have a watch of this rather nasty exchange video clip on a CBC political show.
Here is an excerpt (emphasis added) of what Don Martin, Sen. Duffy’s former colleague and former friend wrote in his article “Mike Duffy jumps the shark – It takes considerable effort to become a complete embarrassment“,
So instead of a rational discussion on the value of the new senators to reforming the process, a tuxedo-sporting Duffy appeared on Thursday’s Power and Politics show to interrupt, insult and fire innuendo at Stoffer, snarling in disgust as he blasted the popular MP as a ‘faker’.
Now, Duffy calling someone a faker equals pot calling the kettle black.
This is the same Duffy who, as host of his own politics show, presented himself for decades as journalistically neutral, then accepted Harper’s $130,000 appointment ten months ago and now devotes his energies to shamelessly shilling for the Conservatives.
That’s the definition of fakery for you, particularly given he was appointed after airing that infamous CTV interview with then-Liberal leader Stephane Dion, a bumbling performance credited by some as the turning point of the 2008 election campaign for Stephen Harper.
Not content to merely take Stoffer’s report personally, Duffy then blasted it as a political “diversion” for voters in a Nova Scotia byelection Monday where, he hopes, the New Democrats “are going to be trounced because they’re fakers.”
[...] MPs from all parties have consistently ranked Peter Stoffer as the least partisan and most personable MP in Canada today. And I’m frankly surprised the Canadian forces haven’t rushed to Stoffer’s side, because there is no more loyal political footsoldier on military matters than this 53-year-old MP.
It says a lot about Stoffer that the first person to rush to his defence was a Liberal. “When I asked him to come to my riding in London and hold a rally for the troops, he readily agreed even though he was from another party. That’s the kind of MP he is,” MP Glen Pearson wrote on a blog.
Here is an excerpt from an insightful G&M blog entry where I first read about this news,
The usually soft-spoken Liberal MP from London, Ont., is anything but – at least in print. On his blog, he jumps to the defence of his NDP colleague, Peter Stoffer, who was engaged in a rather nasty exchange last night on CBC with Conservative Senator Mike Duffy.
The former broadcaster and PEI Senator referred to Mr. Stoffer as a “fake,” an actor and someone who doesn’t support the military. The Senator is upset with an analysis by Mr. Stoffer of the cost to taxpayers of the 27 new senators appointed by Stephen Harper. In his analysis, he also takes aim at Senator Duffy’s expenses.
Here is what Liberal MP Glen Pearson wrote in his blog entry “‘Fake’ Wears a Tuxedo” in defence of Peter Stoffer (emphasis added),
Let me say something about Peter Stoffer. In the annual Maclean’s poll on MPs, Stoeffer repeatedly comes out on top as the most collegial of them all. He uses his influence to attempt to get MPs of all stripes to work together for various causes and events. Working in harmony with the Speaker of the House, each year he holds the “All Party Party” – a wildly popular evening in which MPs and their staffs all co-mingle and for a brief time put aside their party ideologies. It’s Stoffer that oversees the annual soccer game between MPs and the media. When I asked him to come to my riding in London and hold a rally for the troops, he readily agreed even though he was from another party. That’s the kind of MP he is. He’s a popular public servant and can often be found in the lobby sitting with members from other parties.
But he’s more than symbolic. I was especially irked when Duffy called Stoffer a faker, who pretends to support Canadian troops but votes against funding allocations for them. Let’s be clear. Peter Stoffer, as with Peter Mackay, is acknowledged in the House as being fully behind our men and women in uniform. Any MP, including Conservatives ones will tell you that. He was the one who led the charge in Parliament to protect soldiers medals that were otherwise being sold on eBay. The reason why he voted against the Conservative allocations on the military was because they offered embarrassing little support for the soldiers returned from active duty and who are having trouble moving on with their lives.
I’m not trying to be partisan here; I’m trying to be fair. Peter Stoffer gets elected each and every time by wide margins because he delivers for his constituents. Mike Duffy? Well, he spent years as a CTV interviewer often mocking the Senate as a bunch of old men who do little with their time but who cost the taxpayer a bundle.
Ultimately, this is a sad story. A cautionary tale. A reminder that good reputations take years to create and minutes to damage.
Trying to look at this incident positively, it is nice and refreshing to see MP crossing party line in defence of an MP from a different political party. And to hear about the “All Party Party”.
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