Milliken: PM must play nice, or I’m gonna break something he loves
It wasn’t a game of Olympic hockey, and we suspect that the nation’s toilets flushed just like they always do, but for about an hour yesterday there was only one show in Canada, and its star was Peter Milliken. Standing in the House of Commons, the Speaker devastated Stephen Harper’s arguments against disclosure of non-redacted papers on Afghan detainees. Was it just us, or did Milliken sound surprised even to have to deal with the supremacy of Parliament?
For their part, journos tripped all over themselves to use superlatives that aren’t usually associated with Canada’s national affairs—words like “epic,” “historic” and “brave.” But let’s not get too bombastic. In a fit of Canadian moderation, Milliken has given the government 14 days to come up with a solution before he brings the hammer down. His faith that all parties can come together to find a sensible solution is so crazy it just might work.
It was a particularly big day for local boy Derek Lee, Liberal MP for Scarborough–Rouge River, who has been banging the drum of Parliamentary privilege longer than anyone and helped bring Ottawa to this point. So, speaking on behalf of Toronto, you’re welcome. If you disagree, well, don’t blame us—it’s all Ottawa’s fault.
• Speaker’s verdict puts the heat on PM for compromise [Globe and Mail] • The Speaker is brave and right [Globe and Mail] • Parliament wins in showdown with Stephen Harper government [Toronto Star] • Commons given two weeks to resolve detainee document issue [National Post]
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