Prime Minister - Please!

The House concluded last Friday for the summer and I spent some time speaking with Stephen Harper before a series of votes that would end the session. We shook hands, spoke about our families and ruminated about a certain charitable event we were involved with for Africa. He was friendly and warm and we parted in respect.Except I didn't say what I wanted to tell him; given the circumstances, the time just didn't seem appropriate.  I wanted to give him an observation and perhaps a bit of a challenge.  I didn't then, so maybe I can broach it now.That day had been Don Newman day.  Earlier, in Question Period, Mr. Newman was a guest in the House because it was his final day as host of the Politics program on CBC. For the 15 minutes prior to the beginning of QP, numerous MPs from around the House used their allotted statements to praise Don's illustrious career.  Every statement represented a personal tribute and he received numerous standing ovations.And then something embarrassing happened. Michael Ignatieff stood to make a tribute to the CBC commentator.  After he concluded, he turned to face the guest of honour and once again we all stood.  As with the previous statements, it was a moving moment and Mr. Newman appeared at a loss for words, especially when he put his hand over his heart and quietly nodded to us all. For a brief time we were all a little more noble than we had been moments before.  The practice is that the Conservatives get the last statement just prior to the commencement of QP and Mr. Ignatieff's first question of the Prime Minister.  One of the government MPs used his statement in a full frontal assault on the Liberal leader, questioning his qualifications. No sooner had he begun that an audible moan ran through the House.This man is not an unpopular member in the House and has accomplished the dutiful work of an MP. But at that moment he was a patsy, doing what he was commanded to do by the PMO but soiling the House in the process.  Look, I know these things are done these days and that its part and parcel of the battle and how we have lost respect for one another. So I don't expect it to end anytime soon.  The issue for me is that it ruined the moment of tribute for Don Newman.  I wrote about this a few months ago when, after a dignified tribute by Mr. Ignatieff over the deaths of three Canadians in Afghanistan, the Conservatives did the exact same thing, eclipsing the sacrifice of those soldiers by sheer partisan opportunism.My issue is really one of timing - and flexibility. In moments like these, when the House is elevated above its usual schoolyard antics, surely some direction can be signaled to the person who would normally make the last statement to choose another subject, one more fitting to the occasion. The Conservatives pride themselves on their discipline in the House, so surely that shouldn't be much of a task for them. It's a slight thing but easily doable.And so I'll ask Stephen Harper what I failed to ask on Friday: "Please, Prime Minister, ask your Whip and House Leader to develop a simple plan that would see your member designated to give the final statement before QP to switch to Plan B when more noble moments occur.  It doesn't happen often, but when it does there should be those moments of respect and humanity.  Enjoy your summer, sir, but please consider this request in the spirit in which it is given."And my apologies to Don Newman on behalf of all of us for ruining a perfect moment.