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Nathan Cullen: MPs Behaving Badly Should Face Harsher Penalties From Speaker

CP  |  By Posted: 04/30/2012 11:07 am Updated: 05/ 3/2012 12:30 am

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OTTAWA - The Opposition says the Speaker of the House of Commons should have more power to crack down on MPs behaving badly.

New Democratic Party House Leader Nathan Cullen says Speaker Andrew Scheer needs greater clout to keep politicians in line.

Cullen wants the Speaker to be able to bar MPs from asking questions in the Commons if they don't heed warnings to be civil.

It's not the first time the New Democrats have called for greater powers of punishment for the Speaker.

Cullen's predecessor, Joe Comartin, asked for the same thing last fall.

But Cullen says behaviour in Parliament is getting worse and MPs need to be reined in.

Related on HuffPost:

MPs CAUGHT ON CAMERA
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  • Rob Anders (Conservative MP) falls asleep in Parliament

    Rob Anders, the same MP who called Nelson Mandela a "terrorist," falls asleep in the House of Commons (From Question Period on November 17, 2011)

  • Trudeau Calls Kent Piece of 'S--t'

  • Canada's Environment Minister doesn't know what ozone is?

  • NDP MP does his hair, appears to fall asleep in Parliament

    NDP MP Jonathan Genest-Jourdain (Manicouagan) does his hair and then appears to fall in asleep in the House of Commons on February 6th, 2012. Follow me on twitter: @sleepyrobanders - www.twitter.com

  • NDP MP does his hair in Parliament again

    From February 16th 2012 - only a couple of days after being mocked nationally for having fallen asleep in the House of Commons, NDP MP Jonathan Genest-Jourdain (Manicouagan) makes a joke out of a serious motion on First Nations education by primming his hair before speaking. Follow me on twitter: @sleepyrobanders - www.twitter.com

  • Conservative MP Jim Hillyer celebrates vote against the gun registry with gunshot gestures

    Conservative MP Jim Hillyer (Lethbridge) celebrates vote against the gun registry with gunshot gestures.

  • Conservative Jim Hillyer "apologizes" for air gun gesture

  • Vic Toews vs. Vic Toews

  • NDP MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan thinks Canada has only 9 million people

  • Sleeping in the House of Lords

    House of Lords

FOLLOW CANADA POLITICS

OTTAWA - The Opposition says the Speaker of the House of Commons should have more power to crack down on MPs behaving badly.New Democratic Party House Leader Nathan Cullen says Speaker Andrew Scheer n...
OTTAWA - The Opposition says the Speaker of the House of Commons should have more power to crack down on MPs behaving badly.New Democratic Party House Leader Nathan Cullen says Speaker Andrew Scheer n...
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Mark Crowley

Mark Crowley: Why the Media Has Mulcair All Wrong

The media seem obsessed with the difficulty of creating party unity and "healing the wounds" of the campaign. I really don't get a sense there will be a lot of wounds. The opportunity for growth will surely make the party put aside their differences and work together under Thomas Mulcair's leadership.

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brianmouland
25 Fans
 
08:21 PM on 05/01/2012
Sanction Pat Martin!
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Ash Rain
2 Fans
09:33 AM on 05/01/2012
Good job posting a photo of child abuse as your leader...good job.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
LIONNYC
102 Fans
03:14 AM on 05/01/2012
What a stupid photo...
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brianmouland
25 Fans
 
08:20 PM on 05/01/2012
Mulcair is the daddy, Pat Martin is the kid
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Francmon
Homo homini lupus
65 Fans
10:45 PM on 04/30/2012
Yep... Call down all MPs who behave in an uncivilized manner. Starting with ignoring important democratic questions from opposition parties, prorogation of Parliament, outright lying about budget expenses on large military expenses, smiling arrogantly when the Speaker finds you in contempt of Parliament, etc.... Keep on dreaming...
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kiddub
153 Fans
08:58 PM on 04/30/2012
Does that include stealing other MP's mail? lol
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Doogs62
To see by faith is to shut the eye of reason
143 Fans
07:18 PM on 04/30/2012
I'm running out and buying stock in Ivory soap, it's gonna go through the roof.
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SuesW
40 Fans
05:31 PM on 04/30/2012
Please remove that violent image of a child about to be hit by an adult. What are you thinking?
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Liban CZ
329 Fans
06:19 PM on 04/30/2012
com on, you can see kid is laughing.....
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Doogs62
To see by faith is to shut the eye of reason
143 Fans
07:41 PM on 04/30/2012
Sue you think that picture is violent? I just watched a guy get run over by a cab that's violent. Seeing the effects of bombs being dropped on Iraqi children was violent. The media is filled with pictures/video of real violence. I shouldn't condone spanking but as a punishment it worked on me and my siblings and most of the population of the planet. It's when it becomes abuse, then it's a problem.

Before the ragers start commenting. Verbal abuse is still abuse. No I don't have children and no I don't hit children or adults for that matter but I don't lecture people on how to raise their kids either. I've witnessed more kids that are abusive to others who have not
received corporal punishment than from ones that have. When there are no consequences to your actions there is no reason to modify them. I apologize for going off topic but this PC nonsense is out of control
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DeeW
49 Fans
12:28 AM on 05/01/2012
it has nothing to do with being pc. I'm in my 50s, my parents did not use corporal punishment, within my family no one hit their children. I find the photo of the man hitting a child violent, and the kid looks like he's crying - regardless I think it's a foolish photo for this story. As for your ridiculous rant about the guy being run over by a taxi ... uh ... yeah, that was violent but has nothing to do with this photo
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DeeW
49 Fans
12:30 AM on 05/01/2012
I'm using my sister's computer by the way ... which is why my name is DeeW, she's SuesW
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Spanky McFarlane
ILLEGITIMUS NON CARBORUNDUM.
179 Fans
03:57 PM on 04/30/2012
We realize most Conservatives can read, however allowing scripted answers repeatedly read from a card is hardly serving the purpose for which QP was intended. It makes a mockery of the Parliamentary Institution for which Harper & his minions have such little time.
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CPmike
33 Fans
03:22 PM on 04/30/2012
This is rich, the NDP asking for the speaker to have more powers to add civility to the House. Seems to me the number one problem MP is NDPer Pat Martin. Can't they control their own members. Unfortunately they are encouraging it.

Martin is the only MP in my memory who had to issue a public apology to avoid losing a multi million dollar lawsuit.
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Livinlifenow1
83 Fans
03:02 PM on 04/30/2012
To Huff Post... love your website, but don't love the image you chose for this news article. It is a violent image.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
lulex
Made in Canada
148 Fans
 
02:59 PM on 04/30/2012
I'd support that motion. I wouldn't apply it to sleeping politicians, but I would most certainly apply it to disrespectful outbursts I've seen from folks like MP Baird or Peter Kent. As for Trudeau's Sh** comment, that could have been averted if the chair had stopped Mr. Kent earlier for his outrageous comment implying that Canada's federal opposition had no interest in going to the Climate Change talks when clearly he knew Harper prohibited their participation.
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Liban CZ
329 Fans
02:34 PM on 04/30/2012
love it, love it NEW man in the bully town.......
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Liz Wilson 2
“a small group can change the world
327 Fans
02:04 PM on 04/30/2012
I would like to see sanctions on MPs who do not answer questions directed to them.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
SeanMartin
Everything in moderation.
1411 Fans
02:49 PM on 04/30/2012
Good luck on that. Were that so, no PM would ever be allowed inside the room.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Marg Wood
Peace
312 Fans
03:12 PM on 04/30/2012
Nothing gets accomplished when supposed adult MPs act like children making derogatary remarks and having stupid arguments that have nothing to do with the subject! Just trying to get out of answering the questions!
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