Bloc blocks recess, Liberals burn carbon

The Bloc Quebecois, true to its name, has stood in the way of an attempt to shut down Parliament today for the summer through unanimous consent of all parties. Reportedly, Bloc staffers were being booed behind the curtains in the opposition lobby, by MPs and staffers keen to see this session end.

This means that the Commons will sit until Friday (unless some other way is found to get around the Bloc block) -- and that it will be sitting when Liberal leader Stéphane Dion unveils his carbon-tax proposal tomorrow.

Questions were being asked today about why neither Bob Rae nor Michael Ignatieff have been in the House either on the eve of this big Liberal announcement. Are they voting with their feet? Conspicuous with their absence?

Actually, both men have issued statements in recent days, explaining why they are no-shows this week -- at least so far.

Ignatieff is in Amsterdam. He'll be back tonight and presumably around for the big carbon-tax unveiling.

Rae is in Israel. According to a media advisory sent out Friday, he planned to "deliver the keynote address to a conference commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Halbert Centre for Canadian Studies at Hebrew University. Mr. Rae, who was honoured in 2002 with the Scopus Award by the Friends of Hebrew University, will speak on June 16th and spend several days in the country and the region."

Wonder if Rae and Ignatieff bought carbon off-sets?

Comments

[Jason Cherniak]

Is it possible that enough Conservative MPs are out of Ottawa for the BQ and NDP to bring them down? Are they trying to force the Liberals to vote confidence in the government?

I suppose that all depends on whether there are any votes left.

[James Curran]

No, it's not possible. The Conservatives are all there in force. They will spend today mocking our leader once again and prepping for McCain.

[JOan Tintor]

"I was gonna go to Dion's newser
But then I got high"
--Iggy, overheard in an Amsterdam cafe

Sorry, couldn't resist.