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Jody Wilson-Raybould, Jane Philpott to feature Memorial University talk on discipline in party politics

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A political panel discussion on Thursday in St. John’s will feature two of last year’s biggest Canadian newsmakers.

Two former Liberal cabinet ministers — Jody Wilson-Raybould and Dr. Jane Philpott — will be on hand for “Navigating Party Discipline,” an event sponsored by the Royal Society of Canada (Atlantic) and Memorial University’s Scholarship in the Arts program.

Wilson-Raybould and Philpott were removed from the Liberal caucus last April in the aftermath of the SNC-Lavalin scandal.

A subsequent report from federal ethics commissioner Mario Dion found that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had improperly pressured Wilson-Raybould, who was the justice minister, regarding the prosecution of Canadian company SNC-Lavalin.

Wilson-Raybould, who didn’t interfere with the court case, was removed from the justice portfolio about a month before The Globe and Mail broke the story about the scandal. Thursday’s event will happen almost a year to the day after that story was published.

Philpott, who worked as a doctor before entering politics, resigned from her cabinet position as president of the Treasury Board over the government’s handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair.

The scandal almost cost Trudeau a second term as prime minister.

Philpott and Wilson-Raybould both ran for re-election as independent candidates, with only Wilson-Raybould retaining her seat.

Philpott, who spoke with The Telegram by phone earlier this week, said she expects Thursday’s conversation to be very interesting. Independent MHA Paul Lane, former MP Ryan Cleary and MUN political science professor Alex Marlard will join Philpott and Wilson-Raybould on the panel, with Michael Morden from the Toronto-based Samara Centre for Democracy MCing the event.

“The conversation we’ll have this week will be interesting because what I hear from Canadians is that they want their representatives to do the job of representation and to really listen to their constituents and do the best job they can — speaking up on their behalf,” said Philpott, who lives in Stouffville, Ont. “There are times when that may require them to respond to an issue slightly differently than what the broad party approach is. I think those are conversations responsible representatives need to have. I think people want to see politics done a little differently.”

Sitting as an independent

After she was removed from caucus, Philpott spent several months in Parliament as an independent MP. She said she enjoyed the freedom that came with not belonging to a specific party and had hoped to retain her seat as an independent in the 2019 election, but, at this time, she has no thoughts of returning to politics.

“I could vote on bills according to what I believed based on the evidence and based on what I had heard from constituents. Often, that was along the lines of the party I had previously been involved in, but it wasn’t always. I think it’s healthy to be able to realize that the real job of members of Parliament is to make the best possible decisions for Canadians, and particularly for the Canadians you’re sent to represent.”

Philpott said she recognizes the need for balance in weighing the concerns of constituents with those of a political party, adding there’s research to suggest this balance tips more toward the party, which now exerts a stronger control over messaging.

Marland — who has a book coming out later this year about party discipline in Canada — backs up this assertion. “Whipped: Party Discipline in Canada” was a three-year project for Marland, built on 131 in-depth interviews with politicians and political staff.

“What’s happening now is political parties are much more careful about who they’re recruiting,” he said. “They have to go through a long vetting exercise to become part of the party. During the campaign, they’re also told, ‘Stay on message.’ By the time you’re elected, you really have it drilled into you that you’re part of a team. Politicians talk about that all of the time. You’re part of a team. The idea of being part of the team is you have to always speak with one voice. A lot of it is much more voluntary and almost normalized than a lot of us think. A lot of us think it’s draconian, when actually a lot of them just inherently agree.”

Co-ordinated effort

In general, Marland contends party politics has become much more co-ordinated over the years.

“My argument is that party discipline used to be about making sure everybody voted the same way. What I found is party discipline has really moved from what happens inside legislatures to external. Now it’s much more co-ordinated. Everyone has to say the same thing all of the time. More specifically, they all have to stay on message and on brand.”

The existence of social media today allows party handlers to make sure politicians stick with the approved message and alerts them quickly when someone strays from that message.

“It’s become a monitoring device rather than necessarily something that allows people to say what they like,” Marland said.

While the option is always there for politicians to say what they like publicly, Marland suggests doing so leaves them at risk of being booted from caucus.

The party system that governs Canadian politics at federal and provincial levels has existed for a long time, and Philpott says it is a strong one with the potential to bring together likeminded individuals to work toward common goals. However, she cautioned there needs to be some flexibility within that system to recognize the fact not everyone will think alike on all issues.

“If we can find respectful ways to be able to speak freely, Canadians will benefit from that,” she says.

In the current political climate, Marland suggests there are politicians who choose to be a strong voice behind closed doors within caucus meetings and who may push back against the will of their party, unbeknownst to the public.

“I can think of some politicians in Newfoundland who do it, and they do it quite well, but the general public wouldn’t know that,” he said.

Thursday’s event takes place in Room IIC-2001 of the Bruneau Centre and starts at 7 p.m. It’s free to the public, with free parking available in Area 1A. It will feature moderated opening comments and a question-and-answer discussion. Marland will also offer a sneak peek from his upcoming book.

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Harris and Lizzo praise Detroit – in contrast to Trump – ahead of an Atlanta rally with Usher

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DETROIT (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris appeared with Lizzo on Saturday in the singer’s hometown of Detroit, marking the beginning of in-person voting and lavishing the city with praise after Republican nominee Donald Trump recently disparaged it.

“All the best things were made in Detroit. Coney Dogs, Faygo and Lizzo,” the singer joked to a rally crowd, pointing to herself after listing off the meat-on-a-stick and soda that the city is famous for.

She said it was time to “put some respect on Detroit’s name” noting that the city had revolutionized the auto and music industries and adding that she’d already cast her ballot for Harris since voting early was “a power move.”

Heaps of praise for the Motor City came after Trump, the former president, insulted it during a recent campaign stop. And Harris continued the theme, saying of her campaign, “Like the people of Detroit, we have grit, we have excellence, we have history.”

Arms wide open as she took the stage, Harris let the crowd see she was wearing under her blazer a “Detroit vs. Everybody” T-shirt that the owner of the business that produces them gave her during a previous stop in the city earlier in the week. She also moved around the stage during her speech with a hand-held mic, not using a teleprompter.

More than 1 million Michigan residents have already voted by mail in the Nov. 5 election, and Harris predicted that Detroit turnout for early voting would be strong.

“Who is the capital of producing records?” Harris asked when imploring the crowd to set new highs for early voting tallies. “We are going to break some records here in Detroit today.”

She slammed Trump as unstable: “Somebody just needs to watch his rallies, if you’re not really sure how to vote.”

“We’re not going to get these 17 days back. On Election Day, we don’t want to have any regrets,” the vice president said.

Lizzo also told the crowd, “Mrs. Commander-in-Chief has a nice ring to it.”

“This is the swing state of all swing states, so every last vote here counts,” the singer said. Then, referencing her song of the same title, Lizzo added, “If you ask me if America is ready for its first woman president, I only have one thing to say: “It’s about damn time!”

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement that Harris needed Lizzo “to hide the fact that Michiganders were feeling good under President Trump – real wages were higher, prices were lower, and everyone was better off.”

Talona Johnson, a product manager from Rochester, Michigan, attended Harris rally and said that Harris “and her team are doing the things that are required to make sure that people are informed.”

“I believe she’s telling the truth. She’s trying to help the people,” said Johnson, who said she planned to vote for Harris and saw women’s rights as her top concern.

“I don’t necessarily agree with everything that she’s put out, but she’s better than the alternative,”

In comments to reporters prior to the rally, Harris said she was in Detroit “to thank all the folks for the work they are doing to help organize and register people to vote, and get them out to vote today. She also called Detroit “a great American city” with “a lot of hard-working folks that have grit and ambition and deserve to be respected.”

The vice president was asked about whether the Biden administration’s full-throated support for Israel in its war with Hamas in Gaza might hurt her support in Michigan. Dearborn, near Detroit, is the largest city with an Arab majority in the nation.

“It has never been easy,” Harris said of Middle East policy. “But that doesn’t mean we give up.”

She will get more star power later Saturday when she holds a rally in Atlanta featuring another wildly popular singer, Usher.

Early voting is also underway in Georgia. More than 1.2 million ballots have been cast, either in person or by mail.

Democrats hope an expansive organizing effort will boost Harris against Trump in the campaign’s final weeks.

___

Associated Press writers Matt Brown in Detroit and Will Weissert and Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed.

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Moe visiting Yorkton as Saskatchewan election campaign continues

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Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe is set to be on the road today as the provincial election campaign continues.

Moe is set to speak in the city of Yorkton about affordability measures this morning before travelling to the nearby village of Theodore for an event with the local Saskatchewan Party candidate.

NDP Leader Carla Beck doesn’t have any events scheduled, though several party candidates are to hold press conferences.

On Thursday, Moe promised a directive banning “biological boys” from using school changing rooms with “biological girls” if re-elected.

The NDP said the Saskatchewan Party was punching down on vulnerable children.

Election day is Oct. 28.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 18, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Saskatchewan Party’s Moe pledges change room ban in schools; Beck calls it desperate

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REGINA – Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe is promising a directive banning “biological boys” from using school changing rooms with “biological girls” if re-elected, a move the NDP’s Carla Beck says weaponizes vulnerable kids.

Moe made the pledge Thursday at a campaign stop in Regina. He said it was in response to a complaint that two biological males had changed for gym class with girls at a school in southeast Saskatchewan.

He said the ban would be his first order of business if he’s voted again as premier on Oct. 28.

It was not previously included in his party’s campaign platform document.

“I’ll be very clear, there will be a directive that would come from the minister of education that would say that biological boys will not be in the change room with biological girls,” Moe said.

He added school divisions should already have change room policies, but a provincial directive would ensure all have the rule in place.

Asked about the rights of gender-diverse youth, Moe said other children also have rights.

“What about the rights of all the other girls that are changing in that very change room? They have rights as well,” he said, followed by cheers and claps.

The complaint was made at a school with the Prairie Valley School Division. The division said in a statement it doesn’t comment on specific situations that could jeopardize student privacy and safety.

“We believe all students should have the opportunity to learn and grow in a safe and welcoming learning environment,” it said.

“Our policies and procedures align with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code.”

Asked about Moe’s proposal, Beck said it would make vulnerable kids more vulnerable.

Moe is desperate to stoke fear and division after having a bad night during Wednesday’s televised leaders’ debate, she said.

“Saskatchewan people, when we’re at our best, are people that come together and deliver results, not divisive, ugly politics like we’ve seen time and again from Scott Moe and the Sask. Party,” Beck said.

“If you see leaders holding so much power choosing to punch down on vulnerable kids, that tells you everything you need to know about them.”

Beck said voters have more pressing education issues on their minds, including the need for smaller classrooms, more teaching staff and increased supports for students.

People also want better health care and to be able to afford gas and groceries, she added.

“We don’t have to agree to understand Saskatchewan people deserve better,” Beck said.

The Saskatchewan Party government passed legislation last year that requires parents consent to children under 16 using different names or pronouns at school.

The law has faced backlash from some LGBTQ+ advocates, who argue it violates Charter rights and could cause teachers to out or misgender children.

Beck has said if elected her party would repeal that legislation.

Heather Kuttai, a former commissioner with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission who resigned last year in protest of the law, said Moe is trying to sway right-wing voters.

She said a change room directive would put more pressure on teachers who already don’t have enough educational support.

“It sounds like desperation to me,” she said.

“It sounds like Scott Moe is nervous about the election and is turning to homophobic and transphobic rhetoric to appeal to far-right voters.

“It’s divisive politics, which is a shame.”

She said she worries about the future of gender-affirming care in a province that once led in human rights.

“We’re the kind of people who dig each other out of snowbanks and not spew hatred about each other,” she said. “At least that’s what I want to still believe.”

Also Thursday, two former Saskatchewan Party government members announced they’re endorsing Beck — Mark Docherty, who retired last year and was a Speaker, and Glen Hart, who retired in 2020.

Ian Hanna, a speech writer and senior political adviser to former Saskatchewan Party premier Brad Wall, also endorsed Beck.

Earlier in the campaign, Beck received support from former Speaker Randy Weekes, who quit the Saskatchewan Party earlier this year after accusing caucus members of bullying.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

— With files from Aaron Sousa in Edmonton

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