Olivia Chow Quits Council to go Federal

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The CBC is reporting that Jack Layton’s wife, Olivia Chow, is quitting her seat on Toronto city council to make a run for Tony Ianno’s federal seat of Trinity Spadina in the next election.

This will be the third time that Ms. Chow has made a run for the seat — she lost by a hair’s breadth each time — but it’s the first time she acutally quit her seat on city council in order to make the run, and I wonder why that is.

Does she, perhaps, think that this gesture, that it’s all-or-nothing now, will be what it takes to put her over the top? Or, is it an expression of love to her husband, Jack? Given that Greg at Sinister Thoughts speculated in our last podcast that the only thing that could pull Jack from his position as NDP leader is if he got tired of splitting his time between Ottawa and Toronto, being separated from his lovely wife? Could this move be a signal that, whether she wins or loses, Olivia Chow is going to Ottawa?


Season’s Greetings

Does anybody have the Hansard quote of the Speaker’s speech just before they took the vote on the motion of non-confidence? Speaker Peter Milliken had a nice human moment, which I paraphrase as follows:

“Before this vote, I wish to remind members that there will be a reception afterward… (House members start to chuckle) …in Room 221. So that the members of this house can exchange the greetings of the season. (House breaks down in laughter).

The fall of the government was cordially done, and there was a festive air among all the members, and there were interesting human touches. House and Opposition whips smiling and shaking hands before the vote. People standing up to cheer parliamentarians who would be retiring after the vote. Was it anticipation? A brave face? Only time will tell.


Yet Another Award/Poll

Classic Quarters is putting together a competition to discover the most popular Blogging Alliance of Non Partisan Canadians Blog. His means of tallying the winner are refreshingly easy: simply send him an e-mail with your four favourite BANPC blogs listed in order of preference. Contest closes December 9. So participate, why don’t you?

By the way, Classic: I think Doors of Perception hails from Stratford, Ontario.


More Important Than Politics

It’s amazing, how all of the pride we have in our nation, and all of the frustration we have in our politicians, pales in comparison to the joy of learning that your daughter now weighs eight pounds.

She’s gaining more than an ounce a day. The midwives are happy. We’re ecstatic.

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