[4Canada]

FurGaia,<br /> <br /> Did you watch the debate? What I found disgusting was how Keith Martin (liberal), and Bill Graham (liberal) and ANY Con that addressed the NDP or BLOC's questions kept stating that they were not supporting the military because they were questioning the mission. Man, it's so easy for these weak-kneed, kowtowing to another countries foreign policies, officials to deflect opposition to your lack of credibility onto the militay. How pathetic are they? And Keith Martin using the dead 9/11 Canadians to beat off questions but where was the Canadian investigation into what happened on 9/11? The more one sees how these affairs are being handled the more and the more I think Canada was also complicit in 9/11 and Martin and Harper were/are in the same red, white and blue political boat. Excus my language, but we are f#@k'ed.

[badsector]

It's the same logic that Bush is touting in the US: if you don't support us you're anti-American. )) I think Hitler said things like that too.

[Innes]

There is no doubt that nothing has changed except the seating plan in the House of Commons.<br /> <br /> The part of the debate I saw last night was useless for getting any real answers to what the mission in Afghanistan is all about. I turned it off in disgust.<br /> <br /> The attempts to deflect the discussion to support for the "troops" rather rather than to explain the government position reveals the lack of honesty and integrity in Ottawa and increases the impression that there are "hidden agendas" at play.

[FurGaia]

Another point of view from someone who did watch:<br /> <br /> "After last night's embarrassment, I propose that MP's should be required to use punchcards. Whenever they physically enter the House of Commons, the time is recorded until they leave- do the same for committee meetings or other formal responsibilities. At election time, MP's attendance should become public knowledge so we have a better handle on what these people are doing with their time. <b>As politicans like to say during an election, they work for the people.</b> I guarantee the House of Commons would look like a beehive of activity if there was formal accountability." [From <a href="http://farnwide.blogspot.com/2006/04/mps-on-clock.html">Far and Wide</a>]<br /> <br /> I especially noticed this part: <i>MP's attendance should become public knowledge so we have a better handle on what these people are doing with their time.</i> I can remember how John Kerry's attendance record at the Senate became an issue during the 2004 campaign! More recently, our activists neighbours to the south (on both sides of the aisle) have been systematically recording the attendance of their politicians as well as the way each and everyone voted on various issues. Perhaps the time has come for us to do that here as well. <br /> <br /> Pity though! Most people lead very busy lives trying to make ends meet, to feed their families, to bring up their kids and heaven knows how much more! They do not need this aggravation, which is to have over and above to keep tabs on their politicians. Seeing that we all work very hard to provide their salaries, those politicians should have THE DECENCY to be at their posts and do their job ... just like the rest of us!

[4Canada]

Fru Gaia,<br /> <br /> There is a website <a href="http://www.howdtheyvote">howdtheyvote</a>.<br /> <br /> that has been keeping track of voting results and websites for MPs. I checked it before replying here and it looks like it's a bit behind but I agree we need it.

[4Canada]

Sorry for the name typo Fur Gaia. <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/confused.gif' alt='Confused'>

[FurGaia]

Not to worry about the name, <b>4Canada</b>! "A rose by any other name ...", you know ... <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/biggrin.gif' alt='Big Grin'> <br /> <br /> There is a good post on this slacker-MPs' issue <a href="http://sinisterthoughts.blogspot.com/2006/04/afghan-debate_11.html">here</a> with many interesting comments, in particular one from Parliamentary Correspondent David Akin detailing the ebb and flow of MPs' attendance. Very good of him to do so, I'm sure!