And the POTY goes to …
Related photo galleries:
The 2012 Parliamentarian of the Year Awards
Spotted at the POTYs
Parliamentarians in conversation with Paul Wells: A video series.
And … even more coverage here.
Members of Parliament voted. Ipsos Reid tallied the numbers. And 2012s’s best of the best emerged. Just like that, Maclean’s and L’actualité named seven parliamentarians who accomplished an outstanding feat—they got colleagues from across party lines to, yes, vote for them. Indeed, they couldn’t win without impressing some of their fiercest opponents in the House of Commons. Here are the winners.
Parliamentarian of the Year
Elizabeth May, Saanich-Gulf Islands
First Runner-up: Hon. Bob Rae, Toronto Centre
Second Runner-up: Rodger Cuzner, Cape Breton—Canso
Hardest working
Kirsty Duncan, Etobicoke North
First Runner-up: Olivia Chow, Trinity-Spadina
Second Runner-up: Jason Kenney, Calgary Southeast
Best Orator
First Runner-up: Charlie Angus, Timmins-James Bay
Second Runner-up: John Baird, Ottawa-West Nepean
Most Collegial
Peter Stoffer, Sackville—Eastern Shore
First Runner-up: Rodger Cuzner, Cape Breton—Canso
Second Runner-up: Kirsty Duncan, Etobicoke North
Most Knowledgeable
Right Hon. Stephen Harper, Calgary Southwest
First Runner-up: Peter Julian, Burnaby-New Westminister
Second Runner-up: Joe Comartin, Windsor-Tecumseh
Rising Star
Michelle Rempel, Calgary Centre-North
First Runner-up: Ted Hsu, Kingston and the Islands
Second Runner-up: Alexandre Boulerice, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie
Best Represents Constituents
First Runner-up: Cheryl Gallant, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke
Second Runner-up: Bruce Hyer, Thunder Bay-Superior North
How did voting work? Ipsos Reid asked all members of Parliament to nominate the best MPs in each of seven categories. MPs cast votes for members both in and outside their parties. The votes were converted to a point system to ensure that larger parties did not have an advantage. The MP who received the most points in each category won. The MP who earned the highest number of total points was named Parliamentarian of the Year.
Maclean’s and L’actualité also recognized an eighth (former) parliamentarian this year.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Preston Manning, former MP for Calgary Southwest
By the way, here’s our formerly live blog of the proceedings:
