Ottawa

Notable departures and arrivals

Welcome aboard…

  • Dona Cadman, Conservative MP for Surrey North. The arrival of the widow of former Canadian Alliance MP Chuck Cadman—who, as an independent, famously kept the Liberals afloat in May 2005—brings the so-called “Cadman Affair” even closer to heart of government.
  • Marc Garneau, Liberal MP for Westmount–Ville Marie. Future critic for giant leaps for mankind.
  • Gerard Kennedy, Liberal MP for Parkdale–High Park. At long last, the 2006 Liberal leadership contenders are united in the House of Commons, where they’ll work together for the common good of the party.
  • Peter Kent, Conservative MP for Thornhill. In his second kick at the electoral can—this one not involving the unlikely prospect of unseating Carolyn Bennett in St. Paul’s—the award-winning journalist becomes a rare big-name MP for the Tories.
  • Justin Trudeau, Liberal MP for Papineau. Say what you will about the grandiloquent heir to Canada’s foremost political dynasty. (Just say it in both languages, please.) He took on a Bloc incumbent in a tough riding and won.

Happy trails…

  • Michael Fortier, Senator, Minister of International Trade. As far as democracy was concerned, he never really arrived. And now, the voters of Vaudreuil–Soulanges having handed him his hat, he’s gone.
  • Rahim Jaffer, Conservative MP for Edmonton–Strathcona. First elected at 26, Jaffer kept his nose relatively clean—give or take a prank phone call—for more than a decade. For his trouble, he loses his Alberta seat to the NDP. (Shudder.)
  • Peggy Nash, NDP MP for Parkdale–High Park. A strong constituency MP and a solid presence for the NDP in Ottawa, but the riding once again proves that, absent extenuating circumstances, it’s solid Liberal territory.
  • Garth Turner, Liberal MP for Halton and all-around pain in the ass. On the bright side, now he can say exactly what it is he wants to say with no regard to who it might impact.
  • Blair Wilson, Green MP for West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country. Having been turfed from the Liberals over various financial irregularities, Wilson became the Green Party’s first MP on August 30. On Tuesday, he placed a distant third. It was quite a ride.

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