Paul Wells in conversation with Brent Rathgeber

On Nov. 18, Maclean’s honoured the eighth annual Parliamentarians of the Year. Independent MP Brent Rathgeber was voted best constituency representative. Check out the rest of the winners.

There might not be anyone in the House of Commons more interesting to watch right now than Brent Rathgeber. Ideologically he remains a conservative, but since splitting with the Tory caucus in 2013 he has become an independent MP. His interventions and votes are no longer quite so predictable and he often publicly ruminates on issues. When the House voted to authorize a military mission in Iraq, he detailed his considerations on his website, including how conflicted he was before deciding to vote yes. “I think my constituents were satisfied with that vote, especially in light of the local interviews that I gave and the blog that I wrote,” he says. “At the end of the day, they appreciate that. I can provide a nuanced opinion and set out the many pros and the many cons and explain how I came to my decision. That’s what I really see as the advantage of being an Independent.”

— Aaron Wherry