The Backbench Top Ten

Our weekly, and wholly arbitrary, ranking of the ten most worthy, or at least entertaining, MPs, excluding the Prime Minister, cabinet members and party leaders. A celebration of all that is great and ridiculous about the House of Commons. Last week’s rankings appear in parentheses.

1. Jim Prentice (1)
At the risk of belabouring the point, here is a rough sketch of the precedents Mr. Prentice is now up against. Whatever the spasm of adulation that followed his exit, his chances for a successful return are slim.
2. Larry Miller (-)
Reportedly the steadfast conscience of the Conservative government. Though it’s difficult to know how much credence to give that report, given the press gallery’s well-noted agenda.
3. Maxime Bernier (2)
4. Michael Chong (3)
Mr. Chong’s motion on Question Period reform received its first day of committee hearings late last month: the transcript of which is here.
5. Keith Martin (-)
Which Al Pacino speech should inspire Mr. Martin‘s final address to Parliament: And Justice For All (“This whole trial’s out of order!”) or Scent of a Woman (“If I were half the man I was five years ago, I’d take a flamethrower to this place!”)?
6. Jack Harris (5)
7. Serge Menard (7)
8. James Rajotte (9)
9. Ken Dryden (10)
10. Bob Rae (-)
Another Liberal with a new book to his name. If nothing else, the official opposition is making good use of its time out of government.

Previous rankings: March 12. March 19. April 3. April 10. April 25. May 1. May 9. May 16. May 23. May 30. June 6. June 13. June 20. September 26. October 3. October 10. October 17. October 24. October 31. November 7.