MPs set aside conflicts, wish Layton well

SOURCE: WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
BYLINE: MIA RABSON

Midday Friday, the NDP scheduled a press conference for leader Jack Layton to discuss his "immediate future." Tweets flew fast and furiously about the possibilities. Jokes were rampant.

But then the real news hit and the humour stopped.

Layton had prostate cancer.

Layton was his usual affable self as he confidently said he would be staying on as NDP leader and not letting the cancer dictate his life.

"I'm a fighter," he said.

It was a brave response, a courageous public declaration that helps shine a light on the need for testing and early detection.

National politics is a crazy world of animosity and negativity where trust and true friendship are often in short supply.

But when one of your "own" is hit with bad news, it can stop everybody short, even if only momentarily.

With only one exception, the responses I saw to Layton's news were encouragement. Politicians of all stripes took off their coloured glasses and stepped up to wish him well. Many Canadians did as well.

For a brief moment, the political chill in the Ottawa air warmed considerably.It's unfortunate it takes a piece of bad news to do it.

MPs skip Olympics

Across the street from Parliament Hill, towering over a plaza with a statue of Terry Fox, a giant Olympic scoreboard has, since February 2008, been counting the days until the Olympics open in Vancouver.

On Friday, that clock will finally tick to zero.

Of course there won't likely be MPs there to see it happen since Parliament isn't sitting and most of them aren't even in the capital.

Are Manitoba's MPs taking advantage of the extra time away from the Hill to soak up some speedskating and get a look at the luge?

Not really.

All 14 Manitoba MPs were contacted by the Free Press last week to learn their Olympic plans.

Liberal Anita Neville and Conservatives Steven Fletcher and Rod Bruinooge are the only three to confirm they will be in Vancouver, though thus far none have tickets to any sporting events. Neville and Fletcher are attending Manitoba Day Feb. 25. Bruinooge is attending a Mtis cultural celebration.

Conservative MPs Joy Smith and Candice Hoeppner are not attending, nor are NDP MPs Pat Martin, Judy Wasylycia-Leis or Jim Maloway. An NDP spokesperson said she couldn't reach Niki Ashton to find out.

Manitoba regional minister Vic Toews' office said he is believed to be attending but wouldn't say for sure. Conservatives Shelly Glover, Merv Tweed, James Bezan and Inky Mark did not respond to messages left at their offices.

Toews' profile rises

Manitoba senior minister Vic Toews is already gleaning the benefit of getting a more public portfolio in cabinet. Although the treasury board job he held for three years is important, it isn't really the stuff which makes headlines. One of Toews' former spokespeople once said if it wasn't for local issues in Manitoba, Toews wouldn't get any media calls.

Between Sept. 1 and Jan. 19, Toews' issued just seven news releases as treasury board president. He matched that as public safety minister in 17 days.

Last Thursday, he even held the first scheduled media availability in the foyer outside the House of Commons that I can remember since I arrived in Ottawa two years ago.

I guess that's what happens when you go from departmental spending plans and civil service contract talks to drug seizures, terrorism and Olympic security.