As we all know Jody Wilson-Raybould has always had a very high opinion of herself. So high in fact that some say she believes that she should be Prime Minister, not Justin Trudeau.
And who can forget how for months during the SNC "scandal," the Con media hung on her every word, made her look like a secular saint, and inflated her ego like a hot air balloon?
So naturally, she has a highly developed sense of entitlement.
But this is beyond belief.
Now even though she's just an independent MP, she wants an office fit for a minister!!!
Jody Wilson-Raybould is refusing to vacate the entire suite of Parliament Hill offices she was assigned as a cabinet minister, despite the fact that she is now an Independent MP and is no longer entitled to the space.
And although a real minister is waiting to occupy the office she's squatting in, she's not budging. And says she can't understand what the fuss is about.
"It seems a little bit petty to me," Wilson-Raybould told CBC News. "It makes no sense to remove me from my MP office. So I don't understand why they're wanting to do it."
Which is frankly bizarre, and could be hilarious, except that as Susan Delacourt points out, this is Canada, so this absurd office spat could get messy.
The mere suggestion of an Indigenous woman being ousted from her land (in this case, six rooms of office space) makes this whole drama somewhat freighted — and polarizing, just as the SNC story was. Once again, there are going to be people eager to portray Wilson-Raybould as a victim of white privilege in the political corridors of power.
There’s a complicating wrinkle to that story though: the minister who is supposed to move into Wilson-Raybould’s space is also Indigenous: Minister of Northern Affairs Dan Vandal, a newly elected Métis MP from Winnipeg.
Now I have no idea what Wilson-Raybould is trying to do, but she is certainly not doing her own cause any good.
On the contrary it's making a lot of Canadians wonder whether the way she is behaving helps explain the way she behaved during the SNC "scandal." Helps explain why Justin Trudeau was so glad to get rid of her. And has some even wondering whether she is losing her marbles.
So I'm just glad the new Speaker of the Commons is prepared to evict her if necessary
You know, I feel sorry for the new Speaker, he seems like a nice guy. And having to evict Wilson-Raybould, while her cult-like supporters scream "racism" or "white privilege" or throw things at him, would be a lousy way to start a new job.New Speaker says he'll evict Jody Wilson-Raybould if she doesn't leave willingly #cdnpoli https://t.co/HcQJR1bBOu pic.twitter.com/7SCG6e3Fot— Power & Politics (@PnPCBC) December 13, 2019
New Speaker says he'll evict Wilson-Raybould if she doesn't leave willingly https://t.co/YS6w1uH0Dh #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/vfY4gh0BH1— Memeditorialist (@ajhtweeting) December 14, 2019
But then I also feel just a little bit sorry for the entitled one. When she was a girl her father told Pierre Trudeau that she was going to be a prime minister just like him. And unfortunately she believed him.
So when the Con media tried to use her to get at Justin Trudeau, all those cameras must have made her feel like she had a date with destiny...
Starring in all those Con attack ads must have been quite a thrill.
And made her feel she was on a fast track to 24 Sussex Drive.
But sadly for her the fake scandal fizzled, the reporters and the cameras left, her good buddy Jane Philpott was defeated in the recent election.
So now poor Jody is sitting all alone in a corner of the Commons. Squatting in a big office that doesn't belong to her. And getting laughed at all over the country, including by many who once admired her.
Meanwhile, back at Jody Wilson-Raybould's office... #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/Jsptx46Yhb— Stephen Lautens (@stephenlautens) December 13, 2019
And I'm still wondering why? What is she doing?
And is she missing in action?
Oh well, one can only hope that this standoff will end peacefully.
And that Wilson-Raybould will finally understand that her daddy was wrong.
Finally understand that she will never be Prime Minister.
And that her day in the spotlight is finally over...
(FYI Simon, the link to the Delacourt story is broken.)
ReplyDeleteScheer out, the Cons in disarray, Kinsella discredited, Jane unemployed (and facing an ethics lecture of her own), and now Jody torching all that good will she built up with her lies. Justin Trudeau couldn't have asked for a happier new year (decade!), Christmas, or birthday present than this. It's practically cinematic, and I'm sure will make for an entertaining chapter in his memoir someday. Die Hard with a Vengeance. Yippie kai yay!
As Andrew Coyne said, congratulations to Justin Trudeau on his retirement. He made Christa Freeland Prime Minister in all but name. She now has all the power and responsiblity, he has the Job title, campaigning, and perks. I do not think Trudeau is going to run again, that is why he handed Christa all the power, to set her up as his unchallengable successor as Liberal Leader and it could work.
DeleteI mean she is literally inchange of almost everything.
Oh, look, an angry Dipper with Trudeau Derangement Syndrome gleefully high-fiving a bitter Con with deep-seated family issues. Not exactly proving horseshoe theory wrong, are you? FFS, you sound like those Bernie stans retweeting Ross Douthat.
DeleteFYI, I asked around on Reddit about this same concern at one of their most frequented progressive Canada subs, and the mods and some prolific posters were of the opinion that he listened to the voters and is delegating responsibilities to show off his team. The responses on #cdnpoli twitter weren't much more favorable towards Coyne's predictably cynical snark either. Yes, I know Rob Silver is married to Katie Telford, but he's right about the Ottawa bubble. Quito Maggi happens to be one of Canada's most capable pollsters, and he wasn't exactly impressed with Andrew's steaming pile of hot take either. Neither was Mark Bourrie, but he seems to have deleted his account.
https://twitter.com/padams29/status/1205841063711256576
https://twitter.com/RobSilver/status/1205881280665141257
https://twitter.com/quito_maggi/status/1205865058355548164
https://twitter.com/DavidHamer_1951/status/1205893926823104516
Aaron Wherry also has a different view on the role and so does Dale Smith. She is definitely being readied for a future leadership run, but not quite yet. Wherry is considered a "Trudeau insider" as he was trusted enough to work closely with Trudeau and the team in writing Promise & Peril, so I'd be more inclined to hear what he has to say.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/justin-trudeau-chrystia-freeland-mandate-1.5395513
https://www.routineproceedings.com/2019/12/14/roundup-mandate-letters-and-the-minister-for-everything/
A brief lesson on teamwork. Airplanes have co-pilots; successful sports teams have assistant coaches, and successful companies have CEOs and COOs. Mick had Keith; Bruce had Clarence; Jobs had Wozniak; and Moir had, well, Virtue. There is nothing in either of these articles about Chrystia displacing Trudeau. First he was criticized for not being a team player, and now he's being kicked to the curb because Superman and Wonder Woman are working in tandem. Christ, the guy can't catch a break. Maybe he should retreat to his Fortress of Solitude if this is the thanks he gets. Premature send-offs from partisan haters of all stripes, and a swamp of disgusting bile from the perverted Con peanut gallery about him sleeping with the secretary. I mean you do realize Pierre went from minority to majority in 1974, right? She's helping him to do exactly that. Key word: helping. Plus, the Wikipedia entry for Minister of Everything lists zero Canadian prime ministers. Chrystia might end up being the first, but if it does happen, it won't be right away.
Now, as for your personality drama. I really don't understand why you hate Justin Trudeau so much and want to see him gone. You've called him an extortionist because he pointed out the realities of electoral math. Why, because he stole the Dippers' thunder in 2015 and is ignoring your irrelevant hero Jagmeet? Maybe he thinks Chrystia can do Jag's job better because she actually realizes that you have to talk to the provinces to implement most of your shared agenda? Makes me wonder if you're really against the Liberal Party "on principle" or just another toxic Trudeau hater infecting the NDP. Shouldn't you be licking your wounds over the unceremonious demise of St. Jeremy?
I mean, it's Simon's blog, but I honestly don't know why he lets people such as yourself hang around here when all you bring is negativity. Go bitch about Trudeau at Tyee or Jacobin or wherever it is the radical red rose brigade hangs out these days. Predictions are hard, especially about the future.
Hi Jackie....Thanks, I fixed the link. That'll teach me to write a post while watching a Premier League football game. As for the Con and Jody story, as you point out it couldn't have had a more satisfying ending, with all the main characters thoroughly discredited, from Scheer to JWR to Kinsella. Who knew our side was so good? 😎
DeleteHi Gyor....when Dippers like you start quoting old Cons like Andrew Coyne the end can't be far off. It's true that Freeland has a lot on her plate, but that's only a sign of a confident leader. I'm sure Trudeau is grooming her as a future leader, but Justin's numbers are soaring and I'm pretty sure he'll lead the Liberals into the next election. Which means that he'll probably be around for at least another six years. Sorry....
DeleteUgh this story pissed me off too. She may very well be one of the most vain and entitled women in all of Canada. I kind of regret buying her book a few months back... I have yet to read it.
ReplyDelete-MC
Exchange it for store credit and buy Aaron Wherry's instead. Or either of Mme. Freeland's books, on the super-rich and the Russian super-rich. I have volume 1 of Justin's life story, but would like him to stick around awhile longer before he pens volume 2.
DeleteHi MC....the word entitled is overused, but in this case it fits perfectly. As I said in my post I don't know what JWR thinks she's doing. But I'm starting to think she's not playing with a full deck...
DeleteThe drama queen is at it again, Simon. She's trying to create relevance where none exists and will only garner further scorn for her pitiful, childish display. She knows her next office will be among the shittiest ones available not because it's her but because that's how they dole out office space. Independents get the leftovers so suck it up, princess. You ran Justice with a staff of me, myself and I and your incompetence left JT with no choice but to demote and ultimately let caucus show you the door. In this case, if the person wont fit, then takes a fit and squats in a snit, then it's time to evict.
ReplyDeleteJD
Hi JD....Yes drama queen is the right word. She obviously is a publicity hound and it seems will do anything to be back in the news. I see that some of her groupies are trying to defend her childish behaviour, but they too will be left looking like fools....
DeleteSo, just move five people into the 5 vacant rooms of her suite and give her the budget she deserves as an independent. There, fixed it for you.
ReplyDeleteShe is finding out that rather than be hailed and feted as an independent, she is being ignored. She may not serve her full term.
Wornout, Fife, Dizzy Lizzy, Calamity Jane, and... the other one. Or Charlie Anguish. They can all be crammed together in the bathroom or one of the broken elevators, and figure out a mystery whodunit of who farted. Or as I saw from a comment on Twitter, which I think makes perfect sense:
Delete"Why not just move her into a broom closet?"
Witch with a capital B.
"Oh, I'm melting, I'm melting, what a cruel, cruel world..."
What would she be doing if the conservatives "gasp" had won. The liberals have treated her with kid gloves for months. Why didnt they move Lametti in there immediately? Better check the place for listening devices first.
ReplyDeleteThe office is assigned to Dan Vandal who is Metis.
DeleteYes I had heard that. But I imagine this is one of the best offices reserved for the members with the most important portfolios in the victorious party. NOT HER! What office was he given instead?
DeleteHeather Mallick has an even funnier take.
ReplyDelete"By refusing to budge, JWR goes all Trump on us" LOL.
https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2019/12/13/by-refusing-to-budge-jody-wilson-raybould-goes-all-trump-on-us.html
just conformation there is karma
ReplyDeleteIts possible JWR thinks the stunt will bring attention to herself and first nation land claims in the Ottawa region but its more likely her Con confidents convinced her it was a good idea when in reality their purpose is to keep Trudeau, SNC, and how he is vengefully continuing to abuse a strong aboriginal woman. She really needs to ditch the Con influencers (hubby sponsored?)and think of how she can truly help her people, not the vulture inspired quick fix nation status complete with dreams of financial independence by scamming them into selling their resources to exploiters.
ReplyDeleteRT
I just have one more thing to say about the Freeland hot takes. All this "will they or won't they" media obsession on parsing Freeland's mandate letter as a predictive letter of resignation from Trudeau is, as usual, obscuring more important stories that could be found by parsing the other ministers' dynamic responsibilities. For instance, Bill Browder high-fived Trudeau for assigning Magnitsky Act responsibilities to the new Foreign Minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne, who is Freeland's successor at the post. Champagne and Harjit Sajjan will also be coordinating efforts to gain Canada a seat on the U.N. Security Council. Catherine McKenna is working with Jonathan Wilkinson to coordinate infrastructure and climate change. Think, green transit, and schools and housing retrofitted with green energy. Wilkinson will also be working with Sajjan and Bill Blair to address climate as a national security issue, and with McKenna, Carolyn Bennett, and Marc Miller to address climate through a lens of both reconciliation and FN bands' purchase of TMX. Patty Hajdu is being praised by families of autistic children in Ontario for a mandate to develop a national autism strategy. She is also working closely with Carla Qualtrough to improve disability inclusion in the workforce, and with David Lametti to craft a ban on conversion therapy. Lametti is working with Steven Guilbeault -- who is also working with Bennett and Miller to promote Indigenous contributions to the arts -- on a national anti-racism strategy that includes addressing hate speech online. You know, David Lametti, the actually competent MoJAG who succeeded the untamed shrew, she who must not be mentioned who is throwing a tantrum and refusing to leave her little girl room?
ReplyDeleteIt could easily be argued that Bill Morneau has just as much responsibility over every single file as Freeland, and is thus Trudeau's heir apparent, because he's responsible for ensuring that there's enough money in the bank to ensure all these projects get paid for! Yet for some reason, all the focus is on the woman, hmmm?
Before, I was legitimately worried, that maybe this was the beginning of the end for Trudeau, but now that I've had more time to think about it, I'm pissed at the media and feel stupid that I got duped even for a minute. This idiotic workplace drama that the media is attempting to create in order to prematurely shove out Trudeau and drive a wedge in the Liberal Party (most likely to distract from the Cons tearing each other apart) is obfuscating the greater picture: Trudeau's cabinet is a well-oiled machine with the kind of interdepartmental cooperation and coordination that rivals a Fortune 500 company. Cons must be jealous that he is effectively running government like a business, so they have to deflect with yet another Dolly Parton vs. Dabney Coleman gender-politics drama to take out the boss. Sound familiar?
I will only add that Warren Kinsella registered a domain name during the Thanksgiving holiday advocating for Freeland to immediately run for leader. So maybe it's time to take Coyne's fantasies and the increasingly pessimistic Chantal Hébert (he must be rubbing off on her after God knows how many years on At Issue) with a generous clump of salt. Or maybe it's time to just ignore the punditry altogether and let the government actually govern. They need to shut the fuck up with their manufactured Freeland and Trudeau soap-opera fanfic and let EVERYONE just do their damn job.
I'm sure there are cases where returning MPs keep the same offices despite changes in government because of the inconvenience of moving. A slightly better by some measure space could possibly wait for the next renovation or election. In this case it is a larger change in duties and responsibilities (and office space for those) from government cabinet to independent MP.
ReplyDeleteThis is just another example of JWRs annoying habit of pretending not to understand something, "I don't know why they are doing this". Just like in SNCL when she decided she does not need any legal advice. Or how could it possibly be wrong to secretly record phone conversations.