Reluctant Tory ‘forced’ to chair committee
• Liberals, with the support of a New Democrat, strong-armed an unwilling Conservative into chairing the House status of women committee Tuesday after they shot down the Tories’ first pick.
It is not the normal practice for a majority government to pick who gets positions reserved for the official opposition. Conservatives say the move is a sign of Liberal “intolerance.”
The status of women committee chair is always a member of the official opposition, according to House standing orders. But last week, Liberal MPs walked out of a committee meeting to protest the nomination of Conservative MP Rachael Harder, who is also the party’s status of women critic.
The dramatic move came after New Democrat critic Sheila Malcolmson raised concerns about Harder’s pro-life stance, and how that could affect her steering of a committee tasked with studying women’s issues, including reproductive rights. Women’s rights groups such as the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada backed Malcolmson and applauded Liberals for following suit.
Meanwhile, Conservatives rallied around Harder, saying her personal views wouldn’t preclude her from being able to do the job. So did pro-life groups, who argued many women in Canada disagree with abortion and having pro-choice views shouldn’t be a requirement for a parliamentary role.
So when the gavel came down Tuesday, Conservative MP Karen Vecchio nominated Harder again. Liberals asked for a vote, and, with Malcolmson’s support, knocked down the nomination. Instead, Liberal vicechair Pam Damoff moved Vecchio should be the chair.
“Although I appreciate the nomination, I would like to back down from that nomination, if possible,” Vecchio said. Procedurally, this would require the consent of the committee and she didn’t get it. Liberals and NDP voted together to make her the chair despite her own objections, and Vecchio quickly adjourned the meeting.
“For Justin Trudeau to say a Member of Parliament is unfit to hold a procedural position because she doesn’t agree with his personal position is ridiculous,” reads a joint statement released by Vecchio and Harder following the committee meeting.
“It’s disappointing that Justin Trudeau would act this way and his actions demonstrate the intolerance of the Liberal Party of Canada, which claims to value diversity.”
Still, the statement continues, “Conservatives accept the democratic will of the committee.”
The Liberals waited a week so Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer could “rethink his choice,” Damoff said after the meeting. Liberals require their MPs to take pro-choice stances in votes, while Conservatives allow their MPs to vote how they want on conscience issues.
Scheer had offered no indication last week he would back down. He told a CTV morning show on Friday he wasn’t sure why Harder’s nomination had become so controversial, and Liberals were being divisive.
Damoff admitted Liberals hadn’t asked Harder if she would feel comfortable representing the committee on, for example, transgender issues. But she explained why Liberals see Vecchio as a better option. Vecchio had previously stated in committee that she is pro-choice, Damoff said.
“I’m glad that Karen Vecchio has taken the chair,” Malcolmson said. “I feel more comfortable with her being the committee’s spokesperson and the arbiter of the committee’s business.”