Tories accused of stifling debate

OTTAWA — Opposition MPS are fighting mad over what they say is an orchestrated campaign to stifle debate and to restrict House of Commons committee hearings by booting taxpayers and media out.

Efforts by the Conservatives to keep the public from learning what goes on behind closed doors is reaching a boiling point, MPS say.

Decorum during question period has been replaced with heckling and profane outbursts from MPS angry over what they perceive as the muzzling of free speech and their ineffectiveness on Parliament Hill as elected officials.

Some have even vented on social media to express their frustration at a government that campaigned on openness and transparency, with a lengthy record of berating previous governments for doing exactly the same thing.

“Conservatives are making a mockery of Parliament by systematically abusing the rules and forcing committees to conduct their business behind closed doors,” interim Liberal leader Bob Rae said Wednesday without acknowledging his own party’s history of using standing orders to invoke closure and hold incamera committee sessions.

The Prime Minister’s Office disputes the accusations.

“The Opposition is only interested in delay and obstruction. If they had their way, we’d never vote on anything,” said senior spokesman Andrew Macdougall, who added committees have gone incamera to address administrative files and whatever they decide to pursue will be open.

The NDP recently won a skirmish by getting the Conservatives to tackle the issue of when committees can lock the doors. Thematter will be addressed at the procedures and House affairs committee.

“We decided in-camera that we should examine when it’s appropriate to go incamera,” said Ndpwhip Chris Charlton.

The House is scheduled to debate standing orders Friday, including the use of in-camera sittings by committees and time allocation motions.

“It will give us an opportunity to raise in public our concerns with the current standing orders and how they are, in my view, being abused by the government,” said Charlton.