Today across our chain, I single out eight MPs I thought were among the most impressive in 2010. You can read the column to find out what I liked about Jack Layton, Chris Warkentin, Ted Menzies, Peter Julian, Siobhan Coady, Claude Bachand, Bob Rae, and Thierry St.-Cyr
Unfortunately, I don't get assigned enough newsprint to include more names on that list. Fortunately, that's what the limitless space on a blog is for! So take that column, if you wouldn't mind, and consider this the second half of the piece:
- James Rajotte – As I was canvassing a few dozen MPs and other politicos yesterday, Rajotte was the most frequent Conservative MP to be mentioned as “most impressive”. Said one MP “James Rajotte is the best MP in any party not in cabinet and has been since 2006. There is likely not a person in Parliament or that reports on it that wouldn't approve of him being promoted.” Agreed.
- Candice Hoeppner – This Manitoba Conservative MP ended up at the centre of the long-gun registry storm as the sponsor of the private member's bill that would have killed the registry. The PMO — and many of her caucus colleagues — were impressed by the way she handled herself through that fractious debate. The buzz in Ottawa is that she will get serious consideration from Prime Minister Stephen Harper to be promoted from the backbenches to become Minister of State for the Status of Women, a portfolio currently held by Rona Ambrose in addition to her duties as public works minister.
- Michelle Simson and Scott Andrews: These two Liberal MPs decided not to wait for an all-party committee to let the Auditor General have a peek at the MP's expenses. They published their expenses on their own Web site, a popular move with voters and with the press but their common sense approach to this issue made some MPs nervous: Why aren't others doing what Simson and Andrews are doing?
- Dean Del Mastro – A very popular MP with his Conservative colleagues but seen by those on opposition benches as too much of a blind partisan. Still, this Peterborough, Ont. has made a name for himself on Parliament Hill and does, in fact, know when to check his partisan stripes at the door. His pet issue: Getting governments behind a high-speed rail network in the Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto corridor.
- Mark Holland – Says one MP “He has been a solid performer in the House and the PM gets really bothered every time he asks a question in the House.” I don't know if he's bothering the PM but he definitely gets under the skin of more than a few on the Tory side (Gary Goodyear, I'm lookin' at you).
- Ed Holder – Voters in the Ontario riding of London West first elected Holder in 2008. And though he's not flashy, he's become popular among all sides for his careful and patient committee work. He's also impossible not to like. His two favourite passions: Fine cigars and single-malt scotch. Ain't nuthin' wrong with that.
- Michael Chong – Many say he ought to run for Speaker unless he finds way back into Harper's good graces and can get back into cabinet. (He ran afoul of Harper for quitting cabinet on principle in 2006 over the “Quebec as a nation within a united Canada” motion.) In the news this year for attempts to bring some civility to the House of Commons and reform Question Period.
- Joe Comartin – The veteran NDP MP from Windsor, Ont. was thought to be the leading candidate to challenge Peter Milliken for the job of Speaker of the House of Commons, an indication he has broad support from all sides. Comartin, a former criminal lawyer, is one smart cookie and won admirerers in 2010 for his work on palliative and compassionate care.
- Greg Rickford – Conservative MP from northwestern Ontario seems to be able to get the PM to come to his riding whenever he wants And the Tories are happy to help Rickford who is leading Conservative organization efforts in a part of the province that has historically picked nothing but Liberal or Conservative candidates. A smart young player who might be tapped for something bigger somewhere down the road.
- Martha Hall Findlay – Whether by design or accident, this former Liberal leadership candidate has not been in the spotlight as much in the last year as she was in her first couple of years in Parliament. But she's bright, works hard on the files assigned her — she's got international trade right now — and, like most MPs on this list, has a good sense to know when it's right to turn up the partisan rhetoric and when it makes sense to turn it down to get stuff done.
- Megan Leslie – NDP MP from Halifax admired for her integrity.
- Don Davies – NDP MP from Vancouver admired for his candour and honesty.
- Bruce Stanton – Conservative MP that one opposition MP says is the most “decent” among the Tory backbenches.
And, finally a quick, some other MPs that caught my attention in a good way in 2010 and were also recommended by their peers when I asked around earlier this week for a list of the year's top performers: Conservatives: Scott Armstrong, Peter Braid, Ed Fast, Mike Lake, Kevin Sorenson Liberals: Brian Murphy, Mike Savage, Rob Oliphant, Lise Zarak, Alexandra Mendes, Dominic Leblanc, Glen Pearson, Kirsty Duncan, David McGuinty, Mark Eyking, Jean-Claude D'Amours. From the Bloc: Luc Malo; Nicole Demers From the NDP : David Christopherson, Wayne Marsden, Glenn Thibeault, Pat Martin, Nathan Cullen, Paul Dewar, Jack Harris