The Conservative Party election position on vaccinations and whether or not their candidates should be vaccinated has come back to bite them as we get ready for Parliament to return.
This should have been expected. All their ducking, weaving, and avoiding the issue throughout the campaign was for nothing. But it did hurt O’Toole and the party as it was just one more issue that contributed to voter uneasiness with both the leader and the party. Coming as it did with the anti-vaxer protests and it was a guaranteed way to lose votes and more importantly trust.
The Board of Internal Economy for the House of Commons has decided that all MPS must be vaccinated to enter the parliamentary buildings. Surely the Conservatives must have expected this to happen. Surely, they aren’t dumb enough to expect that it wouldn’t.
The CPC will stand and fight on “Parliamentary Privilege.” Good issue, wrong fight.
Parliamentary privilege is important to protect, especially the ability of MPs to pursue issues, hold the government accountable etc. However, good luck to the party (that rarely has good communication skills) in explaining this one to voters, most of whom won’t care about the issue or who will shrug it off with a tough on them attitude. When your best defence is to try to explain complicated and dull parliament procedures- you have already lost the argument.
The Speaker needs to work out a way for a virtual swearing in and then for those not in compliance, continue to allow them to participate virtually- thus allowing them to continue to do their job.
I can see it now, just before the House of Commons returns, I expect some CPC unvaccinated MPs to arrive at the doors of the House of Commons demanding to be let in while TV cameras take it all in. A mariachi band won’t work with this one, perhaps bugles playing “charge”.
The only losers with this issue are the Conservatives- the Liberals, NDP, Bloc and Greens can sit back and enjoy watching this one unfold.
