The Price Of Powerlessness

Pierre Trudeau once quipped that MPs are nobodies 100 yards off the Hill. Once their party falls out of power, however, they're nobodies even when they're still on the Hill:

The MP who spoke most often to the media about Canadians abroad said he was frustrated about being left “out of the loop” regarding a videotape featuring Canadian hostages in Iraq.

Dan McTeague blamed the transition to the new Conservative government.

Mr. McTeague, the Liberal parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said he officially lost his title on election night and learned about the new video of the hostages only when he turned on his television Saturday morning.

When contacted for information about the case, he said he was “out of the loop, regrettably” and “I have no formal role as a result of the election.”

Yes, Dan, but what about the hostages? You just became history, but they aren't.

Source: Globe & Mail