'Reprehensible' Cotler Rumours out of Speaker's Jurisdiction

Let the lies start flying!

Speaker of the House Andrew Scheer ruled that a Conservative party scheme of planting false rumours about Liberal MP Irwin Cotler planning to retire was "reprehensible," but ultimately fell outside his purview in the House of Commons. Scheer issued the ruling after Cotler lodged a complaint saying that the rumours negatively affected how he was able to carry out his job as representative of the Montreal riding of Mont Royal. Last month, after admitting that the a research firm connected to the Conservative party was behind the scheme, Tory House Leader Peter Van Loan defended the practice by saying it was covered by the freedom of speech. Scheer, a Conservative MP from Saskatchewan who was voted as Speaker in June, was of a decidedly different mind than his caucus colleague, saying he found the practice was "reprehensible." Scheer also found that the rumours didn't breach Cotler's privilege as an MP, but still, that a dude from your own party (even if he is the Speaker) is calling your own tactics "reprehensible" in such a public manner ought to be enough to put an end to such tactics. It probably won't but it ought to. In fact, we're half-expecting the false rumours to be even more widespread now that the Tories have essentially been given the go-ahead by the Speaker. Prove us wrong, guys.