Angry in the Great White North

Consider this exchange in Question Period. Mr. Kenney of the opposition Conservatives should be commended for quick thinking on his feet to throw out this zinger.

Now look at what our governing party offers, in person of our Prime Minister no less:

Hon. Stephen Harper (Leader of the Opposition, CPC): Mr. Speaker, these answers by the Prime Minister are simply not factually correct. Here is what the Prime Minister is doing. He had an exchange of letters, call it what they will, behind Justice Gomery's back. Justice Gomery was not even informed about this. It was contrary to the undertaking the Attorney General had made.

Now Justice Gomery is demanding, in his correspondence of June 6, very specific action by the government. Is the government willing to take that action or is it going to continue to work hand in hand with Chretien's lawyers?

Right Hon. Paul Martin (Prime Minister, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have now answered the hon. member's questions twice, but I would like to raise another issue. The deputy leader of the Conservative Party has said that the Leader of the Opposition is going to spend this summer on the barbecue circuit. I understand the dangers of the barbecue circuit and I would therefore like to table this document for the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition this summer. It is a document called The South Beach Diet.

Mr. Vic Toews (Provencher, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I do not think Canadians are impressed by that kind of answer.

Mr. Toews is right. I'm certainly not impressed.

How pathetic is this? Did Paul Martin think up this line last night, then spend the day waiting for the moment when, in a stunning non sequitur, he launches it on a confused Stephen Harper, who is still scratching his head and wondering, "Did the Prime Minister just call me fat when I asked him about the Sponsorship Inquiry? What the hell is wrong with that guy? Is he in grade 3 or something?"