NDP motion on bulk water exports passes

NDP trade critic Peter Julian sent this e-mail out today:

From: Julian, Peter - M.P.
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2007 3:08 PM
Subject: House of Commons passes Motion against bulk-water exports

Dear friends,

As a quick update I wanted to let you know that the Motion on preventing bulk water exports that was brought to the House of Commons as a result of the NDP hearings on deep integration at the Standing Committee on International Trade passed last night in Parliament by a vote of 134 to 108, with all Conservatives voting against and with a couple of dozen Liberal MPs either absent or abstaining. All New Democrats voted in favour of this motion.

Not to distract from the NDP's accomplishment, but that last part about Liberals being "absent or abstaining" is interesting. Turns out that 44 Liberal MPs are recorded as being absent for the vote. That's nearly half of their caucus!

Sure, there are a lot of demands on an MP's time but in a minority parliament, one or two missing MPs can be the difference between our water staying in Canada or being exported to Malaysia to be turned into that weird goo inside a Magic 8 Ball. Come on, the vote was an HOUR before the hockey game started!

A part-time job with a full-time salary. Well done, Liberal MPs.