Capital Chronicles

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Partying on the Hill

By: Mia Rabson

14/05/2009 2:29 PM | Comments: 0

Second-most quotable MP (SEAN KILPATRICK / CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES)

I am a little behind the (Hill) Times on this one since the survey was actually published about a month ago.

But I was reading the federal political inside baseball newspaper today looking for information on another MP I’m writing about and discovered two Manitoba MPs made the cut on the Hill Times annual informal survey of political staffers.

Merv Tweed, the MP for Brandon-Souris was voted the third-best party thrower on the hill.

Not surprising since people are still referencing the shindig he had the day of the Speaker’s election last fall.

The "hospitality suite" in fellow Manitoba Conservative MP Steven Fletcher’s office became quite the event, with MPs of all parties dropping in between voting rounds for, um, beverages and camaraderie. From what I was told, the longer the day went on, the more crowded the office became.

Tweed made it all the way to the final ballot in that race. I’d like to think that has more to do with his reputation for being a fair chair of the house transportation committee than his party throwing abilities, but it is hard for people not to like someone who knows how to have fun.

Also, Pat "dial-a-quote" Martin was voted as the second most quotable MP on the hill.

Only the Prime Minister himself bested Martin in the category.

Who can be surprised at that one either.

Martin is the one who once famously compared North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven to the North Korean dictator over Manitoba’s dispute with North Dakota over the Devil’s Lake outlet.

Or my more favourite recent quote of his about those scented aroma pods sent to every MP a few weeks ago to try and bring peace and tranquility to the Hill.

Martin said they stunk and were about as "welcome as a fart in church."

Yes. He does have a way with words.

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