RON MACLEAN
So it’s me Ron MacLean here with Don Cherry on House of Commons Night in Canada. Tonight we’re talking about respect in the game of parliamentary democracy, and whether it’s in decline. Grapes, I know you’ve got strong feelings about respect, what’s your take?
DON CHERRY
Yeah, well there’s a difference between respect and playing patty cake. I’m big on respect, like you said, but that doesn’t mean parliamentary democracy isn’t a contact sport - because it is. And in any contact sport feelings are gonna run high, and there’s a certain amount of yapping that goes on as a result, but it’s all part of the game. There are limits, though.
RON MACLEAN
Such as?
DON CHERRY
Well, racist insults, like we heard about in the preseason in London, and unfortunately, have a long history. Calling names isn’t respect, like “chicken Swede.”
RON MACLEAN
What about the F-bomb?
DON CHERRY
Are we back to the F-35, for some reason?
RON MACLEAN
No, no. The F-word, like Pat Martin used about the Conservatives’ use of Closure.
DON CHERRY
I’m having trouble keeping up. I know Pat Martin’s a hot-head, but he told the Conservatives to fuck off in the House? The Speaker would never let him get away with that kind of stuff, I don’t care how far gone people think the Commons is.
RON MACLEAN
No, he was on Twitter.
DON CHERRY
He was where?
RON MACLEAN
Pat Martin was on Twitter and tweeted: “This is a fucking disgrace...closure again. And on the Budget! There's not a democracy in the world that would tolerate this jackboot shit.”
DON CHERRY
I feel like I’m missing a channel or something. Pat Martin didn’t say that in the House, did he?
RON MACLEAN
No, but he said it in a very public way, and the press were all over it.
DON CHERRY
You know, like you say, I’m all for respect, and I know Martin talks before he thinks, but I’m with him on this one. The fact he uses language that’s, ah...direct...doesn’t detract from the truth of what he says. Avoiding debate using closure again and again, that’s what shows no respect for your opponents or the game of parliamentary democracy. It’s like proroguing Parliament to avoid responsibility.
RON MACLEAN
But it’s not any way to talk if you’re setting an example for kids who are going to become Canadian citizens, and you want to give them role models for parliamentary behaviour...
DON CHERRY
Yeah, well, sure. But if I have to choose between bad language with honest commitment to Parliament, and smarmy PR language with contempt for Parliament, I’m on the side of bad language. Anyway, it’s not like people haven’t heard this kind of talk. I seem to recall the same sort of thing during the Men’s Olympic Gold Medal Game in 2010, when Ryan Getzlaf was having a discussion with Jack Johnson about a late hit on Corey Perry.
RON MACLEAN
I don’t recall that conversation...
DON CHERRY
Yeah, well it’s on the official game tape at the end of the first period if I remember correctly, and Getzlaf was suggesting to Jack Johnson appropriate respect had not been shown for the rules of the game, and I haven't heard anybody say Getzlaf set a bad example for kids....
RON MACLEAN
It doesn’t sound like what Martin was saying.
DON CHERRY
I think you’ll find the similarities are striking.
RON MACLEAN
So what do you think of the standard of debate in Canada’s House of Commons?
DON CHERRY
Well, I’m certainly cheesed off with what goes on in Question Period, I’ll tell you that, especially after watching the example of the British House of Commons like we were talking about in the summer. The Speaker there forces Ministers to answer the questions. Here, somebody asks a question and the Minister recites the talking points of the day that have nothing to do with whatever the question was about. That’s not parliamentary democracy - it’s got a stink of totalitarian hockey-bag about it. The Conservative Ministers are too chicken to stick their necks out and answer questions honestly.
RON MACLEAN
Your command of the language never ceases to amaze me, but something you're saying sounds familiar...
DON CHERRY
Some necks. Some chickens.
RON MACLEAN
OK, I know you’re giving me a hint, but let me think about it a minute...
DON CHERRY
It was from a speech in the House of Commons.
RON MACLEAN
Are you sure you got it right?
DON CHERRY
I’ll look it up for you.
RON MACLEAN
Thanks! We’ll pick it up there next time on House of Commons Night in Canada.
DON CHERRY
You know, I think I’m missing out on this Twitter thing.
RON MACLEAN
You are! Pat Martin told some other guy to eat his shorts.
DON CHERRY
Martin’s shorts, or the other guy’s?
RON MACLEAN
Martin’s.
DON CHERRY
Ya gotta love it....
