I am told that yesterday we witnessed what was considered the most ruckus Question Period in recent history. Stephen Harper was shouted down by angry MPs as he was about to slander one of the most mild mannered MPs in the House.

It all started unraveling when Stéphane Dion questioned Stephen Harper about his move to undermine the independence of judiciary appointments. Mr. Harper ignored the question and started to read an article that was written in the Vancouver Sun that created some weak and distant links between one of our most respected colleagues, Navdeep Bains, and the investigation of Air India bombing. Harper started to imply that because of these tenuous links, the Liberal party was accommodating one of their MPs and decided to let the controversial anti-terror clauses sunset (for more info on the anti-terror debate, please read my article published in the Globe and Mail today included in this bulletin).

Harper once again showed us glimpses of his true nature. He has been trying to reinvent himself as a moderate and centrist leader but occasionally the mask slips off and we are treated to the good old Reformist Harper.

It was outrageous to see our Prime Minister display such an ugly and disgusting form of politics in his attempt to score political points. He had no hesitation to smear a respectable MP and his family to bully his critics.

The good news was that it backfired and exposed Harper and his dirty tricks. Now people can see exactly why many are opposed to extending these clauses without any additional safeguards. Such powerful tools can be used to cast shadow of suspicion and can be used in fishing expedition. That is exactly why the Liberal party is insisting on adding checks and balances and thanks to Harper our point was made stronger.

If it weren’t for Parliamentary privileges, Mr. Harper could be accused of libel. It’s not only because he wanted to read the article, it is because he was using that unsubstantiated and unconfirmed story as a means to imply that the Liberals and one of our MPs had abused their authority.

Whether it is his contempt towards our judicial system, our Charter of Rights and Freedoms or our tolerant principles and balanced policies, Stephen Harper is incapable of abandoning his neo- conservative blind ideology and is willing to use whatever means necessary to get his way.