The most notable political tweets of 2013
Twitter has become such an important communications tool for politicians throughout the country.
This year, for example, the social media website was used by Stephen Harper to tell us about who is on his new cabinet; it was used by Mayor Naheed Nenshi during the Alberta floods and it was utilized by many politicos to offer condolences after the deaths of Margaret Thatcher and Nelson Mandela.
[ Year in Review 2013: Top 10 news stories ]
None of those communiques are on our list of most notable tweets of 2013, but these are.
1.) Liberal MP Gerry Byrne slams Pamela Anderson with STD tweet:
One of the most unfortunate tweets of the year is also one of the most recent.
Earlier this week, as explained by CBC News, Liberal MP Gerry Byrne chided Canadian-born actress Pamela Anderson for protesting the seal hunt and offering $1 million to sealers in St. John's to stop the practice.
To his credit, Byrne deleted the offending tweets, retracted his comments and wrote a long apology letter on his website.
2.) Justin Trudeau writes 'Just watch me' when asked if he can beat Stephen Harper:
For the most part, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has avoided evoking his father's memory.
During a a short flight in March, however, Trudeau did just that.
Michael Kydd (aka @kydder), had an encounter with Justin on a Porter Airline flight on Tuesday evening.
At one point, Kydder passed a written note to the Liberal front runner asking him: "Can you really beat Harper?"
Trudeau replied with: "Just watch me."
Sent this note to @justintrudeau on a plane just now. Cool response! #NSpoli twitter.com/Kydder/status/…
— Michael Kydd (@Kydder) March 20, 2013
"Just watch me" of course was the famous — or infamous depending on your point of view — line Pierre Trudeau used in October 1970 during the FLQ crisis in Quebec. When asked how far he would go with reducing civil liberties as part of his invocation of the War Measures Act, the senior Trudeau said: "Just watch me."
3.) Patrick Brazeau plays April Fools joke on the Canadian public:
On April Fools Day, the embattled senator took to Twitter with a series of peculiar tweets.
I will step down from my position!
— SenPatrickBrazeau (@TheBrazman) April 1, 2013
Official annoucement tomorrow at 10am.
— SenPatrickBrazeau (@TheBrazman) April 1, 2013
Several of Brazeau's followers questioned the sincerity of the tweets especially considering it was April 1st.
But would Brazeau do something so distasteful?
At about 11 p.m. (EST) that evening we had our answer.
Happy April's Fool's Day!
— SenPatrickBrazeau (@TheBrazman)
Brazeau apologized the next day and deleted the tweets.
4.) Jason Kenney goes after David Suzuki:
During a Canada Day interview, published in French newsmagazine L’Express, envrionmentalist David Suzuki lauded Canada's multicultural harmony but also said that our immigration policy is "crazy." He said Canada is "full."
Suzuki's comments angered then-immigration minister Jason Kenney.
He took to Twitter to voice his displeasure:
Disappointed w/ David Suzuki's stridently anti-immigration views.He calls immigration "crazy" because Canada's "full" http://t.co/Ks5aYEynzX
— Jason Kenney (@kenneyjason) July 10, 2013
Suzuki's views are toxic & irresponsible: "Canada is full. Our immigration policy is sickening. Its crazy. There's no more room in Canada. — Jason Kenney (@kenneyjason) July 10, 2013
And then, Kenney took a shot at the media
There has been no media coverage of D Suzuki's extreme anti-immigration views.What would happen if a prominent conservative said same thing?
— Jason Kenney (@kenneyjason) July 11, 2013
5.) Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi asks Sun News Ezra Levant when he stopped beating his wife:
This had to have been one of the most epic Twitter battles — politics or otherwise — in 2013 in Canada.
The impetus of the verbal barbs was an Ezra Levant article published in Sun News, titled "Calgary's Naheed Nenshi continues to abuse his city's taxpayers."
In the article, Levant reported that the City of Calgary — with the support of Nenshi — gave $340,000 to "an anti-oilsands lobby group called the Pembina Institute."
Things got a little nasty between the two former classmates:
When did you stop beating your wife? RT @ezralevant: @nenshi Pembina staff are working on your election campaign, or have donated to you?
— Naheed Nenshi (@nenshi) September 8, 2013
The term "when did you stop beating your wife" is, of course, often used as a retort when one asks a loaded question with a false presumption.
Levant, however, didn't like that reference.
I've never beat my wife, or anyone. But do let me know if your "personal life" is fair game. “@nenshi: When did you stop beating your wife? — Ezra Levant (@ezralevant) September 8, 2013
This is how Mayor Transparency answers a question about unreported lobbying “@nenshi: When did you stop beating your wife? RT @ezralevant...
— Ezra Levant (@ezralevant) September 8, 2013
Violence against women is funny to you? “@nenshi: Ezra you well know that that's a cliche used to expos gotcha questions. More fake outrage? — Ezra Levant (@ezralevant) September 8, 2013
Do you think if Rob Ford replied to a journo with @nenshi's "do you beat your wife?", that he could get away without an apology? #vicious — Ezra Levant (@ezralevant) September 8, 2013
6.) Justin Trudeau apologizes for comparing politicians to used car salesmen:
In September, Justin Trudeau was making the case for more political transparency when he said that politicians "now ranked below used car salesmen and journalists on the list of trust of professions."
[ Year in Review 2013: Top 10 Canadian Political and Economic Stories ]
Warren N. Barnard, of the Used Car Dealers Association of Ontario, took umbrage to Trudeau's comments and penned this open letter to him.
Trudeau apologized on Twitter:
Sorry @AutoDriveCanada, poor choice of comparisons. I respect the hard work you all do and thanks for doing it. #sorryforcomparingyoutoEzra — Justin Trudeau, MP (@JustinTrudeau) September 19, 2013
7.) PM's office evacuated because of suspicious package, NDP MP tweets joke about it:
It was a tense morning in October when RCMP evacuated the Langevin Block, — which houses the offices of the Privy Council and Prime Minister Stephen — because of a suspicious package.
NDP MP Don Davis, however, wasn't concerned. He tweeted this:
RT @DonDavies: Reports of suspicious man and package in PMO office - that's Harper and a speech claiming to support consumers! #cdnpoli...
— Laura Payton (@laura_payton) October 16, 2013
Davis later apologized.
8.) Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird laughs-off his "school girl" shriek:
In October, Postmedia News' Glen McGregor posted this video of Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird screaming at an off-camera loud noise during a press conference.
Baird took to Twitter to laugh off the...ahem..controversy.
And some accuse me of being a bull in a china shop...I beg to differ! http://t.co/kUkPBqPvsV: Thanks @OttawaCitizen !
— John Baird (@HonJohnBaird) October 22, 2013
I thank everyone for their concern, and I assure you I was able to calm down the giddy school-girl who shrieked off-camera afterwards. — John Baird (@HonJohnBaird) October 22, 2013
9.) Picture of Thomas Mulcair laughing at Stephen Harper during QP goes viral:
This tweet wasn't from a politician but was re-tweeted by several NDP MPs.
I don't think this picture went viral enough. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/9XJ6pj3m7K
— Allison Sparling (@Allisomething) October 29, 2013
The picture perfectly encapsulated the mood of Question Period over the past year.
The NDP leader has — for the most part — been scoring points, getting the better of Harper grilling him with short poignant questions about the ongoing Senate expense scandal that has engulfed the government.
10.) Suspended Senator Patrick Brazeau takes to Twitter to look for a job:
Not having a salary or entitled to a pension, suspended Senator Patrick Brazeau took to Twitter in November, to look for a new job.
My CV:Senator of Canada,Nat't Chief of CAP, Canadian Armed Forces, many other Honourable jobs. I'm 4 hire b/c Harper suspended me! #cdnpoli
— SenPatrickBrazeau (@TheBrazman) November 29, 2013
I'm just looking for honest work. #PMSH punished me for that. Check the #Deloitte audit regarding me. #cdnpoli #CPC #LPC #NDP others! — SenPatrickBrazeau (@TheBrazman) November 29, 2013
Chapter 1-I lost my job because I was supposed to protect Duffy. Chapter 2- I made a mistake to trust Steve Harper. Chapter 3-not there yet.
— SenPatrickBrazeau (@TheBrazman) November 29, 2013
Lo and behold, it worked. "Pat Brazeau" is now a journalist for Frank Magazine.
Are you a politics junkie?
Follow @politicalpoints on Twitter!