Instead of debating the economy, health care, or how they could better serve their constituents, 12 MPs took time out of their busy schedules to discuss how they looked on television.
Last Tuesday, the House Affairs Committee convened to look at broadcasting guidelines in light of complaints by Members that guidelines respecting the broadcasting of the Chamber had not been complied with recently.
The complaints were no doubt instigated after several MPs were recently caught on camera doing embarrassing things.
Who could forget the widely viewed YouTube video in November, showing Conservative MP Rob Anders falling asleep during question period in the House of Commons?
And earlier this month, NDP MP Jonathan Genest-Jourdain was caught on video while checking out his hair on his iPhone, and then falling asleep as his NDP colleague addressed parliament.
But instead of addressing the root problem of unprofessional conduct in the House, MPs appear to want to hide from taxpayers.
As reported in the Hill Times, several MPs at the committee meeting called for new measures that would mitigate any future embarrassments.
Conservative MP Tom Lukiwski complained about wide angle camera shots:
"It seemed that the wide-angle shots were being employed a little more frequently than just in [Question Period] and votes; where if a single Member's standing up to debate and there's a bunch of empty chairs around him, there's a wide angle shot that illustrates that," Lukie
"I think that kind of concerns a lot of Members. That if that was happening, it doesn't look good frankly for Parliament."
In post-meeting interview with the Hill Times, Lukiwski also threw his support behind his colleague Harold Albrecht's idea of adding a red light to the cameras so that MPs know which camera was being used.
"Several people have said that, yeah, they would find it a better environment if they knew when— and that's all I'm saying—they just would like to know when they're going to be on camera."
So, what exactly are MPs doing when they're not on camera?
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