Accusations of drunkenness in the House of Commons have escalated tensions among MPs, with allegations of disruptive behavior following a late-night vote on November 28.Blacklock's Reporter says New Democrat House Leader Peter Julian (New Westminster-Burnaby, B.C.) sparked controversy by accusing unnamed Conservative MPs of being “visibly drunk” during the session. “For the Whip to allow visibly drunk members of the Conservative caucus to come into this House of Commons and disrupt the proceedings in a drunk and disorderly fashion is absolutely unacceptable,” Julian told the Commons.Julian called for apologies from Conservative members, describing the events as “a sad evening in the history of our Parliament” and claiming there was “total disorder.” He alleged that while not all Conservatives were involved, some MPs had “very clearly consumed alcohol” before entering the chamber.“In no place is it acceptable to come to work having consumed alcohol, especially having consumed alcohol in excess,” said Julian, drawing from personal experience. “I’ve worked in factories, I’ve worked in an oil refinery, I’ve worked in breweries. In the oil refinery where I worked, if somebody had come to work drunk, they would have been summarily fired.”Conservatives swiftly denied the allegations. MP Tracy Gray (Kelowna-Lake Country, B.C.) dismissed the claims, noting some of those accused were abstinent. Gray recounted a heated moment during the session when New Democrat MP Lindsay Mathyssen (London-Fanshawe, Ont.) confronted her at her desk.“Members were telling her to calm down because her actions were obviously very inappropriate and unprofessional,” said Gray. “She lashed out and attacked many members, in fact saying they were intoxicated. This was to members who do not drink at all.”Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary Nose Hill) acknowledged heightened tensions in Parliament. “There is a lot of pressure in this place right now,” she said. “I understand the NDP and the Liberal government are facing a lot of heat from the Canadian people.”
