The House of Commons reconvened Monday morning with a subdued opening tribute to late NDP leader Jack Layton. Prime Minister Stephen Harper led his Parliamentary colleagues in recognizing the highly respected and dedicated politician.
It was a fitting send-off for a man who longed for fellowship and harmony - and it may just be the last time there's agreement on the floor for some time to come.
The Conservatives are ruling as a majority party for the first time in five years, and the party isn't exactly known for its conciliatory tone (what party is in today's hostile climate?).
As luck would have it, Prince George is on the winning side - good thing because neither local MP seems poised to leverage much power for the benefit of their ridings.
Neither longtime MP Dick Harris nor newbie Bob Zimmer are holding many cards within their own party.
Harris doesn't seem to aspire to more than being there for the party when his vote is needed. And Zimmer may yet show himself to be a good politician, but you can bet he won't be getting an important portfolio anytime soon. He currently sits on the Agriculture and Agri-Food Standing Committee.
But with NDP MP Nathan Cullen considering a run for the party's leadership, our neck of the woods may be about to receive a bit of a boost in profile.
Cullen has earned respect among his peers as an outspoken, no-nonsense politician - it got him a spot as chair of the House of Commons standing committee on access to information, privacy and ethics.
That's the good news in the possibility the Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP may become Opposition Leader.
But with or without the backing to become Opposition Leader, Cullen will have his hands full.
In just one of his David and Goliath battles, Cullen opposes the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline and calls for a ban on oil tanker traffic along the northern coast of B.C.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives are clearly keen on Enbridge and on oil sands production and not so concerned over the environment.
In fact the government just announced hundreds of jobs cut from Environment Canada, including meteorologists, scientists and chemist, totalling 11 per cent of the department's workforce.
And with the party's reputation as single-minded and unyielding, outsiders aren't exactly expecting their newfound powers to come with a new era of co-operation.
So if you enjoyed last season's raging debates (who can forget the filibuster, confidence vote, Throne Speech), you won't want to miss the new season of The Parliamentarians.
It's truly history in the making.
-- Prince George Citizen
