It was patriotism that first inspired Eric St-Pierre to run in the recent federal election, and last week the rookie Liberal MP channelled those feelings into a literal run in honour of Canada Day.

But it wasn’t any old park run: the new MP for Honoré-Mercier, Que., ran a half-marathon route in the shape of a maple leaf.

“This run coincides with the rising of the House,” St-Pierre told Heard on the Hill by email on June 19. “This past month has been my first time in Parliament, and as the House is about to adjourn for the summer, I thought it would be a fun and symbolic gesture to run with Liberal caucus colleagues to show solidarity and demonstrate our pride and unity. It’s also important to maintain an active healthy lifestyle despite busy work schedules,” he said.

It was already 20 C and humid at 6:30 a.m. last Thursday when St-Pierre and a dozen fellow runners including Liberal MPs Yasir Naqvi, Greg Fergus, Adam van Koeverden, Shannon Miedema, and Karim Bardeesy as well as Nova Scotia ultra-marathoner Ryan Keeping laced up their running shoes in Ottawa’s Meadowvale Terrace Park, and ran the “particularly tricky” route which St-Pierre concedes involved “many detours” to make the shape work. 

Despite keeping a “modest pace” and stopping half way at the Canadian Museum of Nature to gather new participants, St-Pierre completed the 21.3-km route in two hours and 22 minutes.

“I love running because it also allows me to reflect on work,” he told HOH, noting that he’s an ultra-marathoner who’s been running distances longer than 42 km for over a decade. He also completed the half marathon at Ottawa’s race weekend on May 26. “I train regularly and this maple leaf run is a fun way to run with colleagues,” he explained.

“One of the reasons that I made the leap into politics was out of immense pride to help defend our country. With recent threats of annexation, I felt more proud than ever about being Canadian and decided to run the route of maple leaf in Ottawa to demonstrate my pride.”

NDP opts out of leadership review provision

NDP interim leader Don Davies announced that NDP MPs chose not to adopt the Reform Act clause that would support a leadership review.

In a June 18 statement saying he’s “deeply grateful” for the “unanimous” support from caucus to stay in his current role, Davies noted he and the other six NDP MPs voted “under section 49 of the Parliament of Canada Act—the so-called [Michael] Chong bill—so that I and my caucus colleagues could consider how we can be more accountable to each other,” he said, referring to the Conservative MP for Wellington–Halton Hills, Ont., who sponsored the original legislation.

“By majority vote, Caucus declined to adopt section 49.5 (1) to (3), regarding leadership review,” said Davies, but noted the majority of caucus did adopt sections 49.2 and 49.3, regarding expulsion and readmission of caucus members, and section 49.4, regarding election of caucus chair.

Retiring Senator Mégie praised for her health advocacy

ISG Senator Marie-Françoise Mégie was praised as a “a person of remarkable goodness and empathy,” “a staunch advocate for Canadians’ health” and for francophone language rights, and a role model for Black Canadians on June 17 in the Red Chamber.

Mégie’s 75th birthday—and mandatory retirement—will happen Sept. 21. 

Senators including Marc Gold—himself set to retire on June 30—ISG Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain, Senate Opposition Leader Leo Housakos, PSG Senator Amina Gerba, and CSG Senator Gigi Osler all praised the former physician and professor’s selfless work in the Red Chamber. Her sponsored bills have included Bill C-237, calling for the establishment of a national diabetes framework; and Bill S-209, which designated March 11 as Pandemic Observance Day—both of which received royal assent. She is also the sponsor of Bill S-201, An Act respecting a national framework on sickle cell disease, which is at second reading in the Senate. They also acknowledged her as the first Black woman to represent Quebec in the Senate’s stint as vice-chair of the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying.

Mégie responded to the tributes by asking Senators to grant her three wishes: 

“My first wish is for the movement to modernize the Senate, which has already begun, to get its momentum and fire back. My second wish is for the rearrangement of the committee meeting schedule, as proposed by Senator [Pierrette] Ringuette and the clerk of the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedure and the Rights of Parliament, to be reconsidered. My third wish is for the equality of our two official languages to evolve from a theoretical principle into a living and respected practice.”

Chief scientist Nemer gets honorary doctorate from Carleton

Canada’s chief scientist Mona Nemer received an honorary degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, from Carleton University at its June 18 commencement ceremony.

Nemer was recognized for “her international academic leadership in cardiovascular sciences and her work as a champion for Canadian science research. She is a leader in the area of molecular cardiology, discovering several genes essential for normal heart development and function,” Carleton posted on social media that day, noting that Nemer is “the current Chief Science Adviser to Canada’s Prime Minister, Minister of Industry and Cabinet.”

House Speaker celebrates Terry Fox Humanitarian Awards

House Speaker Francis Scarpallegia hosted the Terry Fox Humanitarian Awards (TFHA) in the Speaker’s Salon in West Block on June 17.

Conservative MP John Brassard and Liberal MP Hedy Fry were among the parliamentarians who joined in celebrating the 13 young people who’ve been recognized this year for sharing “the same values and goals that Terry Fox held, be it a passion for helping those in need or demonstrating perseverance in the face of adversity,” reads the press release.

Among the recipients is para-athlete Van Bernard from Nova Scotia, who fundraises for his local children’s hospital, and speaks regularly about accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity.

Charlotte Cardin, Diana Carney rub elbows at G7 reception

One of the less controversial guests that Prime Minister Mark Carney invited to last week’s G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., was Montreal singer-songwriter Charlotte Cardin who was reportedly hand-picked by Carney to perform, along with Indigenous artists and others, at the evening’s “Canadian Cultural Program” reception on the summit’s first day on June 16. Cardin sang and played the piano on the patio of the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, and later met French President Emmanuel Macron. Another cool Canadian woman spotted at the reception was the prime minster’s wife Diana Fox Carney sporting a white knitted shawl situation embroidered with a giant maple leaf and the words “Canada Strong” on the back.

cleadlay@hilltimes.com

The Hill Times