The Hill Times' 12th Annual All Politics Poll, Updated The Best and Worst of Politics in 2008 By HARRIS MACLEOD, CYNTHIA MÜNSTER Published December 1, 2008

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OTTAWA— The Hill Times 12^th Annual All Politics Poll seeks to dissect the best, and the worst of federal politics in 2008, but while the year may be winding down the political and constitutional soap opera on Parliament Hill is still unfolding on overdrive. One hundred politicos took part in this year's poll, with 40 Conservatives, 39 Liberals, 11 NDP, two Bloc Québécois, and eight academics weighing in on who were the big winners and losers of 2008, but as everyone knows that is a question that is yet to be answered. The Hill Times emailed all 308 MPs' offices. The survey was conducted between Oct. 27 to Nov. 24 by email, telephone, on-line, and in-person.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was voted most valuable politician, however if the man voted least valuable politician, Stéphane Dion, manages to toss Mr. Harper out of 24 Sussex Dr. then Mr. Harper's M.V.P. title might look a bit ironic. Then again, if Mr. Harper prorogues Parliament and delivers one helluva good budget in January then he will surely be in the running for Best Political Comeback of 2009, an honour Liberal Bob Rae garnered this year.

Whatever happens, all politicos can agree that a year in which Canadians were introduced to a pooping puffin, a loose-lipped biker chick and, perhaps still to come, NDP Cabinet ministers, will be one for the history books.

Who was this year's most valuable politician? Stephen Harper

Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) was, yet again this year, named by respondents from all parties as the year's 'Most Valuable Politician.' Mr. Harper earned kudos for successfully navigating his way through a dicey election campaign of pooping puffins, a tanking economy, and emerged with an increased minority government. "It's the first time since Brian Mulroney that the Tories have won consecutive elections. He becomes ... the fifth Tory leader to have won back-to-back elections, after MacDonald, Borden, Diefenbaker, and Mulroney, so he is the fifth of all time to do that. And when the momentum was negative during the course of the campaign he helped turn it around, so he proved himself to be an effective campaigner," said Conservative commentator Bob Plamondon.

After Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's sucker-punch economic update on Nov. 27, however, political watchers are re-evaluating Mr. Harper's judgment. The Prime Minister moved the confidence vote that was scheduled for Monday forward by one week, and backed down on many of the divisive measures that enraged the opposition parties, however it looks like that will not be enough to stave off the opposition's blood lust to see the Conservatives banished to the opposition benches. As things stand, Mr. Harper's options appear to be either proroguing Parliament, or switching residences with Mr. Dion.

Who was the least valuable politician? Stéphane Dion

Dubbed by Conservative ads "Not a Leader," Stéphane Dion (Saint Laurent-Cartierville, Que.) was voted by partisans of all parties as the 'Least Valuable Politician' of 2008 in federal politics. The Liberal leader has had a tough go this year and as coalition speculation heats up he is finding himself in a strange situation, having lost the election and resigned as the Liberal leader but still with a shot of having the keys to 24 Sussex handed over to him in the near future.

Mr. Dion may not, after all go down in Canadian history as the second Grit leader (after Edward Blake, 101 years ago) who did not get to attach Right Honorouble to his name.

Trailing behind the leader whose days on the job are counted is no longer foreign affairs minister Maxime Bernier (Beauce, Que.), who as Mr. Plamondon puts it, "gave us one of the juiciest scandals of the year."

Which public figure do you wish had run in the last election? Frank McKenna

He's never been a federal politician, and it's been over a decade since he's held elected office, but former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna was the public figure whose name Hillites would most like to have seen on the ballot in the last election. As in 2006, in the lead up to the last Liberal leadership race, Mr. McKenna recently had to issue a statement to the media saying that he would rather keep on being deputy chair of TD Bank and a grandpa than rebuild the federal Liberal Party (understandable).

Who is your favourite up and comer? Justin Trudeau

Riding on a wave of popularity over his big-name father and famous good looks, newly-elected Liberal Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.), 36, is the only MP from the 2008 crop to make it to this year's "Favourite Up and Comer" list. Although there are many stars in this new group, they haven't had a chance yet to widely display their Parliamentary skills.

As political pundit Robin Sears puts it, to rank well in the HT poll, visibility matters.

"I think that raises the issue of sex appeal, I suspect there may be on the part of the staffers a little bit more honesty on that front as well, than among the Members of Parliament, who wouldn't like to admit that somebody else had more sex appeal than they did," said Mr. Sears, adding that Mr. Trudeau's Parliamentary performance is clearly not the basis for the respondents' preference.

Mr. Trudeau, said he is "very flattered to be seen as an up and comer" and said he knows runner-up James Moore (Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam, B.C.), 32, "a little bit" and has "always been impressed by his commitment to his ideals."

Mr. Moore, the newly-minted Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages ranked second in the 'Favourite Up and Comer' category. Mr. Moore is a tall, young presence who has been raising through the ranks in his own caucus since he first got elected in 2000.

5. Who made the biggest political comeback of the year? Bob Rae

As he himself puts it, Bob Rae has been making a comeback for a while, this year Mr. Rae's (Toronto Centre, On.) standing as the 'Biggest Political Comeback' goes unchallenged for the third year in a row.

"I've been a rising star in five decades I guess and this is sort of a curious phenomenon but I'm still there, so that's good," he said.

Mr. Rae, whose career some may remember, includes the NDP premiership of Ontario, previous to which he, as the provincial leader of the NDP was part of a Liberal NDP coalition is now seeking the Liberal leadership for the second time and may be a key player in the making of a federal Liberal-NDP coalition, either by helping make it happen or he may become a big stone on the road through his NDP credentials (party stalwarts are said not to be fond of his current incarnation) and possibly his and his supporters' opposition to simply appointing Michael Ignatieff to the top job.

Second on the poll is a tie between Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe (Laurier-Sainte Marie, Que.) and Stockwell Day (Okanagan-Coquihalla, B.C.). Mr. Duceppe is the newcomer to this category. The son of a comedian, Mr. Duceppe showed his resilience, gained the praise and support of Margaret Atwood and surprised some observers who were crossing him and his party off as irrelevant in the new Quebec. If a coalition between the opposition parties solidifies, it will be because the Bloc agrees to support it so Mr. Duceppe may become the unlikely 'kingmaker.' Mr. Day, the former Alliance leader and current minister of International Trade, impressed respondents as minister of Public Safety, a position he held until the elections in October, this was his third time featuring in this category.

6. Who is the political figure you'd most like to see make a comeback? Paul Martin

There wasn't a great amount of consensus on which political figure people would most like to see back in the Parliament Hill saddle, however, former prime minister Paul Martin emerged with the most votes. Former deputy prime minister Sheila Copps wrote in a recent Hill Times column, Copps' Corner, that there is a "draft Martin" movement afoot, yet while Mr. Martin's deficit-slaying skills might come in handy right about now, the chances of him throwing his hat into the ring are slim to none. In an oddly prescient turn, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion came in second place. Although those that voted for him here could not have possibly envisioned the current political quandary that is unfolding, as the coalition talks gain momentum and credibility it is said that Mr. Dion is walking with a spring in his step again.

7. What issue have politicians most shamelessly exploited for political gain? Environment

Almost as if reading from election talking points and platforms (the Green Shift, anybody?) the environment tops this list, green is here to stay it would seem, at least as far as the politics of promises go. Crime and justice issues came in second, followed by the ominous, looming economy. Some respondents also thought the Afghanistan mission was used for partisan reasons, however, what with it being declared over by 2011, it became less of rich, emotional issue to exploit long-held beliefs.

8. What is the most important issue facing the country? Economic crisis

There was one answer to that question and even the wording varied little. The global economic downturn and how Canada's own financial system fares in it seems to be everybody's major concern. In these difficult days, even mentioning NAFTA and its possible renegotiation in casual conversation makes people a bit antsy.

After Mr. Flaherty's economic update plunged the country into political chaos, the economy is still the big issue but now Canadians could soon be asking themselves whether the Conservatives steady-as-she-goes approach is the right one, or whether a coalition government, which the Tories are calling the union of "socialists and separatists," have what it takes to get the economy back on track.

9. What is the most important issue that politicians aren't addressing? Environment

The environment is again No. 1 in this category. Maybe that's why PM Harper appointed Jim Prentice (see questions 15 and 17) to the gargantuan task of minister of the Environment.

10. Which political promise is least likely to be kept? No deficit

Respondents overwhelmingly picked Stephen Harper's pledge not to run a deficit as the promise least likely to be kept, and judging from what economists and Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page have been saying, the Prime Minister would have been better off promising a four-year program to phase out rainy days. Mr. Harper, an economist himself, most likely knew when he was making the promise that it wasn't one he could keep, the question now is whether he can survive the endless barrage of TV clips of him making the promise that is surely soon to come as we head into deficit territory.

Since last week, when many Canadians were introduced to the concept of a coalition government for the first time, there has been some speculation that Mr. Harper is trying to engineer is own defeat, and thereby let the Liberal-NDP coalition government wear the blame for a deficit. Anything is possible, but after the Conservatives backed down from many of the controversial measures contained in the economic update, and may prorogue Parliament, the argument that this is all part of the Prime Minister's plan is looking less and less likely.

11. What was the best political book of the year? Hell or High Water: My Life In And Out of Politics

Former prime minister Paul Martin's autobiography, Hell or High Water: My Life In And Out of Politics, was chosen as the best political book of the year. The low number of respondents in this category, however, indicated that people on the Hill aren't very avid readers, or they're reaching for something other than political books. Jean Chrétien's My Years as Prime Minister came in second, even though it came out last year, and Julie Couillard's My Story (which respondents indicated was more of a tongue in check choice) tied with Brian Mulroney's Memoirs (also from last year) for third place.

12. Who is your favourite talking head? Chantal Hébert and Mike Duffy

They say two heads are better than one, and this year the title of best talking head was a tie between Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hébert and CTV's Mike Duffy. Ms. Hébert, who came second to Mr. Duffy in last year's poll, said she is "totally honoured" and that sharing the prize with Mr. Duffy is "even more of an honour."

Ms. Hébert, who said she doesn't watch political panels herself, is, along with Maclean's Andrew Coyne and pollster Allan Gregg, part of CBC The National's At Issue Panel, which is one of the most-watched political panels in the country. She said she has fun doing the panel, and that host Peter Mansbridge deserves a lot of the credit for keeping things interesting. "I think he is the one who actually makes the panel look good; he drives that panel, we don't. At the end of the day it's the mix that makes it interesting. What I do like about that panel is that you never know what anybody else is going to say."

Ms. Hébert, who made clear to The Hill Times that she is a "journalist" and not a "pundit," also offers her sharp political analysis in French. She is the person who has been on Radio-Canada's Tout le monde en parle, one of the most-watched talk shows in Quebec, the most times and she said she now has a "pass card" to go on the show whenever she wants.

Respondents praised Ms. Hébert for her apt analysis, and objectivity. "If you would ask me the person I learn the most from, or I am often forced to challenge my own prejudice or assumption, among all the pundits, Chantal is No. 1 consistently and many people I know feel that way," said political pundit Robin Sears.

Many respondents who voted for Mr. Duffy, who after 35 years on the Hill is the longest-serving member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, cited his affability as the factor that makes him the best talking head. "Duffy I think is a different phenomenon, it's because everybody likes him...I don't know anybody who has a harsh word to say about Mike. He goes out of his way not to be tough and mean," said Mr. Sears.

Which talking head would you most like to silence? Mike Duffy

13. CTV NewsNet's Mike Duffy may be beloved by most, but many Liberals were not happy with him this year and, for this reason, he ranked far ahead (or is it behind?) in this category. The host of the supper-hour Mike Duffy Live, which broadcasts from the foyer of the House of Commons and features panels of politicians, journalists, and commentators, was accused by many respondents of favouring the Conservatives in the last election campaign. Interestingly, the bulk of his votes for the previous category of best talking head came from Conservative respondents.

Mr. Duffy found himself in an awkward on-air situation when, during the election campaign, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May accused him of asking Defence Minister Peter MacKay a loaded question that attempted to portray her as "out to lunch." Mr. Duffy said that Ms. May wants to abolish NAFTA, however, Ms. May said she clearly called for a renegotiation of the trade agreement and that the way Mr. Duffy framed the question was "a significant violation of journalistic ethics."

Mr. Duffy told The Hill Times that his 35 years on the Hill have taught him that you can't please everyone. "I think it's very simple, you can't please everybody all the time. I still enjoy what I do, I'm the longest-serving active member of the Press Gallery, and I love coming to work every day. I love politics and I love most politicians."

14. Which former prime minister do you most admire? Pierre Trudeau

Canada was hit by Trudeaumania 40 years ago, and in 2008 many Canadians (on the Hill and beyond) are still transfixed by Canada's JFK. Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who last lived in 24 Sussex Drive in 1984, has come out on top as the former prime minister that respondents most admire for the entire history of the poll.

Many Hill folk, particularly Liberal ones, are hoping that the arrival of Mr. Trudeau's son, Justin, to the House will be a kind of second coming and the Liberal Party fortunes will rise in tandem with the young(ish) Mr. Trudeau's.

15. Who was the best Cabinet minister in 2008? Jim Prentice

Newly-minted Environment Minister Jim Prentice was voted best Cabinet minister for the second year in a row with respondents again praising him for his understated competence and many singling him out as a future leader of the Conservative Party. "That will make him a little nervous I expect...nobody likes to be an object of envy among their colleagues, you get in trouble that way," said political pundit Robin Sears.

Indeed, since the coalition government question exploded onto the scene a website has popped up called 'conservativesforprentice.blogspot.com' for a movement to draft Mr. Prentice to replace Mr. Harper as leader of the Conservative Party. Mr. Prentice ran for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party in 2003 but finished second behind Peter MacKay. Being minister of the Environment may be the Tory golden boy's biggest test yet, however, and after the new Cabinet was sworn in on Oct. 30 there was much speculation about whether or not the move was a demotion, intended to nip any leadership aspirations Mr. Prentice may have in the bud.

Mr. Prentice's predecessors in the environment portfolio, Rona Ambrose and then John Baird, were both subjected to harsh criticism for their entire tenures, and the environment is seen as one of the Harper government's weakest flanks. On the flip side, however, the government's stated intention to engage U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on a North American carbon-trading regime could signal increased prominence for the environment portfolio, but only time will tell.

As for Mr. Prentice, he is modest about his enduring reputation as the best Cabinet minister. "It's a team sport and so I'm pleased to do whatever I can do as part of the team, but it's a team effort that matters most to me," Mr. Prentice told The Hill Times last week.

16. Who was the weakest Cabinet minister in 2008? Maxime Bernier

Through his ability to grab headlines and his spectacular resignation, just hours before his now published ex-girlfriend's bitter interview was aired on national TV, former minister of foreign affairs Maxime Bernier (Beauce, Que.) is the clear winner in his category. Mr. Bernier proved to the Canadian public that our politics can also be titillating and was the only Cabinet minister in the Harper government to resign his post. His constituents don't seem to mind, however, as 62.4 per cent of the votes went his way this October, only 4.3 percentage points down from his support in the 2006 election.

Helena Guergis (Simcoe Grey, Alta.), who recently got a promotion from secretary of state for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, to minister of state for Status of Women came second as the weakest Cabinet member in '08. Although less prone to generating catchy headlines and editorials, Ms. Guergis came under fire this year for apparently partying in Mexico, rather than visiting a Canadian then-imprisoned at a close-by location.

Finally, Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.), minister of Agriculture, Agri-Food and the Canadian Wheat Board, came third in votes, apparently some people don't share his sense of humour.

17. Which Cabinet minister most respects Parliament? Jim Prentice

In addition to being voted best Cabinet minister, Environment Minister Jim Prentice was also voted the minister who most respects Parliament. After the nail-biting vote in Parliament to select the Speaker of the House, in which Speaker Peter Milliken held onto his job in the end, decorum in the House has become more of an issue in the 40^th Parliament.

"I think it's a real honour to be in Parliament for all of us, it's the centrepiece of our Canadian democracy and I don't think I'm alone in saying I have enormous respect for what goes on in Parliament and I think it's incumbent on all of us to try and improve decorum and make it function better so that everybody can make a contribution," Mr. Prentice told The Hill Times last Thursday.

One Conservative respondent cited a rather simple reason for why Mr. Prentice is the minister who most respects Parliament: "He actually answers questions during Question Period. What a concept!"

18. Who is the most approachable member of Cabinet? John Baird

While Transport Minister John Baird is often referred to as an "attack dog" for his aggressive style in the House, this year the 'Most Approachable Member of Cabinet' title to his roster. Respondents noted Mr. Baird's pleasant demeanor and "open door" approach to running a department. Mr. Baird came second in this category last year, losing out to former Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg. Mr. Solberg decided not to run in the last election, which leaves the question of whether Mr. Baird would still be the most approachable if Mr. Solberg had stayed on.

19. What is the biggest problem facing Parliament itself? House decorum

When respondents said House decorum was the biggest problem facing Parliament, most were referring to booing and yelling during Question Period, no one could have foreseen that the country would be plunged into crisis. After the re-election of House Speaker Peter Milliken, MPs from all parties expressed their desire for a more collegial, cooperative Parliament, and the result could be nothing further from that objective. On the other hand, a government composed of two parties that have spend decades attacking each other, with the support of a party who doesn't even believe Canada should exist in its present form, could be seen as unprecedented nonpartisan collaboration (maybe).

20. What was the biggest political news story in 2008? The federal election

As a coalition government becomes the talk of the town, it's easy to forget that mere weeks ago the country went to the polls. Now there is a possibility of some more conversations between a politician or two and Governor General Michaëlle Jean before the year ends.

The fact that there was an election did not fly under the radar for political junkies, however. They may disagree on the way to frame the result of the election and how to read it, and they may still change their reading of it in the upcoming weeks but most respondents agreed the post-Thanksgiving election was significant.

"Bikergate," as some dubbed the Maxime Bernier-Julie Couillard affair came up second and who can blame respondents for being caught up by what came close to being one of Canada's rare sex scandals? Finally, the election south of the border with its historical results caught some people's eyes. It's nice to know for once, no matter who gets elected in the U.S. and how unprecedented it is, some Canadians are thinking of our own politics first.

21. Which House Committee is the best on Parliament Hill? House Ethics Committee

Rising through the committee ranks, partly through it's entertaining and headline-generating value, but also for dealing with "tough issues" is the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, known to most Hillites as 'ethics.' The committee, often mired by points of order and partisanship coming from all sides has over the past year dealt with the Karlheinz Schreiber-Brian Mulroney affair and the in-and-out scandal. Committee chair, Grit Paul Szabo (Mississauga South, Ont.) had the difficult task of presiding over the unruly group of Parliamentarians and witnesses and even went as far as summoning 31 witnesses over the summer, with mixed results regarding attendance. "The committee stands as a committee, there is no question that some good things happened and some other things that we're not very proud of, but it was a very difficult period of time, breaking some new ground, it was partisan in its foundation in a couple of instances," said Mr. Szabo. "Personally I'm very pleased with the achievements of the ethics committee in the last parliament." The House Public Accounts Committee came second on the survey as an effective committee that got things done.

22. Which senate committee is the best on Parliament Hill? Senate National Security Committee

The National Security and Defence Committee topped this category for the third year in a row. Issuing reports with enticing subtitles, such as "how the fine arts of bafflegab and procrastination hobble the people who will be trying to save you when things get really bad ..." (the Emergency Preparedness in Canada report) and quietly chipping away at major issues concerning our nation, the Senate committee seems to have earned respondents' respect. It is also the Senate committee that sat for most hours (174.5) and met with most people (223) since October of last year, according to statistics from the committee clerk's office. As one respondent wrote, "This committee has written and published numerous reports that are widely viewed as important and authoritative. They have been quoted by several foreign governments and used to create substantive policy in other countries. It's a very important committee that does excellent work."

23. Which House and/or Senate committees are a complete waste of time? Library of Parliament

Yet again this year the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament was voted the committee that is a complete waste of time. The Hill Times caught up with just-retired New Brunswick Liberal Senator Marilyn Trenholme Counsell, who has served as the committee's co-chair for the last several years, last Thursday. Ms. Trenholme Counsell said she's "not at all surprised" the committee has once again been singled out as the worse, however, she said it's a signal the committee needs to step up to the bat and make MPs and Senators more aware of the importance of the Library of Parliament.

"Staff use the library on behalf of MPs and Senators. We're always getting services from the library, wonderful services, but yet I don't think that it's a living place for the MPs and the Senators. I think it's a bit untouchable," she said. Sen. Trenholme Counsell said the committee should work on organizing at least one reception a year at the Library, where MPs and Senators can meet staff, learn more about the library, and also get a feel for the "magnificence" of the place. "A library is never truly meaningful unless you go there and feel it, feel the power of the knowledge that's there."

24. Who in the world would you most like to invite to dinner? Barack Obama

Hill folk are looking south for dinner dates this year, with U.S. president-elect Barack Obama being voted the No. 1 person politicos would like to invite to dinner. Mr. Obama displaced Nelson Mandela, who was last year's most coveted dining companion. Other respondents said they would most like to have dinner with Mr. Obama's wife, Michelle, and one savvy politico said Mr. Obama's campaign manager, while others picked Mr. Obama's former opponents the Clintons (Bill, Hillary, or both), and Republican candidate John McCain.

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