Conservative MP Tony Clement has resigned from Conservative shadow cabinet and his parliamentary duties (but not from caucus) after he was victim to an attempted extortion after sharing “sexually explicit images and video” with someone.

Tony Clement resigns from shadow cabinet following what he calls an extortion attempt. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/F1CkO2gwnC

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) November 7, 2018

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1059976854415659008

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1059982799095050240

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1059986660748812288

Some observations:

• Clement is part of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, which is of the highest security classification. Being a target for blackmail on that is a Very Big Deal, and can’t be excused by those who don’t want to be involved in any kind of shaming for sexting. Clement apparently notified PCO about this a few days ago, so this is serious in how it affects his role with NSICOP, and now they will need to find a new member to fill that vacancy.
• This is likely to get bigger. Already a number of women are coming forward over social media about his creepy behaviour on Instagram and this kind of thing has apparently happened before (sans extortion attempt).
• The Conservatives can stop being so smug about the fact that they haven’t had to boot anyone from caucus for being sexually inappropriate. Clement is still in caucus for the moment, but we’ll see how this grows in the next few days.
• Clement says that he’ll be “seeking treatment,” which is the really gross part here, because it employs the language of trying to medicalise sexual harassment or inappropriate behaviour. And when you try to medicalise it, you try to diminish personal responsibility – as this Tracey Ullman sketch so amply demonstrates.

Good reads:

• Justin Trudeau told an American audience that Trump’s tariffs didn’t pressure him into the New NAFTA deal, and he may sign it even with the tariffs still in place.
• Trudeau will give the government’s official apology for turning away the MS St. Louis in 1939 today. Here’s an interview with a survivor of that trip.
• Jean-Yves Duclos announced new anti-poverty legislation yesterday, but there aren’t any new dollars attached to it – just better coordination of existing programmes.
• The government’s relief programme for businesses impacted by the steel and aluminium tariffs is (finally) starting to pay out.
• The Speaker ordered some parts of the omnibus budget bill to be given separate votes, which goes to show how the government is overreaching with it.
• Parliament unanimously adopted the NDP’s Supply Day stunt motion about lapsed funding at Veterans Affairs (which means nothing given its erroneous premise).
• A senior judge in Toronto has been critical of the slow pace at which the government is filling vacancies on the bench.
• The Auditor General has some observations about the Phoenix Pay gong show.
• A declassified CSIS report calls pipeline protests a developing intelligence issue, but aren’t anticipating violence. (Some added context here).
• In the wake of the Saudi Arabia controversy, weapons export permits have slowed dramatically over the past year.
• French fighter jet maker Dassault is pulling out of the CF-18 replacement competition, allegedly because of Five Eyes compatibility concerns.
• The Canadian Forces are spending the next year evaluating their physical fitness requirements, and may reduce them in some instances.
• The government has created a Canada Pride citation for those civil servants, RCMP, and Canadian Forces members who were victims of the “gay purge.”
• A plaque is being unveiled on Parliament Hill to commemorate an MP who fought in the First World War and committed suicide because of PTSD.
• Former Governor General David Johnston says he’ll publicly release a report detailing his post-retirement expense claims.
• Absent Liberal MP Nicola Di Iorio now says he’ll resign for realsies in January just before the House returns, but no one will say what his special project is.
• Maxime Bernier’s latest attention-seeking bid is to declare himself against the Paris Accords. (The difference being that C/conservatives treat it as “aspirational.”)
• Alberta MLA Robyn Luff was indeed turfed from caucus for daring to fulfil her job obligations.
• Susan Delacourt evaluates Trudeau’s careful responses to American media about the midterm elections.
• Colby Cosh castigates the government for walking into the partisan trap laid over the StatsCan data collection issue.
• My column looks at the Robyn Luff situation and hopes that it sparks a conversation among elected officials nation-wide.

Odds and ends:

Archaeologists have discovered fortifications in Quebec City that date back to 1693.

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