Tory MPs defy government

No, the above headline most certainly does not refer to Canadian Tory MPs.

In the recent vote in the British House of Commons on Prime Minister David Cameron's motion to initiate military action against Syria, all attention was focused on the defeat of the motion. And rightly so—the vote was of considerable importance in world affairs—but what also caught my attention was that 30 Conservative MPs voted against their own government.

This despite the fact that the Prime Minister, according to The Guardian, "managed a strong performance" while opposition leader Ed Miliband "put in one of his less impressive performances." What a wonderful display of democracy: MPs voting their conscience rather than allowing themselves to be whipped into docile compliance.

Would such a thing ever happen in Canada? It bloody well ought to, on the issue of military intervention at least, but I doubt even war would draw the consciences of Canadian MPs out of their caucus solidarity. So I applaud those 30 British MPs and congratulate them on their gutsy decision. Well done, ladies and gentlemen.