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Of cabinet solidarity and genocide

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  • Of cabinet solidarity and genocide

    The Globe and Mail
    Saturday, May 1, 2004 - Page A6

    Of cabinet solidarity
    and genocide

    Behind the closed doors of the cabinet room last week, Prime Minister Martin
    singled out Revenue Minister Stan Keyes as a shining example of cabinet
    solidarity after he voted against a private member's motion to recognizes as
    genocide the mass killing of Armenians during the First World War.

    There were reports after the controversial vote that Mr. Keyes was cursing
    the fact that some of his colleagues had missed the vote while he was forced
    to vote against the motion, a gesture that was not without political cost
    for him. This was acknowledged by Mr. Martin, who was angry with some of his
    cabinet ministers for abstaining or for ducking the vote by leaving the
    House without permission. The Liberal back bench voted with the opposition,
    and the motion passed.

    Meanwhile, the rule, according to a senior Liberal, is that cabinet
    ministers must seek permission in advance to miss the vote. Mr. Keyes, who
    had sought that permission, was already in the chamber when the vote began
    and decided not to leave because, as he told someone, "[I'd] feel like a
    heel walking out."
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