MARTIN DECRIES OTTAWA 'FASCISM'

OTTAWA -- Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca MP Keith Martin accused the federal
government of fascism Tuesday after the Liberals began proceedings to
suspend him from the Commons for grabbing the House mace in an angry
protest last week.

Government House Leader Ralph Goodale called for Martin's suspension after
Speaker Peter Milliken ruled the Alliance MP likely breached the privileges
of the Commons when he grabbed the mace, a symbol of the Speaker's
authority and the independence of Parliament. Martin's act came after the
Liberals killed a private member's bill he had introduced to liberalize
cannabis laws.

Defending himself, Martin admitted he had planned his protest beforehand to
draw public attention to what he described as the "dictatorial" way Prime
Minister Jean Chretien and his office treat government and opposition
backbench MPs.

"It was a coldly premeditated act of civil disobedience," said Martin,
arguing the protest was a result of accumulated frustration with the
tremendous power Chretien wields over Parliament.

"I accuse the government of being undemocratic," Martin said to the shock
and surprise of Liberals and MPs in the other opposition parties. "I accuse
the government of being a dictatorship, and I accuse the government of
being fascist."

Immediately following the Speaker's ruling, Goodale introduced a motion
calling for Martin's suspension "until such time as he appears at the bar
of the House to apologize in a manner found to be satisfactory by the
Speaker for his actions in disregard for the authority of the chair and in
contempt of the House."

Following two hours of heated debate, all parties agreed to delay a vote on
the motion until today.

The Bloc Quebecois, NDP and Conservative parties said they would support
Goodale's motion.

Liberal, Conservative and NDP MPs promptly accused Martin of going
overboard, with Liberal John Bryden calling the outburst "extremely
distressing."

Martin's anger was sparked by the tactic the government used to kill his
bill. Liberal MPs passed an amendment saying the House would not continue
dealing with the bill, and would instead refer its subject matter,
de-criminalization of marijuana, to a special Commons committee studying
the non-medical use of drugs.

Alliance parliamentary leader John Reynolds, while agreeing Martin was
wrong to grab the mace, argued the B.C. MP has already apologized and no
further discipline is required.

Backing up Martin's complaint about the lack of power for ordinary MPs,
Reynolds said 235 bills have been introduced by backbenchers in the current
Parliament, and none has made it through the Commons. Only two of the bills
have reached a vote at the second-reading stage, necessary to be reviewed
by a Commons committee.

At the same time, two Senate bills, one establishing a parliamentary poet
laureate and the other setting a day to honour Sir John A. Macdonald and
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, have recently become law. A third Senate bill, to
designate an official national horse, is successfully making its way
through the Commons.

Of the 481 private members' motions that have been introduced, only five
have been adopted, said Reynolds.

NDP MP Dick Proctor, however, joined other MPs who said Martin went too far
by accusing the government of fascism.

"May I say very sincerely and very sorrowfully to the member from
Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca that I think his interventions this afternoon are
not worthy of him," said Proctor.