John Stewart
November 22, 2007
Mississauga South Liberal Paul Szabo has been named the hardest-working MP in Ottawa for the second consecutive year.
Szabo's named was called when Maclean's Magazine celebrated the second annual Parliamentarian of the Year Awards last night at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel.
The veteran Liberal MP is currently the Chair of the Access to Informatrion, Privacy and Ethics Committee.
The selection, done by the polling firm Ipsos-Reid, is conducted by secret ballot among the nation's MPs.
"To have your work recognized by your peers is very special," said Szabo, who was first elected in 1993. "I still look forward to going to work every day."
The honour came after a tough week on the job for Szabo chairing the Commons ethics committee. Szabo had to hastily adjourn Tuesday's session when MPs became embroiled in the midst of a chaotic discussion about whether former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Karlheinz Schreiber, his chief accuser in the Airbus issue, should be called before the committee to testify.
NDP MP Pat Martin told Szabo at the end of the session, "you're a disgrace. That's it. You're done."
Martin then called the Mississauga South member "a son-of-a-bitch."
Szabo said later that Martin lost his temper in the heat of the debate.
"I forgive him for the comment," Szabo told reporters.
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