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Canadian minister criticised for ‘using bike as prop’ while attending parliament virtually

“Only a Conservative could see a bicycle as a partisan symbol,” said one “dumbfounded” MP

MPs’ Zoom backgrounds became a talking point during lockdown last year, whether it be the Damien Hirst portrait of the Queen that former Health Secretary Matt Hancock had in his office, SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford’s Celtic FC memorabilia or Barnsley East MP Stephanie Peacock’s peacock-themed wallpaper – but now, a government minister in Canada has found himself under criticism for allegedly using a bike as a “prop” while virtually attending a debate at the country’s House of Commons.

During Question Period yesterday, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault could be seen on screen with a purple Marinoni singlespeed bike hanging from a stand behind him, reports Canadian Cycling Magazine.

But the Conservative MP Ed Fast was distinctly unimpressed, and said that the minister was “presumably trying to make a statement about his environmental cred.”

Raising a point of order, he said: “We have a rule in the House. I believe it is a rule that has been consistently applied that props are not to be used by those of us speaking in the House.

“Wherever he was virtually, he was in a room where hanging behind him on the wall was a bicycle," he harrumphed.

“Presumably, he was trying to make a statement about his environmental cred. The point is there is a rule that we cannot do indirectly what we cannot do directly.

"What the minister has done is blatantly use a prop because he is now doing it from the safety of some other room: perhaps his office or his basement. I would ask the Speaker to rule on this. I believe it is an abuse of the traditions of the House.”

New Democratic Party MP Daniel Blaikie replied: “I’m dumbfounded. Only a Conservative could see a bicycle as a partisan symbol.”

But Speaker Anthony Rota reminded MPs that “what is a prop is really perception by everyone who is watching,” and asked them all, whether physically in the House of Commons or attending virtually, “is to make the background as neutral as possible.”

Louis Plamondon, Canada’s longest serving MP, who represents the Bloc Quebecois party, said, “Perhaps the minister wanted to show us that he could not be in the House in person because his bicycle had a flat tyre?”

Guilbeault himself said that the bike – made in Montreal – was not questioned when he was heritage minister last year.

Writing on Twitter, he wondered whether he should “also remove my plants and books, other dangerous props.”

He continued: “The bike has been there long before we started doing virtual Parliament.

“In fact, it has also been there for months as I was taking questions as heritage minister. Strange that after almost a year, it’s become an issue.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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15 comments

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 3 years ago
0 likes

There are, shall we say, items that are more personal which have featured in public Zoom meetings.

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Boss Hogg | 3 years ago
0 likes

People get so easily "offended" nowadays. Too much correctenss is a health hazzard.

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brooksby | 3 years ago
1 like

Clearly all politicians on video calls should remove all symbols of their personal life and taste before making said call.  No books, no art, no personal objects of any kind should be visible at any time  3

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hawkinspeter replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
3 likes
brooksby wrote:

Clearly all politicians on video calls should remove all symbols of their personal life and taste before making said call.  No books, no art, no personal objects of any kind should be visible at any time  3

They shouldn't be allowed to show private interior spaces at all - it's extremely offensive to the homeless. They should either hold their calls in a shared space (Charbucks or some other "coffee" shop) or move outside.

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pockstone replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
0 likes

Clothes maketh the man. He should avoid any suggestion of partisanship, rank-pulling, or personal style; or virtual signalling of disposable income, fabric preference or tie length by appearing naked in all Zoom work meetings.

As I do.

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Nikonitis | 3 years ago
1 like

Honestly, what a load of B@£$%ks. Just one politician politicising a bike. Best turn all the book spines away from the camera in case someone takes issue with Karl Marx's Das Kapital or 'How to win friends and influence people'. Have these people got nothing better to do with their time than get all bent out of shape over Zoom backgrounds

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fenix | 3 years ago
2 likes

Let's hope it's not fixed. Not great to have an exposed big chainring if anything goes wrong.

I like the colour though.

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andystow | 3 years ago
4 likes

Let's talk about the real infractions.

  • non-drive side
  • cranks not aligned
  • valves not aligned
  • not in biggie smalls (appears to have two chainrings but no front derailleur)
  • photographed at an odd angle
  • boring background
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Podc | 3 years ago
5 likes

There are books too so “presumably trying to make a statement about being able to read".

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roboito | 3 years ago
0 likes

Is it a single speed?

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to roboito | 3 years ago
0 likes

Good spot, definitely looks like two rings up front with a downtube mounted lever. 

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EK Spinner replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
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AlsoSomniloquism wrote:

Good spot, definitely looks like two rings up front with a downtube mounted lever. 

Intrigued by how that works regarding chain tension, I don't see any jockey wheels for a tensioner

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wtjs replied to EK Spinner | 3 years ago
2 likes

 I don't see any jockey wheels for a tensioner

Horizontal drop-outs

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BigSigh replied to roboito | 3 years ago
0 likes

Looks to be. A conversion from a geared bike with a double chainset at the front but no derailleur, so 'fixed' in the small ring. Doesn't look at all odd to me, (however, personal preference, I bought single chainring bolts for my conversions).

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Sriracha | 3 years ago
4 likes

It's there in his capacity as a spokesman. No one should be hung up about it.

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