Where a non-partisan but cynical pundit doles out kudos to a politician, making me a what?

When it comes to politics I realize that often there is not much good to say, and I am certainly as guilty as the next person if not more so in this regard. Today I write to praise, not criticize, and I dare say that is definitely the exception rather than the rule around here.

Don Davies, member of parliament for Vancouver--Kingsway, impresses me. No, he hasn't cured the common cold or managed to squeeze blood from a rock but I like the gravitas this fellow exudes.

Recently Mr. Davies introduced Bill C-446, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act, which would effectively ban self-serving or gratuitous party jumping within a parliamentary session. Various MPs have attempted to introduce this type of legislation in the past, and indeed many "conservative" MPs have also endorsed such a prohibition in the past. It is good legislation that deserves to be passed in this session and I would hope that independent thinking Conservatives and Liberals would get in line behind Mr. Davies and support this bill.

Another thing that impresses me is the communications coming out from Mr. Davies back to the people at home. Rather than using his 10-percenters to slag the government or other opposition parties, what I see coming from Davies' office is actually informative.

In one mailing we received a copy of the bill he presented--I've never seen any MP for this riding in the past fifteen years do that. Recently a nicely organized fold-out brochure entitled "An Update from Ottawa" informs us on what our MP is actually doing on our behalf, including how Davies' voted on twenty key issues.

Of course Mr. Davies couldn't hit every ball square on--he did completely miss the mark in one area. Missing was the usual sort of pathetic and formulaic propaganda I've seen come from so many Conservative MPs, and not only a few Liberals too.

Good on you Don for rising above the business-as-usual politics that Canadians have been tortured with for too long.