THE HILL TIMES, MONDAY, MAY 23, 2016 33 HILL LIFE PARTIES PARTY CENTRAL BY RACHEL AIELLO

On Tuesday, May 17 media, parliamentarians Heckling is good, legacy and other Hillites fi lled the Panorama Room at the NAC for the fourth Sen. Jim Munson's staffer media may be doomed: what annual Travers Debates. Christian Dicks. we learned from this year’s Travers Debates

eckling is one of the oldest ways to stole the show and was the run-away star. PMO's Kate Hget a cheap thrill and has done for Former Conservative MP Paul Calandra Purchase, public discourse what pantyhose have for was the butt of many of the heckling jokes, Huffi ngton Post's backseat romance. But without good heckling with Mr. Feschuk calling him the “human Althia Raj, and the Chamber would be pretty dreary. As anecdote jukebox.” Ms. Brosseau called Jaimie Anderson well, democracy in Canada is still thriving heckling the Viagra of democracy, there to Interns Lydia Blois, Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner and Bob Rae. despite struggles of the legacy, or traditional, straighten out fl accid ministerial responses. Larissa Parker, and news media. James Travers’ son, Patrick Travers, who Jeremy Ryant. Those were the winning teams’ argu- now works in the Prime Ministers’ Offi ce as ments at last Tuesday night’s fourth annual a policy adviser, took to the stage after the Travers Debates. fi rst show to share a few words about his Debaters once again brought thoughtful dad and his memorable mantra: “Screw ‘em and bitingly humorous arguments to a crowd if they can’t take a joke.” of wonky Hillites who lapped it up. The evening Then Public Policy Forum president raised $51,000 for the R. James Travers Foreign Edward Greenspon, former editor of The Corresponding Fellowship, the fundraiser that Globe and Mail, took on Abacus Data honours the legacy of the late chairman Bruce Anderson on whether reporter and columnist who died in 2011. democracy is facing serious risks from the Before the debates got underway, attendees decline of legacy media. mingled at a reception, drinks in hand, and Mr. Greenspon pointed out many of the Conservative nibbled on hors d’oeuvres. There was a silent fl aws in the current system, like having to Public Policy Forum's Ed MP Peter auction table with prizes such as: a Hill tour and maintain an outsider’s perspective while Abacus Data's Bruce Anderson. Greenspon. Kent. lunch in the Parliamentary Restaurant for four reporting on insider stories. However, he with Senator Jim Munson (value priceless and said that the biggest part of a journalist’s minimum bid $150); lunch for four with Defence job is showing up, and legacy media does Minister Harjit Sajjan (value priceless and that. He argued that if new media is to suc- minimum bid $150); lunch for two with The ceed, it’ll be on the backs of old media. Globe and Mail’s Bob Fife (value $125); a case “The greater freedom we have as news of fi ne wine (value $375 and minimum bid consumers, the greater freedom we have to $250); a subscription to the Sunday New York challenge monopolies,” Mr. Greenspon said. Times (value $345 and minimum bid $125); Mr. Anderson said Canada’s democracy and Idi Amin memorabilia (value priceless is still thriving, but that the public’s access and minimum bid $200). There was also an to information through the media should be autographed copy of Dan Gardner’s book a key interest to government. He suggested Superforecasting: The Art and Science of fi nding ways to open up the legacy formats Prediction and lunch with the author (value to new voices and younger people, and he $125 and minimum bid $70). There were two argued hard against the idea of newspaper CBC's latest hire Katie Simpson. Via Rail ‘sleeper plus’ class tickets (one way) publishers and editorial boards telling its CBC Power & Politics host Rosie Barton. from Toronto to Vancouver (value $3,300 and readers how to vote. He said calling the idea minimum bid $1,400). There was also RedBlack “quaint” was putting it in its most polite form. tickets, a Terrain D’entente and T-shirt signed by Overall, Mr. Anderson’s point of view the prime minister, an African warthog mask won over the crowd. from the Ivory Coast, and a Kenneth Cole men’s Once the debate concluded, raffl e winners watch. Adorning the room were larger-than-life were announced and attendees went on their mockups of the news pages with stories from way. Among those who came out to support past Travers fellows. the event were: Green Party Leader Elizabeth iPolitics' Janice Dickson, Canada The silent auction raised $4,970. Mr. May; Prime Minister ’s director 2020's Don Newman and Shannon Sun Media bureau chief Sajjan’s lunch for four went for $550. The Hill of communications Kate Purchase and her Day-Newman. David Akin. Times own Jake Wright was the successful husband Perry Tsergas; Liberal MP Adam bidder on the Idi Amin memorabilia. Vaughan; Buzzfeed’s Paul McLeod; Environ- Donated by Mr. Kent, a former television ics’ Greg MacEachern; CPAC CEO Catherine foreign correspondent who was in Kampala, Cano; Angus Reid Institute’s Shachi Kurl; CBC's Rosie Barton. Uganda with Tanzanian troops as they CBC/Radio-Canada’s head of GR Shaun liberated the country, after the dictator fl ed, Poulter; Canadian Press bureau chief The Hill Times’ Kate Malloy, he picked up the medal and shoulder fl ashes Heather Scoffi eld and CP reporter Kristy The Hill Times' Rachel Aiello and consultant Stephen Hendrie, in Amin’s command post and bedroom. Kirkup; The Huffi ngton Post Canada’s Althia Ally Foster, with freelancer Claire and ’s Kevin Bob Rae, funny as usual, was the debate Raj and Catherine Lévesque; Maclean’s John Wählen Page. moderator; CBC’s Rosie Barton served Geddes; CBC Ottawa’s Joanne Chianello; as the “mistress of ceremony,” and former editor-in-chief Michelle Rich- parliamentary budget offi cer Kevin Page ardson and editorial pages editor Christina served as timekeeper. Debate offi cials were Spencer; Toronto Star Ottawa bureau chief Business Council of Canada’s John Man- Bruce Campion-Smith; Buzzfeed Canada poli- ley and Conservative MP Peter Kent. Mr. tics editor Paul McLeod; CTV’s Laura Payton; Rae joked about Chief Government Whip Bloomberg’s Stephen Wicary; The Hill Consultant Kelly Mounce, Nancy Director of Communications Andrew Leslie narrowly avoiding losing a Times’ Kate Malloy, Ally Foster and Les Whit- Jamieson, and Environics' Greg to the Defence Minister key vote last week, saying he would now be tington; Parliament Now’s Christina Leadlay; MacEachern. Renée Filiatrault. called “Count Leslie.” the ’s new recruit Marie-Danielle NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau and Maclean’s Scott Feschuk and NDP Smith; iPolitics’ Janice Dickson; freelancer Maclean's Scott Feschuk. MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau debated in favour Claire Wählen; ’s Susan of heckling as a parliamentary privilege that Harada; NDP pundit Jenn Jefferys and Media- should be maintained. They won against Style’s Caitlin Kealey. As well, Sean Moore, The Hill Times photographs Bluesky's Elizabeth Gray- CBC’s Katie Simpson and Liberal MP Rod- John Chenier, Hugh Winsor, Phil Kinsman, by Jake Wright ger Cuzner who argued against heckling. All Nancy Jamieson, and many others came out to Smith and The Hill Times' four were pretty good, but Mr. Feschuk easily show their support for the Travers Debates. Rodger Cuzner. Christina Leadlay.