What do you think?
Rate this book
Unparliamentary: Tales from Canada's Colourful Parliamentary Past
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Autre
This book's thesis: "Parliament is so much more than a news clip of Question Period in the House. It's not just the legislative process, and its three readings of a bill. It's a place of substance, sure, but it is also where wild, wacky, and wonderful things happen. It has an often fascinating cast, even if they sometimes go off script" (268).
What an entertaining and well-written book. I applaud Charlie for this masterpiece.
I sha'n't forget the harrowing tales of fist fights within Centre Block, the hurling of pasta (and poo) from the chamber galleries, the hunger-striking senator, and, of course, the Hill's famous cat colony.
And what a provocative way to end this book's list of anecdotes with the below: "'Give the unwashed a glimpse of breast today and tomorrow they'll demand a peak at the privi council.' As there's really nothing one can say after reading that, I suppose it's the right time to end the counting of unparliamentary tales in this book" (266).
My only critique: he spells the past tense of the word "lead" (which should be "led") as "lead." An edit for the second edition, Charlie!
In the end, I agree, Charlie, "When we talk about legislative institutions, particularly to young people, we need not make them so painfully boring and dry. ... [P]erhaps we should also talk about the time.Angry dairy farmers protested the agricultural minister by throwing milk and butter at him on parliament's steps" (271).
Five stars.
What an entertaining and well-written book. I applaud Charlie for this masterpiece.
I sha'n't forget the harrowing tales of fist fights within Centre Block, the hurling of pasta (and poo) from the chamber galleries, the hunger-striking senator, and, of course, the Hill's famous cat colony.
And what a provocative way to end this book's list of anecdotes with the below: "'Give the unwashed a glimpse of breast today and tomorrow they'll demand a peak at the privi council.' As there's really nothing one can say after reading that, I suppose it's the right time to end the counting of unparliamentary tales in this book" (266).
My only critique: he spells the past tense of the word "lead" (which should be "led") as "lead." An edit for the second edition, Charlie!
In the end, I agree, Charlie, "When we talk about legislative institutions, particularly to young people, we need not make them so painfully boring and dry. ... [P]erhaps we should also talk about the time.Angry dairy farmers protested the agricultural minister by throwing milk and butter at him on parliament's steps" (271).
Five stars.
August 3, 2026
A must-read for anyone with an interest in Canadian politics or history, but is also a great choice for anyone, even non-Canadians!
Feldman uses his legal training to thoroughly investigate the various events in Canadian parliamentary history - some well-known, some fictional/exaggerated, and many long-forgotten - using primary sources (and copious endnotes; well-appreciated!) to confirm details, compare differing accounts, and go beyond what could have been a simple collection of trivia. But that academic tone is balanced by a solid sense of humour that still lets the events speak for themselves (rather than filling it full of modern analogies or topical references, as many light-hearted history books try, and fail, to do).
Feldman uses his legal training to thoroughly investigate the various events in Canadian parliamentary history - some well-known, some fictional/exaggerated, and many long-forgotten - using primary sources (and copious endnotes; well-appreciated!) to confirm details, compare differing accounts, and go beyond what could have been a simple collection of trivia. But that academic tone is balanced by a solid sense of humour that still lets the events speak for themselves (rather than filling it full of modern analogies or topical references, as many light-hearted history books try, and fail, to do).
July 8, 2026
Excellent book, a very witty and clever author that makes this an enjoyable and light read.
Interesting stories with a lot of history and research to back it up
Interesting stories with a lot of history and research to back it up
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews