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Carolyn Parrish just can't help making a fool of herself.

The former Liberal MP's moment of greatest fame came in 2004 after she stomped on a George Bush doll for a CBC show, a stunt that ended with her being kicked out of caucus.  The doll routine followed a series of similar embarrassments, including denouncing her own party and blathering about how much she hated Americans.

Since favouring federal politics with her departure, she has been attempting to carve a new career for herself as a member of Mississauga city council, just outside Toronto.  Mississauga has been run since the dawn of time by Mayor Hazel McCallion, who is 88 and has achieved something near godlike status with her combination of grandmotherly exterior and steely interior.  She won the last election -- her 11th -- with 92% of the vote.

Parrish's approach has been to establish herself as the most-recognized councillor after McCallion -- mainly by shooting her mouth off -- while simultaneously doing her best to undermine the mayor.  In local politics, name recognition is key, so the more people recognize the name "Parrish", the better her chances on succeeding McCallion when her day eventually arrives.  For public consumption, Parrish makes of point of proclaiming her devotion to McCallion and the hope that she continues as mayor forever.  But she has simultaneously succeeded in establishing herself as a leading figure in an anti-McCallion clique on council, which recently managed to push through approval for a multi-million-dollar probe into land dealings that involved McCallion's son.

There doesn't appear to be much to the allegations behind the probe, but for Parrish it offers the hope of diminishing the mayor's stature a bit, to Parrish's advantage.  She appears to have underestimated the backlash from McCallion's legion of fans, though, who have responded to Parrish's transparent efforts with a fierce counter-campaign.  Parrish, as the Bush adventure illustrated, can be pretty thick, but the level of hostility appears to be getting to her.  After dinner at a local restaurant this week, she physically attacked a poster advertising a rally in support of the mayor, tearing it to shreds and leaving the pieces behind.

Unfortunately for Parrish, the restaurant owner wasn't impressed, and after emailing hera rebuke he's been busy telling his story to the local papers. Parrish apologized, but now has gone into a sulk because everyone is being so mean to her.

“On the evening in question, I and my husband and two friends were taking a night off – pure entertainment, Andrea Bocelli, David Foster – NO POLITICS FOR ONE EVENING.  I saw the poster on my way out.  The rally was over,” she noted. “Egged on by my helpmeet of 41 years, I committed a spontaneous act.”

She told another paper:

"I had had an extremely stressful week.  If you haven't noticed out here, I'm the Big Bad Wolf and blamed for everything that goes wrong in Mississauga ...I guess it was one of those impulsive acts, like, 'Yeah, the rally is over and we're getting on with business.' "

Awwww, poor Carolyn Parrish.  All she wants is good government and to destroy Hazel McCallion.  People just don't understand.

Comments by others - 53 - to this web-page;

by edd333ed    Dec 10 2009    2:13 PM

Maybe she should take an anger-management course.

by Pavane    Dec 10 2009    2:22 PM

I knew the headline was a trick: Parrish and "noble" used in the same sentance. Perhaps her helpmeet could egg her on to a new carreer away from the public.

by Fred29        Dec 10 2009    2:32 PM

She doesn't need an anger-management course she needs to learn some manners since it seems she learned nothing from her days in Federal politics. Alcohol may be at the root of her problem but it doesn't excuse it. Perhaps in the New Year in an attempt to salvage what little self-respect she has left resigning her council seat would be a proper course of action.

by Anonymous66    Dec 10 2009    2:39 PM

"There doesn't appear to be much to the allegations behind the probe"

Whaaa? Failing to declare a conflict of interest and bow out of a committee decision that brings your son a couple million dollars is "not much"?

I know she's done a lot of good, but that doesn't excuse using the office to steer business to your family.

by Neilio74    Dec 10 2009    2:40 PM

off to google the term "helpmeet"...

by andersm    Dec 10 2009    2:45 PM

Forgive me, Lord, it was that man you gave me. And thus were Caroline and Helpmeet banished from the Garden of Eden.

by Neilio74    Dec 10 2009    2:45 PM

Just read the Toronto Sun story on this episode. Yikes, she's got some serious issues.

by Navi1    Dec 10 2009    2:51 PM

She seems to be good at degrading herself. Bush and McCallion must be having a hearty laugh!

by Sassylassie    Dec 10 2009    2:52 PM

She should take up yoga, nasty lady.

by Fred29        Dec 10 2009    2:52 PM

Anonymous66 are you trying to defend Carolyn Parrish's actions at the restaurant? Get real!

by kwlawson    Dec 10 2009    3:22 PM

You mean to say that Carole is taking over from the other Town Fool, Jean Chretien, Investigators are getting closer now.

by Anonymous66        Dec 10 2009    3:29 PM

Fred - no, tearing down a poster for McCallion is just tacky. But the author is wrong to dismiss a flagrant breach of integrity just because McCallion is popular.

by obamination        Dec 10 2009    3:36 PM

Don't they have homes for the demented?

by MISSISSAUGAWATCH    Dec 10 2009    3:37 PM

Question for Kelly McParland,

What actual RESEARCH as in actual fact-facts, did you do before writing this story?

McParland wrote, "Mayor Hazel McCallion, who is 88 and has achieved something near godlike status with her combination of grandmotherly exterior and steely interior."

While it's true the MYTHissauga Mayor has near godlike status, very little of it can be credited to McCallion's "grandmotherly exterior and steely interior."

Here's a hint to the National Post.

FILE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION and you'll see how McCallion did it.

With, of course, considerable assistance from stenographers posing as reporters!

Why does no one question the motivations behind THIS Councillor Katie Mahoney/Steve Mahoney and Peter McCallion moment?

preview.tinyurl.com/yldpftq

by MISSISSAUGAWATCH    Dec 10 2009    3:48 PM

I'm forever astounded by idiots who think that it's perfectly fine for any human being to be mayor for 30 uninterrupted years with zero scrutiny (remember MYTHissauga has nothing any reasonable person can claim as media).

I mean the $$$elite$$$ who've prospered milking the development cow, I understand wanting to keep things quiet and all status quo.

But the true killer is our worthless "Traditional Media". And I'm not just talking about this article but anything MYTHissauga-related.

Why not just let MYTHissauga's Corporate Spin doctors prepare a press release and the NatPost just cut-and-paste that for "news"?

What's at issue is GOVERNANCE and with MYTHissauga, the appalling lack of compliance by Staff to Corporate policies, procedures and provincial legislation.

And I suspect this malfeasance is prevalent in other municipalities as well.

by PBL41    Dec 10 2009    3:52 PM   

I am sure the majority of Canadians do not miss Parrish's presence in the House of Commons with one exception. That, of course, is Hedy Fry who now is stuck with the mantle of Loon-in-Residence.

by ZeeBC    Dec 10 2009    3:54 PM

One day, Canada and Mississauga will miss an idiot.

by gabe-xxxiv    Dec 10 2009    3:58 PM

Anonymous66 - It seams to me that you are just as much mentally disturbed as your beloved Ms. Carolyn Parrish whose actions are nothing but THE disgrace of our Canada and MISSISSAUGA.

by DriftingIntoLogic    Dec 10 2009    4:07 PM

Oh dear, is poor Carolyn off her meds again?" Please, Ms Parrish, do all Canadians a treat and commit the spontaneous act of pi$$ing off for good. How odious do you have to be to get shunned by even the Liberals?

by NO MAD    Dec 10 2009    4:09 PM

Someone should stuff her mouth with a fresh dirty diaper.

by golfergirl    Dec 10 2009    4:35 PM

Thanks for the laugh Zee!

Mississauga watch, there may or may not be a story, but since the American bashing Canadian embarassment known as Carolyn Parrish has no credibility, nobody is listening.

You need a messenger with integrity if you are going to try and slay this grande lady rock star, you don't send Pee Wee Herman off to teach the children virtue.

by DavidL48    Dec 10 2009    4:45 PM

Carolyn Parrish has a habit of stomping on people or ideas she doesn't like. Toronto's mayor and city council have a similar problem. The citizens of Mississauga should make an electoral note of this. Liberal political ambition is not a pretty sight.

by alpha53    Dec 10 2009    5:11 PM

Replace "noble" with "arrogant". That is only one of the words that comes to mind to describe Carolyn Parrish. Make no mistake, Hazel, our whirlwind, hurricane-nicknamed mayor wasn't always the rosy flower child when she came into the mayor's seat in the 70s; there were issues, but she was a quick learner. It seems that Carolyn, since coming to Mississauga politics in '85, then leaving us in '93, thinks that during that whole time she has had Mississauga's best interests at heart. "Eh??" And she doesn't seem to have learned to curtail her public outbursts.

Mayor Hazel thought long and hard before accepting the concept of a united "communities of Mississauga". Her town, Streetsville, as well as mine, port Credit, were 2 of the hold outs .... until we knew it was right, and under the right leadership. omg!! ........ are there really folks thinking of Carolyn in the same sentence as "leadership"?

Hazel is older than dirt, yes, and my family has been in the census of Toronto Township/Peel Region/Port Credit/Mississauga since the middle 1800's ....(I probably know everyone by name in all of Verna Mae Weeks books) ...... but please let's think, and think carefully, solemnly, when we consider Carolyn Parrish and mayor of Mississauga in the same context.

Thank-you.

by POSTERBOY    Dec 10 2009    5:17 PM

STUPID COW!

by Straightup    Dec 10 2009    5:20 PM

So this twit gets punted from fed politics only to show up in local city council? Was she running against a dead guy or something??

My god how I hate politicians...

by RkBall    Dec 10 2009    5:27 PM

"“Egged on by my helpmeet of __ years, I committed a spontaneous act.”

This is my new "Get Out of Jail Free" card. I'm going to have 50 copies made up, and keep them in my wallet.

by Blue-man    Dec 10 2009    5:35 PM

But I heard her exclaim,

ere she drove out of sight;

"Those damn McCallions. I hate those bastards!"

by DeepDiver    Dec 10 2009    5:55 PM

I have already e-mailed Carolyn to express my tremendous disappointment and requested that she resign and seek professional help. Everyone who is disagrees with such disgusting behavior and petty vandalism should do the same.

carolyn.parrish@mississauga.ca

by Anonymous66    Dec 10 2009    5:55 PM

gabe, having a problem with McCallion helping her son land a big contract is hardly a "mentally disturbed" position. That kind of sh!t is just not ok.

by Blue-man    Dec 10 2009    6:09 PM

@ Straightup

I think she got voted in on the tide of leftist dominance that existed in the GTA during the last municipal election.

It seems to have been crumbling in the 905 since the recession, the bizarre McGuinty legislation and Mayor Miller's true left nature showing thru during the Toronto strike.

I think Ms Parrish has put voters in touch with local government again as they begin to see what damage can be wrought by crazies like Ms. Parrish.

by Straightup    Dec 10 2009    6:30 PM

Blue-man...I hope you'er right. I now reside in Calgary (18yrs) but still look at the nonsense that goes on TO and shake my head.

I'm not sure what it is about city politics that invites the communists [masquerading as "L"iberals].

Here we've got drunken sailor failed fed 'L'ib bronco. Your typical rich kid from daddy's wealthy development company that despite upbringing can't carry over his oldman's business ethics into managing the city.

by Fred29    Dec 10 2009    7:11 PM   

A fitting end for Carolyn Parrish would be to picked up in a ride program. Enough of this drunken fool.

by Blue-man    Dec 10 2009    7:18 PM

Well, I escaped from Toronto to Mississauga 37 years ago and everything was fine for 35 of them.

Used to see Hazel at the local grocery store in her hockey jacket in the '70's when she was still, just a councillor.

She cared then & she cares now.

Her son tried to get a hotel development going in DT Mississauga, but it bombed. As a commissioned realtor, I very much doubt he picked up more than pocket change, expenses maybe.

But Carolyn Parrish is on them like Jack the Bear, thinking it will get her enough play to become mayor of Mississauga.

I don't think she could get elected as dogcatcher now & I'm betting she's toast as a councillor next time out.

If I'm wrong, it's time to move to Airdrie.

by kwlawson    Dec 10 2009    7:37 PM

Attention Mississauga your in the 416 area, are you a Liberal hack, has your party not learned anything over the last 10 years, your people are still in trouble, like Gagilano

by Roger181    Dec 10 2009    7:55 PM

I say Carolyn for Liberal Leader of Canada.

by MrJohnQPublic    Dec 10 2009    8:00 PM

Ms. Parrish has no one to blame but herself. It sounds like she has some kind of anger management issues and needs to seek help.

Can you believe this woman was an MP and is on council for Mississauga? No wonder politics has such a bad name.

by MrJohnQPublic    Dec 10 2009    8:02 PM

Blue-man, come on out to Airdrie. The city is happy to have you.

by MISSISSAUGAWATCH    Dec 10 2009    9:07 PM

"Traditional Media" avoids real reporting.

Hey National Post, explain your "Podcast: Parrish's problems" and especially the opening sentence, "This week, we'll talk about Councillor Carolyn Parrish's violent attack on a poster".

Want to see a REAL "violent attack"? I mean on news integrity?

Everyone craps on Parrish for tearing up some poster and Councillor Katie Mahoney and hubbie Steve yukking it up with Peter McCallion at the Mayor's New Year's Levee brings zip.

www.youtube.com/watch

by Blue-man    Dec 10 2009    10:06 PM

@ MISSISSAUGAWATCH

You keep on WATCHIN' and the rest of us in 905 will keep on doin'.

I crap on Parrish, to use your term, because I hate her divisive, self-serving politics. I hate her anti-Americanism and I hate her tactics to try to take down an icon.

Parrish is so far from being a useful politician now and back when she was a Liberal MP, it makes me sick that in some way my taxes have contributed to her income over the years. Yes, I hate all of that.

Otherwise, on a personal level, she seems to be a very charming and affable person. She just needs to stay on her meds.

by l.finer    Dec 10 2009    10:24 PM

I feel sorry for Carolyn's helpmeet.

by dismayed71    Dec 10 2009    10:59 PM

Q - What is the IQ of Ms Parrish ?

A- Same as Tiger Woods.

by RogersJi    Dec 11 2009    12:58 AM

She's a Liberal, what else do you have to say!

by snowride    Dec 11 2009    1:11 AM

@Sassylassie

I think you're giving her a break when you title her a "nasty lady". ;-)

I have a few choice words I could use, but will refrain from doing so.

:-)

by commentaddict    Dec 11 2009    1:37 AM

Carolyn Parrish is living in ther wrong country.She should be living in Afghanistan and chumming it up with the Taliban as she sure acts like one in my opinion.

by random72    Dec 11 2009    1:44 AM

Well, as the saying goes, you live by the sword you die by the sword.

Parrish has never been shy about trying to use the media to gain tactical advantage, and now it would seem she's learned that trying to control it is like trying to pick a live fire hose off the ground- beware that metal end could leave a mark.

Despite the outcome this time around, I doubt she'll stop courting danger- she lives for that stuff.

by gabe-xxxiv    Dec 11 2009    6:13 AM

Anonimous66, I respect your standing and partly agree with your comment. BUT Supporting Carolyn Parrish' extremely anti-Canadian and senseless ant-US hysterical outburst are indications of serious mentally disturbed behavior. That is my opinion after dealing with individuals over 70 years.

By the way McCallion's case has not proven in our Court Systemyet yet. Thus contrary to the Napoleonic French Code, one is not guilty until that is legally proven to be one. Regardless Parrish' and her lapdogs' hear-say accusations!

Have a good weekend without any "sh't" and too much snow plowing.

by Tossed Salad    Dec 11 2009    7:38 AM

Parrish is the typical gender feminist sow when the going gets tough she pulls the victim card. Oh woe is me. You can read them like the back of your hand. Sport really.

by Tom1854    Dec 11 2009    7:55 AM

in the words of Forrest Gump,

"Stupid is as Stupid does"

You simply have no class, never have and you probably never will

by MBC26    Dec 11 2009    7:56 AM

We the collective taxpayers only have ourselves to blame for electing individuals like Parrish. She milked the Mid East vote for years by her anti Western dogma to get elected. The woman is a drain on the hard working taxpayers of this Country. She collects a teachers pension, Federal pension and soon one for being a Councilor. She hates America but I would bet the farm the woman goes there frequently to travel, shop and play. She should be on a US Terrorists Watch list.

by mildew0    Dec 11 2009    8:20 AM

If Mississauga resident elect this wannbe mayor as mayor then then deserve what they get.

I for one will NOT vote for her, I had the misfortune to work for her when she was a school trustee, in my humble opinion she's thicker than 3 cement blocks.

by snorty58    Dec 11 2009    9:28 AM

What a disgrace. This woman has cause shame to Mississauga since entering politics. I truly believe that she has severe mental issues and should seek help. Resign now and stop the madness. I have never seen so many people in this city rally around the removal of this cancer and those that support her. Carlson should also be worried.

by snorty58    Dec 11 2009    9:32 AM

The comments here by mississaugawatch are laughable. I didn’t know that Carolyn Parrish could put so many words together without using a curse word. She has to go, sooner rather than later.

by Anonymous66    Dec 11 2009    1:48 PM

re: gabe

I certainly don't support that cretin Parrish; I just don't support McCallion either.

Frankly, I don't feel a need to wait on anything to be proven in court. It's on record that she didn't recuse herself from a committee whose decision materially benefited a relative. I don't expect to see her in jail for it, but I do think she's sacrificed most of the respect her career earned.

It's sort of like how Jean Chretien's embezzlement was never directly proven in court, but we all know he did embezzle.

[COMMENTS BY DON B. -  ]