Watch above: Global News chief political correspondent Tom Clark chats with parliamentary secretary to the prime minister Paul Calandra about his role in question period and his political aspirations.
Paul Calandra wants to be prime minister.
In the meantime, he’ll have to remain content fielding questions—and taking flack—on the Senate scandal when Prime Minister Stephen Harper is absent from question period.
“I never wanted to be a police officer or firefighter,” he said in an interview on The West Block with Tom Clark. “I always wanted to be the prime minister of Canada. I don’t know why.”
Calandra says his boss is aware of his ambitions.
His role in question period has somewhat turned Calandra into an object of ridicule. But the criticism isn’t bringing him down. If anything, he said, it’s motivating him to work harder.
“I enjoy debate and any of its forms, and I know I’ve taken a lot of criticism for how I’ve been answering some questions in the House of Commons. And that’s fair game,” he said. “People can be upset about it, but ultimately, I love being in the House of Commons. I love the debate back and forth. I love the fact, for the most part, that people on Facebook and Twitter are arguing over how I’m answering questions.”
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