Toronto, ON – May 29, 2026 – Canada’s parliamentary record is full of moments that never made it into the history books — and in Unparliamentary: Tales from Canada’s Colourful Parliamentary Past (University of Toronto Press, AEVO imprint, June 23, 2026, $39.95), author Charlie Feldman brings them to light. From Confederation to the present day, Feldman recounts the fistfights, scandals, absurdities, and forgotten controversies that have punctuated the life of Canada’s Parliament.
Drawing on a wide range of historical and archival materials, Feldman documents episodes that once captured public attention but have since faded from memory, even among parliamentarians themselves. The result is a richly sourced account of Canada’s elected and appointed members at their most unguarded: conflicts between MPs, acts of disorder in the House and Senate, moments of error and controversy, and behaviour that surpasses even the most colourful fiction.
Among the episodes examined:
- An MP who brought a three-foot salmon into Question Period and deposited it onto the Prime Minister’s desk
- An MP who arrived at the House in disguise and set off firecrackers on the floor
- Parliamentarians who were expelled from the House and promptly re-elected
- A political party that hired a mariachi band to play in the Senate foyer
From fistfights to liquor raids to full-blown scandals, Unparliamentary recovers the stories Parliament forgot, and reveals that Canada’s parliamentarians have always been, above all else, only human.
Clear and accessible, the book functions as both a reference work — drawing on primary sources, archival records, and press accounts — and a compelling account of Parliament’s unconventional history that will appeal to anyone curious about the inner workings of Parliament beyond the official record.
The Ottawa book launch will be held at Library and Archives Canada on June 18, 2026, at 7:00pm EST, where the author will be in conversation with Forrest Pass, historian and curator at the institution.
Unparliamentary: Tales from Canada’s Colourful Parliamentary Past is available for purchase at utpublishing.com and major book retailers.