The MP weekend diaspora...

For most of us, how and where we spend our weekends, probably doesn't have a significant impact on our professional lives.

Not so with MPs.

Although not a specific area of our research, the MPs' personal and family lives invariably come up. One trend we've noticed, also supported by the research of Queen's professor Ned Franks, is the change in how MPs increasingly structure their work and home lives - and the impact that this may be having on cross-party relationships on the Hill.

For instance, 40 years ago it was normal for MPs' families to move to Ottawa with them. Air travel was less accessible, MPs' travel budgets were smaller and dual career families were less common. Moving was often the practical option.

The result?

Regardless of party, Ottawa became a bit more like "home," especially as all newly elected MPs (and their families) found themselves dealing with many typical family matters, such as schools, doctors and little league teams, together. Along the way, cross-party friendships often formed particularly as families socialized away from the political arena.

Today, the House suffers from what Ned Franks describes as a "weekend diaspora" where most MPs leave Ottawa on Thursday and return to their constituencies and families. One MP we interviewed said he'd hosted a dinner party at his home one evening and everyone who attended said it was the first time in their years in Ottawa that they'd been invited to dinner in the home of a colleague.

It may seem like a small change, but Franks argues that this lack of day-to-day, non-political contact could be part of the reason why the House is now a less collegial place overall. I guess it's harder to yell across the aisle when you know you may run into that person at the grocery store or at your kids' hockey game.

Of course no one is arguing for a cross-party sing along (although what a fundraising idea...) but just that this change doesn't have to be permanent. Ultimately, the work of Parliament is about people and so anything that helps MPs see a bit more of the human side of each other can only help.