VIDEO: Good things happen when rival politicians share a meal

Ask Canadians to describe the House of Commons, and you'll probably hear this answer more than once: a lot of yelling and screaming.

Anthony Rota — the Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming, and the 37th Speaker of the House — is in charge of making sure things never get too out of hand on Parliament Hill. 

"I'll be honest with you, it's not an easy thing," Rota said, during a recent appearance on Village Media's Inside the Village podcast.

One of his most successful strategies for keeping the peace actually occurs behind closed doors, away from the House. On Wednesday nights, Rota tries to organize a dinner with MPs of all stripes, usually somewhere between 12 and 20 guests.

"There is one rule only in that meeting: You're not allowed to sit next to someone from the same party," Rota said. "By eating together and getting to know each other, I find it makes a difference in the House. It's no longer 'that no-good-for-nothing so and so' on the other side."

You can watch the full interview HERE.

Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province.

Every episode is available HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.

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