Every year, typically solemn and serious politicians have a chance to show some personality on the holiday that unites us all: Halloween.
Of course, some MPPs are uncomfortable doing so, and don't wear costumes or use Halloween puns in question period or hand out candy in their office. And that's ok, it's their right to oppose fun.
But here at QP Briefing, we would like to pay tribute to the ghouls and goblins who make Oct. 31 special at Queen's Park, whether they plan to dress as a giant rubber duck or Chef Charles Sousa. Here's a round-up of all things Halloween 2017 at the Pink Palace.
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Cheri DiNovo takes social justice and Halloween seriously, apparently. In this case, she combined the two.
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ondp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ondp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Halloween?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Halloween</a> party begins Sin Slayer (Homophobia, racism, inequality, etc) meets Blues Bro <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/parkhp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#parkhp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/onpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#onpoli</a> <a href="https://t.co/gFvcEkEGON">pic.twitter.com/gFvcEkEGON</a>
— Cheri DiNovo (@CheriDiNovo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CheriDiNovo/status/925111616051351553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Cameron Alderdice, a legislative assistant to Minister of Research, Innovation and Science Daiene Vernile, won the prize for best Queen's Park costume. Dressed in an inflatable T-Rex costume that can be yours on Amazon for the low, low price of $73.95. Through his outfit, he reminded the legislature of all our favourite themes from Jurassic Park: Nature finds a way, hubris will catch up with you, and you should pay attention to Jeff Goldblum's smouldering looks and withering warnings.
<div id="attachment_330232" style="width: 371px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-330232" class="wp-image-330232 size-full" src="http://www.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DSC_0010-e1509469139529.jpg" alt="" width="361" height="640" srcset="https://old.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DSC_0010-e1509469139529.jpg 361w, https://old.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DSC_0010-e1509469139529-226x400.jpg 226w" sizes="(max-width: 361px) 100vw, 361px" />Cameron Alderdice dressed as a T-rex on Halloween 2017. Photo by David Hains.</div>
How does a 20-year-old MPP celebrate Halloween? There are no Stranger Things or Minion costumes in the cards for Sam Oosterhoff. Instead, he celebrated with this tastefully carved pumpkin.
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Had some fun this weekend carving a pumkin! Couldn't think of anything scarier than a Lib goverment; hopefully this will ward them off! <a href="https://t.co/7PDfhPsrMT">pic.twitter.com/7PDfhPsrMT</a>
— Sam Oosterhoff (@samoosterhoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/samoosterhoff/status/924842206736846848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Sadly, no MPP wore a costume to question period, depriving us all of the opportunity to see Wonder Woman or the Hulk heckling from the backbenches.
The closest to the Halloween spirit was Soo Wong, who graced the legislature with a colourful over-sized bow.
<div id="attachment_330248" style="width: 854px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-330248" class="size-full wp-image-330248" src="http://www.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171031150928_944748.jpg" alt="" width="844" height="633" srcset="https://old.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171031150928_944748.jpg 843w, https://old.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171031150928_944748-405x304.jpg 405w, https://old.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171031150928_944748-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 844px) 100vw, 844px" />Soo Wong wears an over-sized bow during Question Period on Halloween 2017. Photo by Jessica Smith-Cross</div>
There were also some dad jokes, which are either a trick or a treat depending on how you feel.
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Why don't skeletons ever go trick-or-treating?
They don't have any body to go out with.
Have a safe &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HappyHalloween?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HappyHalloween</a> everyone! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dadjokes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dadjokes</a> <a href="https://t.co/9ePSi8hnKt">pic.twitter.com/9ePSi8hnKt</a>
— Brad Duguid (@BradDuguid) <a href="https://twitter.com/BradDuguid/status/925422137602727936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2017</a></blockquote>
What about the party leaders?
Andrea Horwath tells QP Briefing she dressed as Alberta Premier Rachel Notley over the weekend, including a cowboy hat, a checkered shirt, and cowboy boots. "People said 'but she's the premier of Alberta.' And I said, 'and next year I'll be the premier of Ontario.' " Asked if some might find such a costume scary, she highlighted a different problem with the getup: "No, the biggest disappointment was lots of people didn't recognize who I was trying to be," she said with a laugh.
<div id="attachment_330280" style="width: 263px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-330280" class="size-medium wp-image-330280" src="http://www.qpbriefing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/image1-253x300.jpg" alt="" width="253" height="300" />It's not Premier Rachel Notley, it's Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath.</div>
Patrick Brown plans to take his three nephews trick-or-treating, although he doesn't plan to dress up himself. The PC Leader says the eldest nephew, who is now 5, dressed up as a scuba diver last year, complete with a two-litre Sprite bottle for the tank. But his nephews couldn't make a decision over the weekend as to their final costumes for this year, so he will find out their final outfits later today.
Brown's Halloween advice for kids to get extra candy was to be very polite and smile a lot.
Premier Kathleen Wynne plans to hand out candy.

It’s the Queen’s Park Halloween MPP mash

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