[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Just to prove lawmakers are human buffers, A Canadian Parliament member was caught on camera pleading to push himself in as a ‘macher’ in a photo shot of Prime minister Stephen Harper at the Western Wall (Kotel).

According to reports by the Canadian press, Conservative MP Mark Adler was pressing to the edge of the media area where photographers watched, and pleaded with one of Mr. Harper’s aides, Jeremy Hunt, to be let past the security barrier to be part of the photo op.

“Jeremy. Jeremy! Can I get in?” Adler reportedly asked.

After he was shot down by Hunt, Adler replied: “It’s the re-election! This is the million-dollar shot.”

He then asked Mr. Hunt to bring the Prime Minister over to shake hands later. In the end, after Mr. Harper had started to walk away from the wall, Mr. Adler and another Tory, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver, were allowed past the barrier, and scrambled to have their photos taken with the Prime Minister.

Adler later tweeted, “incredible experience at the #WesternWall – one of the most important sites for Jewish people in Canada and around the world.”

The Globe and Mail’s Campbell Clark recorded a video of the exchange.

When reporters asked him about those comments Wednesday, Adler said: “You guys don’t get a joke, huh? It was all said tongue-in-cheek.” Pressed for more, Adler repeated: “It was tongue-in-cheek guys, come on,” before walking away, CTV reports.

Adler, who represents the largest Jewish population in Toronto’s York Centre riding, was mocked over Twitter and by his political rival – The New Democrats, following the incident.

“Mr. Adler’s outburst makes one thing clear: Conservatives aren’t just in Israel to make new friends,” the NDP said in a press release. “Instead of focusing on their constituents, Conservatives are running for re-election and having the taxpayer foot the bill.”

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)