Stephane Dion throws Orchard into the ditch - and the riding association goes tumbling after...
Merasty squeaked out a narrow victory for the Liberals in the 2006 election, just more than 100 votes ahead of his Tory competitor.The backroom manoeuvring to find a replacement for Merasty sparked bitter recriminations from supporters of one of Dion's key leadership organizers, anti-free trade activist David Orchard.
Dion initially appeared to give his blessing to an Orchard candidacy but came under pressure to change his mind from Liberals, including House leader Ralph Goodale, who believe Beatty, an aboriginal woman, is best placed to hold the riding, which has a heavy aboriginal population.
Posted by Kate at January 4, 2008 9:59 AM
obviously this cannot be true or the beacon of truth justice and liberal values ,CBCpravda would be chiming it from the highest towers including the centre of the universe Trona.
looks like the libs are giving up the middle ground and putting a direct raid on the dippers.
This should be great to watch..how soon till Orchard comes unglued?
Posted by: Sammy at January 4, 2008 11:23 AMI think it's a joke that Beatty was just re-elected in November as an NDP MLA and two months later jumps ship from a pathetic opposition to run federally as a Liberal. Taxpayers' dollars will now be wasted in a provincial by-election. Let the usual Northern Saskatchewan political sleaze begin!!
Posted by: mooseguy at January 4, 2008 11:33 AMFunny you should mention TVs being raffled.
You have no idea what a long and important part TVs have played in elections for the Crooked Liberal Party du Canada.
"Now it is all very well to denounce the dishonesty of voters (in Quebec) who accept refrigerators and televisions in exchange for their votes, but it must be recognized that the offering of bribes is just as detrimental to democracy as the taking of them. So the question remains: Who makes those bribes possible?" - Pierre Trudeau 1958
How about the Detrimental Crooked Liberal Party du Canada for starters?
As an amateur historian, I love this blog.
Posted by: rockyt at January 4, 2008 11:38 AMHey, throwing Orchard in the ditch is risky business. It will be interesting to see how this will unfold.
Guess in Dion's mind, Ralphie knows best. This looks like a good move... for the Conservatives.
Are the Dippers slowing morphing into Liberals?
Not that it would be much of a culture shock or anything.
Rae might as well not bother with the expense of an election in his Toronto riding, he's already won according to tradition.....forever Liberal riding no matter who runs. It's called brain free voting.
Count Kingston as one of those brain free ridings. The libranos could run a dead monkey and still win here. It can a most frustrating experience, but I refuse to give up. I have been canvassing here now for almost 20 years, and one of these days we will win(one can only hope).
Cutting Orchard loose could turn into a PR nightmare for bombardion. Good thing he is no longer in the CPC camp(as if he could ever be called a conservative).
Posted by: kingstonlad at January 4, 2008 12:45 PMOh this is getting better by the minute. What kind of stuff will the locals in the northern polls try to get away with even though there will be more media coverage? It should be great fun watching this one. It's the wild west up there.
Poor Orchard. We are all waiting with eager anticipation what his next move will be.
Posted by: Soccermom at January 4, 2008 1:23 PM4 by-elections on March 17. Liberals have 2 ndp running for them. If the ndp contest all 4, that will be 6 ndpers up for election.
I would laugh if this lady wins, and immediately crosses to Jack Layton.
Will the ndp hold the seat in SK, in a by-election. Will her supporters cross over and vote liberal. Should be interesting to watch. Maybe Orchard will run for the ndp, or as an independant and win.
Aboriginal and female.
A politically correct two-fer !
Partisanship aside, Canadians of ALL stripes should be livid when DEMOCRACY is attacked in such a self-serving manner as this !
Posted by: teddy at January 4, 2008 2:14 PMisn't DeYawn going to vote against the Budget before the by-elections?
Lotsa time for Orchard to raise a ruckus
Rae will have a CPC opponent-in-the-cloth! Yes, GOD is on our side
Posted by: aj in calgary at January 4, 2008 3:00 PM"Hey, throwing Orchard in the ditch is risky business." Liz J.
Who has ever lost by disassociating themselves from Orchard?
Posted by: Jon at January 4, 2008 7:09 PMIn that particular riding Orchard might well have a following, that would screw up Ralphie's pick.
He's not likely to go off for a quiet sulk.
Orchard and this lady should be told, Dion is never going to be PM so forget the senate, GG, patronage appointment or whatever else the libs have promised. If she loses the seat, she will be out of fed and prov politics. Whatever was promised must have been great.
Posted by: MaryT at January 4, 2008 9:42 PMThis seat should end up back with the Cons with the Libs having flashbacks of Outremont. As for Beatty, she should be paying for the by election she caused by her greed and dishonesty to the people who voted her in just 2mos ago.
Posted by: Martin at January 4, 2008 10:23 PMIs there ANY party that wants Orchard? Elizabeth May, what about you? I bet he would...
Posted by: djb at January 5, 2008 7:37 PM