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Nov. 14 Update – Turner Holds News Conference – CTV has the transcript of his remarks;
Maverick MP Garth Turner said Tuesday that he is resigning from the Conservative party after being told he would not be permitted to seek a Tory nomination again.
“Me me me me, me me me me me me, me me me me me and me me me me me,” Turner announced, adding, “Me me me, me me me me me. Thankme.”
BBS has analysis.
Good points, Ted. I would add that the Liberals wouldn’t want Garth because he’s an independent loose cannon. That’s intolerable in the Liberal Party, which whips its MPs with vicious fury to keep them in line… and sometimes evicts them, like they did with Nunziata and Parrish.
The Greens, if they want him, are just being opportunistic, and foolishly so. I think Garth would be more of a one-man show, the “Garth Show” than a rep for the Greenies.
He’s best as an independent.
“Who wants that kind of trouble. Much better to have a useful idiot out there calling himself a conservative.”
Ted . . .tat for tit there buddy (sorry, just couldn’t resist) . . .
you guys have the most useful idiot of all . . . Belinduh.
ENJOY !!
RE: -Do you remember what happened to the Conservatives last time Garth Turner was an MP. In fact, he was Minister of Finance under Kim Campbell.-
I remember the commercial Mr. Turner did for reverse mortgages. And I know some people who lost their inheritance because of it. Their very elderly parents signed away a lifetime of equity to their home in Victoria for a criminally small amount of money on a reverse mortgage.
The issue for me with Mr. Turner is trust and it predates this latest term as an elected MP. Whoever takes him on now does so willingly and therefore deserves him. And IMO so do the people of his riding who first chose him and then elected him and sent him to Ottawa.
Such theatrics, such suspense! Garth, Party of Me, Myself and I is going to have another announcement, a biggie of course, could alter the political landscape in some important way no doubt.
We await in wild anticipation, all news outlets will cover it of course, hoping for some more ammunition against the Conservatives. He could either surprise the Conservatives or the MSM, depending on his message of course.
So the Great Garth will have our ears for another one day story in these dark days of Autumn, a week when the House is not sitting of course.
Just like Lord Garth from the original Star Trek (although look out for any green women with him, they’re dangerous)!
Why do people generally announce their announcements…..maximize publicity and coverage….and it is the same when the PM does it as it is when garth does it.
It is a tactic
I will let you figure out yourselves if they are equivalent.
Turner should be tossed from the Blogging Tories. He is not one of us. Since swear-in day of this new government, he has been a thorn in the side of Stephen Harper and has continuously tried to derail this government.
He obviously prefers Liberal governments, because he’s trying his best to accommodate them getting back in. He prefers obvious corruption, filth and sleaze to a government who is trying its best, yes, makes some mistakes, but is honestly trying to do the best thing for the country. You cannot say that about liberal governments. Shame on him.
Shame on all “tories” like him who stop being team players because one thing may tick them off a bit. You stay at it and work from the inside to change what you don’t like. Because the consequence of not sticking with the team is allowing your team to fall apart and the bad guys (liberals) win. And we do not want that. God, we don’t want that!!! In fact, I can’t think of anything worse for this country than a liberal government getting back in in a few months. What a national disgrace that would be.
My guess is that Garth is going to find out he cannot keep the nomination of the Conservative Party in Halton and, therefore, has no party affiliation in the current parliament. I have seen this problem before provincially. His current conservative riding association will be without a candidate if an election is called before they have had a chance to a new nomination process because he was chosen earlier in the summer after he made a fuss about incumbents should automatically be nominated. A unique problem but not historic as he is saying. I can’t understand why he ran in the first place. All parties expect MP’s or MPP’s to be team players and to represent that party. He apparently was typing on his laptop in caucus meetings. What was he thinking? Trust? What trust?
My guess is that Garth is going to find out he cannot keep the nomination of the Conservative Party in Halton and, therefore, has no party affiliation in the current parliament. I have seen this problem before provincially. His current conservative riding association will be without a candidate if an election is called before they have had a chance to a new nomination process because he was chosen earlier in the summer after he made a fuss about incumbents should automatically be nominated. A unique problem but not historic as he is saying. I can’t understand why he ran in the first place. All parties expect MP’s or MPP’s to be team players and to represent that party. He apparently was typing on his laptop in caucus meetings. What was he thinking? Trust? What trust?
“Why would Turner resign his seat and run in a by-election if he joined another caucus?”
Because he has maintained all along that if an MP is elected as a Conservative,Liberal,or NDP that is what his constituents wanted.If he/she switches parties before a general election than the voters should have the right to pick the party their MP represents.I’m sure there are a number of people in his riding who voted Conservative because thats the party they want leading the country.
If Garth was true to his word he should have resigned the day he was kicked out and ran as whatever he sees fit.
M Hawkins, Turner would do it because it’s precisely what he asked of Emerson, who he criticized specifically because he was voted a Liberal. Turner was voted a Conservative, which means:
a) Since the party decides who’s a Conservative and who’s not, he should have followed their rules and made them happy. If he doesn’t like it, then running in a by-election would be his recourse.
b) He certainly wasn’t voted as Green, which is something he would do by choice.
Regardless, Turner is signalling that tomorrow is not about him. He’ll milk this for all its worth in the weeks and months to come. Sigh.
If I’m not mistaken, all Turner ever said in fact was that if you cross the floor to join another party then you should resign and run again. So if he joined the Greens, then he would be violating that principle, but sitting as an independent, I don’t think he is.
Ted says..
“He’s certainly not a kool-aid drinking, talking points regurgitating conservative, that’s for sure.”
..unlike yourself or Cherniak for example, who most definitely are..
I think most Canadians (other than liberal apologists) would rather hear announcements from the Prime minister that give hope of better things to come, than to hear Liberal fantasies pronounced as policy fact (Kelowna,Kyoto)
I think we have come to realise that anything that comes out of the mouth of a Liberal is suspect at best,and only made to keep up the illusion that they are the party of ideas and action..
Can Canadians truly be expected to believe any liberal announcement after such dandies as “we will scrap the GST” or any other of the myriad “announcements” which were shown to be bald faced lies?
Actually, this Garth Turner freak is making me wonder about the Conservative Party and the manner in which they take on candidates for their ridings.
Remember the Grewal incident with the taping of the converstation he had with Ujal Dosanjh and all of the allegations of the tape being doctored? Well, I know a few people who are politically active in that riding. They tell me that Grewal made a couple of attempts to join the Liberal Party for that riding…but after checking him out a little, they flatly said “no.” No details, but something about him or his past made it so that even the Liberals found him to be a big liability. But, the rumour is that the Conservatives snapped him up without properly “checking him out.”
With Turner…well, he’s obviously a self-centered freak who has no honor. And now, one way or the other, he is a definite liability.
Maybe the CPC should revamp its policy of choosing candidates. Just a suggestion.
Not to change the subject – especially since Mr. Turner would not really appreciate the topic not being him, even on someone else’s blog – but this made me laugh outloud:
“Can Canadians truly be expected to believe any liberal announcement after such dandies as “we will scrap the GST””
being as it comes so soon after the “dandy” of an explicit broken campaign promise that is the decision to tax income trusts.
Thanks, Kursk. I always appreciate ending my work day in a good humour.
Ted
Cerberus
Garth sneak-peek…-
1. All I-Me-My wants for Xmas is….. Steve Harper’s scalp. …-
http://www.stephentaylor.ca/archives/000713.html
Not to change the subject – especially since Mr. Turner would not really appreciate the topic not being him, even on someone else’s blog – but this made me laugh outloud:
“Can Canadians truly be expected to believe any liberal announcement after such dandies as “we will scrap the GST””
being as it comes so soon after the “dandy” of an explicit broken campaign promise that is the decision to tax income trusts.
Thanks, Kursk. I always appreciate ending my work day in a good humour.
Ted
Cerberus
Come on now, Ted…the Conservatives made the announcement about the Income Trusts in one election, while the Liberals were promising to eliminate the GST in practically every election after it was introduced. That’s just a BIT of a difference.
M. Hawkins: Turner was kicked out of the Conservative CAUCUS, not the Conservative PARTY. There is a difference and so many people in Canada don’t seem to know that…and the MSM certainly aren’t going to explain it to them. If and when Turner switches, he will be guilty of hypocracy. That’s the issue.
Ted says..
“He’s certainly not a kool-aid drinking, talking points regurgitating conservative, that’s for sure.”
..unlike yourself or Cherniak for example, who most definitely are..
I think most Canadians (other than liberal apologists) would rather hear announcements from the Prime minister that give hope of better things to come, than to hear Liberal fantasies pronounced as policy fact (Kelowna,Kyoto)
I think we have come to realise that anything that comes out of the mouth of a Liberal is suspect at best,and only made to keep up the illusion that they are the party of ideas and action..
Can Canadians truly be expected to believe any liberal announcement after such dandies as “we will scrap the GST” or any other of the myriad “announcements” which were shown to be bald faced lies?
PMSH just sits back, keeping his powder dry, while the Liberalistas gnash & growl, the dippers grovel to dictators everywhere.
The re-election campaign has started PMSH is playing very cool and waiting for the dufus brigade to come out from behind their bull crap smokescreen of complaining and stand on real, debatable election planks.
It will be a massacre . . . go Stevey, go, but wait until the whackos have played their hand
Allegedly some ugliness about how the government is run.
I am sure he has a memo or something, likely polling data….on either environment or income trusts.
Ho hum, half day story, and it better be good or Garth has blown what sheer nightgown of credibility he has left.
Is he ever going to finish tuning that piano?
Ted: “being as it comes so soon after the “dandy” of an explicit broken campaign promise that is the decision to tax income trusts.”
If businesses that don’t depend on a lot of R&D had been the only ones that used the income trust status, I don’t think things would have been changed. But when Telus and Bell both considered the idea, the Tories realized that, if unchecked, this process would lead to a hollowing out of Canadian corporations. If your mandate is to distribute the maximum amount of cash to unit holders, why bother to invest in R&D? Why bother to keep on engineers, testers, etc., who are expensive and may or may not contribute immediately to the bottom line? So we would end up losing tons of skilled and intelligent people, probably to the US, who would be glad to lap them up.
And I have no sympathy at all for the idiots who had 100% of their portfolio in oil & gas income trusts, who have all written letters of lamentation to the various papers. If those fools haven’t bothered to learn that diversification is the most important element in your portfolio, then they have reaped the rewards of their stupidity.
There is a fundamental law of investing: “sh*t happens”. If your portfolio isn’t prepared for it, you deserve any shellacking you take.
I applaud the Tories for taking the responsible course, which is to protect the Canadian economy. If they did nothing, I’m sure you, Ted, and all the other Libranos would be gleefully screaming “they should have plugged this hole earlier” after the damage has been done. Monday morning QB is so much easier, isn’t it?
“I applaud the Tories for taking the responsible course, which is to protect the Canadian economy.”
Exactly. The change received praise from virtually every pundit and analyst around. It was necessary and responsible. As for paying a political price, the only people annoyed about it are ultra partisan hacks who know they’re full of crap.
“…….or if the Tories have come to their senses and are begging to take me back.”
What an arrogant, conceited, egotistical blow-hard. Mr. Turner, you were never that important.
Ted at 3:21…likes the Lib way of ‘announcing (pull the wool over the eyes)…and do nothing’
I can’t fathom taking over the huge environment portfolio and coming up with a plan in a short time.It has taken time to research, discuss and consult. Libs would lie, and do no research just spread the purple piffle.
On the topic of Turner…how do the people of Halton feel?Did they vote for Turner, or for Conservative change?
Ted at 3:21…likes the Lib way of ‘announcing (pull the wool over the eyes)…and do nothing’
I can’t fathom taking over the huge environment portfolio and coming up with a plan in a short time.It has taken time to research, discuss and consult. Libs would lie, and do no research just spread the purple piffle.
On the topic of Turner…how do the people of Halton feel?Did they vote for Turner, or for Conservative change?
Slightly OT:
“I applaud the Tories for taking the responsible course, which is to protect the Canadian economy.”
A broken promise is a broken promise, regardless on whether it’s about the GST or accountability or income trusts. Politicians are ALL THE SAME, and anyone who believes that Stephen Harper is any different and makes excuses for him is an idiot.
PM Harper isn’t in the same league when it comes to lieing, the libs have that wrapped up. Anyone who believes anything else is a true idiot.
I think Kate has coined a term – Garthing.
When your teenage daughter spends too much time in front of the mirror you can tell her to stop Garthing herself.
When some dude drives down the street in a Camero with Whitesnake blasting you can say that he is totally Garthing.
Hassle:
What are you talking about? They promised it in the 1993 election. Looked at the numbers and came to understand the structure of it. Came to the public and said we aren’t going to scrap it.
It wasn’t promised ever again.
Ted…i am glad that i could provide you with so much mirth at your work today..
Unfortunately,this can also be said of the Liberals who provide many of us here with their tragic comedic material, what with their penchant for hyperbole and distraction..
Would you care to list other policy gems from our natural governing party (such as and other than the GST) where they “informed ” the public that what was in their best interest ,and what the Liberals did, were quite divergent? i can… and their record is quite disastrous.
I have never seen a party last so long promising so much,and delivering so little, as the federal Liberal cabal proved could be foisted on the Canadian public over the last thirteen years.
I think it is disingenuous to say that Liberals saw the errors of their ways and came out right away and stated they had erred..that simply did not happen,as you very well know.
They rode that pony for a very long time, and i remember several high profile libs twisting themselves into human pretzels over the issue..
I imagine a lot of Liberals were pulling splinters from their butts from straddling that fence for so long..
But are you dining on Venison, Kate?
News just in … Larry O’Brien, local lad made good, is overwhelmingly elected Mayor of Ottawa.
Unfortunately, all the same old, same old, deadbeat, slime-bucket liberal-lwefty councillors were re-elected.
But are you dining on Venison, Kate?
News just in … Larry O’Brien, local lad made good, is overwhelmingly elected Mayor of Ottawa.
Unfortunately, all the same old, same old, deadbeat, slime-bucket liberal-lwefty councillors were re-elected.
Yes Hassle, I know that. Turner still is the nominated candidate for the Conservative Party in Halton and is likely still a member. But if you want to dance on the point of a pin, he doesn’t have to leave the Conservative Party when/if he joins another caucus.
Yeah Paul and Dennis, but Turner isn’t crossing anything. He was removed from the Conservative caucus. Do you get it yet? He didn’t initiate. It isn’t one little bit like Emerson. BTW, Turner doesn’t get the money and perks that Emerson or BS sold out for by leaving their caucus to get cabinet posts.
Harper got Spencer booted for dumb speech and Turner’s on the toe for devolving some “secret”, I don’t care for the whip but Harper is the dog we have in the fight so I accept him for now, donate my money and give my time volunteering.
Does anybody know the “secret” that was devolved? Spencer apparently got the boot for violating party policy when he didn’t and Turner for releasing a “secret” that nobody seems to know what it was. Hmmm.
Garth sneak-peek
Garth will likely provide the answers to 10 questions that his board of directors asked to the Conservative Party. Well, the twenty-four member board received their answers and here they are (in a general sense):
1. [Has Garth] been suspended or expelled from caucus?
Suspended.
2. Is it definite or indefinite?
Indefinite.
3. What was the reason?
Garth has been provided with the reasons.
4. Will [Garth] be formally notified (of the suspension)?
No such formal process. Garth was at the Ontario caucus when the decision was rendered. Garth did not attend the National Caucus where it was ratified.
5. What evidence will the board get to justify [Garth’s] ouster? …-
3w.stephentaylor.ca/
Thanks Maz, that was a funny one by Stephan Taylor for number 5 (none of your business). A secret revealed but nobody knows what the secret is that was revealed. Its Spencer all over again, “You’re not a toadie, hit the roadie.”
Heard his speech today, but did not turn around to watch him. He sounded breathless and embarrassed. He cannot run as a conservative again, he is resigning his membership in the party and wants all the perks etc as an independant that party members have. My sympathies to the people that elected this fool. He is not joining another party, and I wonder if that is because no one wants him. Wait for them to release letters saying NO WAY, GO AWAY.
Just watched Garth Turner’s press conference. What a joke. He is, if he isn’t already, a joke among the mainstream media. The left leaning media turned out in hordes hoping to get more negative stuff to write about the Conservatives. What a thud. Telling the MSM and Canadians politics is run by the backroom boys. Duh! He’s going to change it. Well CTV didn’t even wait for him to finish his statemenst before they went back to their recycled newscast. Kate is right as far as Mr. Turner is concerned it’s all about me, me, me blah, blah. Shame on Garth Turner. He is now kryptonite for all political parties including the Green Party I assume.
Just watched Garth Turner’s press conference. What a joke. He is, if he isn’t already, a joke among the mainstream media. The left leaning media turned out in hordes hoping to get more negative stuff to write about the Conservatives. What a thud. Telling the MSM and Canadians politics is run by the backroom boys. Duh! He’s going to change it. Well CTV didn’t even wait for him to finish his statemenst before they went back to their recycled newscast. Kate is right as far as Mr. Turner is concerned it’s all about me, me, me blah, blah. Shame on Garth Turner. He is now kryptonite for all political parties including the Green Party I assume.
Just watched Garth Turner’s press conference. What a joke. He is, if he isn’t already, a joke among the mainstream media. The left leaning media turned out in hordes hoping to get more negative stuff to write about the Conservatives. What a thud. Telling the MSM and Canadians politics is run by the backroom boys. Duh! He’s going to change it. Well CTV didn’t even wait for him to finish his statemenst before they went back to their recycled newscast. Kate is right as far as Mr. Turner is concerned it’s all about me, me, me blah, blah. Shame on Garth Turner. He is now kryptonite for all political parties including the Green Party I assume.
Check out CTV. Barely mention it until they get all huffy about Harper and his “transparency” thing.
No surprise here. Just the regular conservative trashing.
Oh wow. I just read a transcript of Turner’s speech. Kate’s original post had it bang-on…it really is all about him. All he is doing is trying to emerge as the leader of some new political revolutionary ideal…In other words, he wants to become what he claims to be against.
Incredible.
I loved the part that says “I don’t know what ‘indefinite’ means.” Get this man a dictionary.
He actually called a press conference and got coverage for this? What’s next? Will he call a press conference the next time he wants to say that he’s miffed about how long he has to wait in line at the local Tim Horton’s?
Oh well, at least we can count on everyone (including the media) to pass him off as the boy who cried wolf the next time he pulls something like this.
The satire page “screenshot”, above, is mild compared with the real speech just given. And I guess he’s sitting as in Independent, while campaigning for the Greens’ May in London, so that he can claim that he hasn’t switched parties, so he doesnt’ have to run in a byelection right away.
Ah poor Garth, just doesn’t understand that no-one wants him. Can’t understand that grandstanding as a primadonna, only harms one’s credibility. Can’t understand that the constant public dissing of his colleagues doesn’t build trust and influence within and outside circles. Can’t understand that there are other MPs who may qualify for cabinet posts, other than him. Can’t understand that there are another 307 MPs in house who may have good ideas besides him and do good by their constituents. Can’t understand that parliament needs some discipline in order to get things done – yes it means concessions. Can’t understand that a party of one usually can only be a critic (like a deer tick) rather than someone who can actually enact changes.
So he doesn’t like parties. He conveniently forgets that the parties have constitutions that set forth the district rules and regulations. The constitutions are usually ratified by regular people, who take the time to join parties and go to conventions. If they don’t like something, they bring forth resolutions for considerations. Nah – according to Garth’s world…. let’s forget all that and follow Garth’s “digital democracy”. If you don’t follow Garth, well, then he’ll just diss you on his blog.
A word of advise to any Garth’s followers – watch your backs
Is it too late for him to join the liberal leadership race, or how about running for Ralph’sjob in Alberta. Watch for fireworks after Dec 3, when there will be a further 7 failed leadership candidates, some of them MLAs, to cross the floor and diss their party. Lets see, we have Keith Martin, Scott B., BS, Garth T. there now. There was a 10 yr fight between Martin and Chretain. Then there was Svend, who retired and took up a new career in theft. (would have made a great liberal) Sheila was humiliated. Have I left anyone out. Oh, the former candidates that gave support to another, what happens if their guy doesn’t win.
you left out Brian Tobin, the fishschtick king.
his grandstanding has only recently been surpassed by Danny “Cry me a river” Williams.
The only thing that was of a disturbing revelence( or is it disturbed) was the farce of a press conference.
The only thing that was of a disturbing revelence was the farce of a press conference.
If I was a reporter I would be disturbed that i had to sit through it.
That was the BIG NEWS news conference? That?
Huh … and really what does he epxect when he is constantly throwing tantrums and political melodramas?