has joined the Liberals.
Or so I’m told in the comments. (I’ve been crawling around a concrete floor all morning laying out flames on an HHR.)
Open thread as I have to get back to work. I’m sure there’s lots in his archives explaining how deeply unethical it is for any member of parliament to switch parties without resigning his seat. You folks might start getting busy saving page sources.
CTV
Update – Now there’s video from Canada’s best known champion of the little me.
My reaction to the announcement? I’m torn between disinterest and pity. Of course, he jumped to the LIberals. It’s been three months since he saw his name in the paper. He needed a fix.
Now, why Dion took him? That’s the better question.
Update – Commentor “Boots” advises that “Garth Turner is getting ripped to pieces by Breckenridge tonight. (QR 77 archives 7:00pm) In fact I’ve never heard Rob B. so adversarial. He’s absolutely ripping Turner to pieces. It’s brilliant! Turner is stammering and stumbling and Rob B. is relentless. Turner has never experienced this kind of questioning and it shows. Click… he just hung up at the end of the interview.
Link to the audio vault is here, Tue Feb 6 … 7 pm. Turner starts the hour, callers for 20 mins, then Stephen Taylor to finish. The link requires free sign-up. I haven’t heard it yet, but it sounds like fun.
On Garth’s blog: A statement has been scheduled for 5 ET.
Now, if these were real journalists in this country, the knives would be out, re: crossing the floor without a by-election, statements about Dion 60 days ago, etc……
The most inquisitive question we’ll probably hear is: “How does it feel to have come to your senses?”
I wonder what Wells and Coyne have to say about this. If Calgary Grit isn’t liking this, the best is yet to come, kids.
I give it a week before the Liberal stacked CRTC announces that Garth’s MPtv gets mandatory tier one cable carriage.
And which Liberal benefactor has to take one for the team and buy Garth’s media firm at a ridiculous premium?
Turner was more of a force and better for the CPC and LPC parties as an independent MP. It appears that his joining the Liberals will do the most good for the CPC if he hopefully maintains and fosters the same attitude with Celine as he did with Harper.
He’s the Libs problemo now and they’ll soon find out what caucus confidentiality breaches and publicly questioning LPC policy on his blog and in interviews does for party trust and morale. There are very known and public reason for Garth’s dismissal from the Tories – I guess Dion has his head in the sand.
Turner had a great opportunity to be the first Green MP. I guess he figured HE couldn’t raise enough to contest an election without a big party behind him.
The biggest shame of this is that he counters basically everything he said and claimed to believe in on his blog, in speeches and while stumping.
Key words: Lib MP Dominic LeBlanc; AdScam; Guite; (Alfonso) Gagliano.
Leblanc trots out AdScam; Guite, convicted; Gagliano, evicted. Librano$$$$$$$$$
Khan refuses to share findings on Middle East trip
OTTAWA – Conservative MP Wajid Khan has refused to appear before a parliamentary committee to share the findings of his fall trip to the Middle East as special adviser to the prime minister.
Khan was invited last week by the House of Commons’ foreign-affairs committee to discuss his report on the trip, which took him to Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Israel and Lebanon.
But an aide to Liberal MP Albina Guarnieri, who tabled the invitation, confirmed Monday that Khan has declined to appear.
The decision drew further ridicule from the Liberals, who portray the trip as a junket designed to woo Khan to cross the floor, rather than a serious foreign-policy exercise.
Khan was named special adviser to Stephen Harper on the Middle East in August, while he was still a Liberal MP. He defected to the Conservatives last month. …
But Leblanc said it was highly unusual for an MP to refuse to appear before a parliamentary committee.
“Chuck Guite appeared. (Alfonso) Gagliano appeared,” he said, referring to two major players implicated in the sponsorship scandal. “I find it surprising that Wajid wont appear.” …-
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=eda2951d-7b99-4d67-b71a-9451db7b4c99&k=89405
This is a promoter’s dream now that they’re both working the same circuit.
Garth Turner and Warren Kinsella hold grudge matches in small community halls and arenas across urban Canada. A winner is declared when they throw their opponents ego clear over the top rope.
There could be celebrity managers starting with Carolyn Parrish for Mr. Kinsella. She’d be all decked out in purple tights the same shade as Barney the Dinosaur and she’d constantly be quaffing her thirst by swilling Brights 57 Canadian Sherry from her water bucket. The longer the match the greater the mayhem!
Wayne in Wetaskiwin
On the bright side, none of the online news sites have this significantly displayed as a top story. It’s on the front page, but well down. A lot of it is to do with Harper and his “update” speech, if you can really call it an update.
Mary, of course Holland has been told to shut up. He’s one of the biggest mouthes, up every day on attack. Suddenly,after a real mess on Adler he’s lost for words. He’s really not too smart, just mouthy, he’s proven that.
The Libranos are really scraping the bottom for attacks, good sign for the Conservatives and ultimately Canada.
Seams Don’s spel chequer isn’t working or maybe he is not articulate. Garth Turner is the consumate “Me” generation kind of guy.
Re: Pictures of HHR; please do.
Garth gone to the Liebrano’s? Wow! Great news!
Gee I am an Atheist and even I am starting to think that there must be a god and that he must be on the Conservatives side!
Liz & Mary: have you noticed where Holland & Mcguinty sit in the commons beside each other with such a look of either anger or concurn. They are always in view behind Dion & Iggy.
My old dad used to say: once a liberal always a liberal, They never shut up, They never listen, They always interupt, They never do anything & are NEVER WRONG in their eyes.
The CBC thinks There is nothing wrong with switching parties as long as you switch to the Lieberal party.
bryanr: Your dad was very perceptive, they are exactly that.
It is so annoying to listen to panels set up by Newman, Duffy and others with the Liberal guests always running overtime and interrupting other guests with impunity.
Watched Goldhawk on CPAC Sunday and Geoff Regan was obnoxious, took over the show. Goldhawk showed his Liberal bent and let him go as per usual.
Goldhawk does a poor job. It’s a phone in show and very few calls get taken, it’s all banter with his chosen guests.
The choices we have to keep informed stink. Hopefully more and more people are becoming aware of it.
Who cares???
Canoe Forums:
http://live.canoe.ca/Words/News/YourSay/2007/02/06/3540773.html
Q: Can you trust Turner?
Comments:
As a voter in his riding, all I can say is that I am disgusted. Garth is simply putting his own personal interests ahead of his constituents’. I don’t believe that the Liberal’s policies are consistent with Garth’s published political policies, so what gives? Is he changing his political views simply for the power? Looks to me like he has caved in, all for the wrong reasons. The only ones who lose now are those of us who put him power. Will this type of self-serving behaviour ever end? I think they should legislate something to prevent this sort of thing from happening. We see this bait-and-switch bull all too often.
D., 2007-02-06 13:37:02
He would be a perfect fit for the Fiberals
Jimbob, 2007-02-06 13:24:10
I believe Garth is so bitter he never received a cabinet post- he has lost his common sense. Unfortunately I voted for him
Dwain, 2007-02-06 13:15:43
Turner is a self serving sanctimonious blowhard that will say anything to get the attention of the press. The Liberals deserve Garth Turner.
r mcleod, 2007-02-06 13:15:20
Speaking of political stumble bums, seeing Turner stagger to the adscam party reminded me that this date in 1977 Rene Levesque ran over a homeless man with his car while in an intoxicated state killing the homless man instantly. Levesque then left the scene of the accident without stopping. After a lot of quiet meetings with Levesque’s lawyer and Police, Levesque is fined 25 dollars for not wearing his glasses. Levesque’s Lawyer is now an LPC strategist.
30 years later to the day the voters of Halton watch their MP pull a hit and run on his constituents and walk away with full pay and handshakes.
Seems incidentally remarkable to see two such acts of tacit consent occur on the same date.
JASON CHERNIAK: TURNER SHOULD RESIGN AND RUN IN BY-ELECTION (national newswatch)
Cherniak was Citoyen Dion’s co-chairman of something re the internet for Citoyen. Online petition to follow?
(Who can set up a spoof site?)
Fear and loathing, disgust, and back-biting, in the ranks of the Librano$.
This may be the buster/breaker/bam the dog of Citoyen Dion’s bubbles, visions, and dreams. …-
Dion must be thrilled now. He thinks he’s getting someone who’ll be his Ontario face during the election while he takes care of Quebec. Then he can tell the prairies and the maritimes to pound sand.
Mr. Dion may think he’s getting a political bulldog for his caucus, but in fact he’s getting a nippy chihuahua with a Napoleon complex. Run, Stéphane! Go warn Kyoto!
Probably too late to save page sources. I believe the whole site was down getting “cleaned” last night, before the announcement. I think he took a lesson from the Belinda fiasco.
The Halton EDA was warned by the membership that Turner was a flake but they went with the belly crawling turn coat because they felt he has name recognition….well I guess we’ recognize that name now…”Turner”…as in coat.
Did you see Turner’s spin on his video? He won’t run in a byelection unless Harper ALSO calls byelections for Khan, Emerson, and Fortier as well. In other words, Turner’s changed his own tune. How very lieberal of him.
Hey Don, are you sitting there with the comments up just waiting for someone to notice you? Well now you are noticed now just go away as we are boring you with our childishness.
Garth Turner in 2005:
“… I keep on looking for whole streets and neighbourhoods full of Liberals, but I have not found them yet! This tells me that a lot of folks in the last couple of elections voted Liberal because they felt there was no realistic, credible political alternative. But now with the Conservative Party stronger, more unified and more identified as a mainstream, ready-to-govern organization, all that is changing. Suddenly most voters are accessible to us – even looking to Conservatives in Halton and across Canada to provide the alternative they so desperately seek.” (Garth Turner, Halston Conservative Party Association newsletter, Fall 2005)
“Conservatives believe in Canada. We believe our country can be a better place, free of corruption and scandal, where people respect their MPs once again and where ethics and politics, finally, are one and the same. ” (Ibid)
“Halston needs a Conservative in Ottawa and Canada needs a Conservative government.”(Halston Conservative Party Association newsletter, Winter 2005)
‘Just caught the 5:00 p.m. news on CBC, having been working all day, and not a word about criticism of Garth Turner for having joined the Liberals: in fact, a coy-sounding female reporter saying that as she was speaking (at that very moment) Garth Turner was having a press conference. She sounded all warm and cozy about it.
Elizabeth May was quoted as saying she didn’t feel jilted at all and that if Garth ever changed his mind he was welcome in the Green Party anytime.
Oh, yes, then Jim Flaherty was interviewed. He said that Garth was a “lost soul” and was looking for someplace to land.
But absolutely no call for him to resign. The CBC couldn’t/wouldn’t find someone to call Turner on his Turn(er)cote floor crossing to the Libs. We all know when the shoe’s on the other foot, there is bellowing from all over for the new Conservative member to resign and go to his/her electorate to see what they say.
Well, it’s the CBC, after all. But how transparently biased. Like the new dispensation in society, there’s no fear and no shame: Ya do what ya want when ya want. Who the H*ll cares if it’s fair?
Garth Turner on the last Liberal Party budget:
“Outrageous gasoline prices are a good example, since Ottawa contributes to the problem by raising the cost of gas some 30% through excessive taxation.
“The growing cost of mortgage money is another, since the recent Liberal-NDP budget raised spending by almost $5 billion. Economists warned this would result in higher interest charges, and that’s exactly what’s happening.”
Dion apparently said, in response to a question that he has been assured by turner that he will maintain caucus secrecy. Newman says this shows that dion is aware of his blog.
Gerald Kennedy is going up against Peggy Nash in the next election. Long time woman lib mp from that riding is stepping aside for him. Where is that plan of dions to have women candidates to run in so called former safe ridings. A 3 term lib woman kicked out for Kennedy. He held that seat in the provincial government for 10 years. Hey, the voting area in fed and prov ridings are much different, and maybe those voting for him before live in other ridings. Of course, he could follow landslide annies and volpes voting list with dead voters.
Garth has a screw loose. This only looks bad on one man – CELINE DION – who would actually take this guy in! And to get him, Celine must have made him some promises, like a place in the cabinet that he will never have a chance to assemble. So, now that Garth has hitched his wagon to Dion’s horse, what happens when Dion gets ousted as leader later this year?
The Liberals have absolutely no self-awareness.
And the most delicious tidbit fr.press conference,was who facilitated the jump to the Libs????? JOE,the kiddies pal,VOLPE. Now that speaks volumes about Garth’s integrity.I loved the comment by Borat,that he believed GT to be “discreet”..he is screwed in the head.Nice shout-out in his comments on PMSH speech today to “the Pacific Gate-a-way”..then the ridiculous remark,that “Harper needs to tell all Canada,in both English and French,what his plans are”…DUH!!! Ditto,Dion…and it has to be comprehensible ENGLISH.
I-Me-My and I-I-I; two narcissists. And Betty May.
Le Triage; Red-Tory; Red-Green; Green-Red….-
However, he said he found that being an Independent had its drawbacks. For example, he couldn’t sit on parliamentary committees
or issue tax receipts for donors.
“Mr. Dion is welcoming me even knowing that I was a pain,” Turner joked. “Even worse, that I was a journalist.”
However, he said Dion would allow him to be his own person. “So I’m thankful that a Progressive Conservative refugee like myself has found a home in this country.”
Dion said Turner would be expected to uphold caucus confidentiality.
“She [May] still loves me,” he said jokingly. May described Turner as a friend….-
ctv.ca
His “Special Webcast” is the funniest thing I have seen in years:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2606788191064370553&hl=en-CA
From the 1970s-vintage Peace Tower intro, to the endless wandering around, to his posing in front of the Kim Campbell portrait, to the sanctimonious soul-searching, to his ridiculous justifications for joining the Liberals, this is pure comedy gold! A more self-deluded individual, I haven’t seen. He’s off his meds.
Was it a coincidence that Turner and Dion had a news conference right around 5PM to take away from another incredible speech by Harper today at the Canadian Club in Ottawa?
The rat’s butt’s in MSM gave Harper short exposure in favor of Garth! and his new found home with the Professor of Garble, Dion.
For anyone with a brain and thought process beyond a turnip, hearing Harper’s speech would give the assurance we are in good hands.
”Last, I am most happy to run in a by-election along with Emerson, Fortier and Khan. Fair is fair, and I challenge PMSH to set a date. I’ll resign 36 days earlier and campaign with pleasure. Bring it on.
posted by Garth Turner on 02.06.07 @ 4:46 pm”
Turner said floor-crossers should run in byelections
But Turner was also critical of the government while he was a member of the party. Notably, he denounced Harper’s decision to swear Emerson into cabinet. Emerson crossed the floor after being elected as a Liberal in January 2006.
Turner said then that anyone who crossed the floor should step down and run in a byelection
Repocreepo scooped the Turnerround. …-
Monday, January 22, 2007
Recent rumblings..
Numbers in Halton have it that if Turner runs as Independent, he splits vote with the CPC… Liberal runs up the middle (modern day Reform vs PC vote split). So its being said that Turner takes the Liberal nod and tries to squeek through for re-election. This way he wont be a floor crosser like Emerson or Khan. He will sit as an independent until the election then run as a liberal and “let the people decide.”
If you read his blog, he’s been on the anti tory attack now for some time…and it does make sense for Dion in the short and long term. He gains high profile attack dog for Harper whos been on the “inside” of the tory war room and one more seat to topple the government if needed.
From what I’ve heard its pretty much a done deal…timing of the announcement is the only issue. Most likely within the next couple of weeks….-
http://repocreepo.blogspot.com/2007/01/recent-rumblings.html
Hmm, let’s see, Conservative MPs who are a detriment to the party — Stronach the would-be queen, Brison with his drah-mah, and now the man who likes to pee in his own tent — cross over to the Liberals, while Liberal MP’s who are an asset to their party — Emerson, Khan — move to the Conservatives. Anyone see a pattern here?
As for Garth, well, go man go! Speak your mind. I’m sure you’ll have lots to say over the next few years, and I bet there’ll be a lot of open mikes at the Liberal leadership convention in ’08. People need to know what you think — you know they do.
Maryjane, Turner doesn’t have to wait for the Prime Minister. He can resign any time. If he doesn’t then he is a hypocrite.
Tankyou gart turner for you hol da bucket wow I tek a pisss, dat iw whaaa a deemocrazzy r all abow Stepon Dion.
How long can/will the msm keep covering for dion. Do they want an election now because they know that soon they will have to tell the truth. Too many cdns are discovering how biased they are. Another 6 months and no one will pay them any attention. Harpers speech was great, and understandable.
Everyone should go over to Rush and read George Wills on Kyoto. He is urging the senate to re-consider it. He then points out many inconvenient truths re Kyoto. It failed to pass during clinton, with the vote 95-0 against kyoto. 56 of the 95 senators voting no are still there, including Kerry. Oh, and who was the leader of the senate when it was defeated, the VP at the time. Does the name algore ring a bell. Why has no one ever asked him why he and clinton were against it.
Barf Turnip willone day wake up and relize he is truely an NDP’r, as he’s not even smart enough to be a lieberal
he wanders around in my area quite often and non of us conservatives here have any use for him
Garth Turner is getting ripped to pieces by Breckenridge tonight. (QR 77 archives 7:00pm) In fact I’ve never heard Rob B. so adversarial. He’s absolutely ripping Turner to pieces. It’s brilliant! Turner is stammering and stumbling and Rob B. is relentless. Turner has never experienced this kind of questioning and it shows. Click… he just hung up at the end of the interview. The 7:30 to 8:00 half hour portion of the show has a caller now chastising Rob for being to hard on Turner. Says it makes us westeners look bad. Idiot. Garth Turner and others need this kind of treatment once in awhile because it keeps them real. They are treated with kids gloves on the MSM. Steven Taylor now being interviewed. This is a must listen everyone and maybe a thank you email to Rob Brekenridge is in order.
How many liberals are in the liberal caucus, not counting floor crossers. And, all the crossers are getting even because they were rejected for leader or cabinet. Anyone heard or seen bs lately, is she blond or black. Still lots of little tidbits on US sites re Bill and his canadian mistress. What happened to Tie.
Then we have Kennedy, kicking a 3 term lady liberal mp out so he can run. What happened to more women candidates. Must be a thing of the past for dion. Sheila must be laughing.
Then we have Kennedy, kicking a 3 term lady liberal mp out so he can run. What happened to more women candidates.
Dion will make up for it by renaming his dog “Germaine Greer”.
(Not my joke, forgot where I heard it.)
Well to be absolutely accurate, re: Kennedy, Bulte won in 97, 2000, 2004, Nash (NDP, and female) won in 2006. It was assumed that Bulte would run again, and then Kennedy comes in and nulls that.
Now, we did hear that Kennedy would consider running out west in the leadership convention. We did hear that Mr. Dion did commit to 1 of every 3 Liberal candidates in the next general election would be female. Worth questioning is what to do with one Bob Rae, himself a resident of the riding that Mr. Kennedy now plans to run in, and actually a much longer serving resident than Mr. Kennedy.
Business as usual in Liberal land.
After allowing turner to sit as a liberal, with all his baggage, is there any doubt that dion will take back all those kicked out of the party.
I went over to sign a petition at Jason’s but there isn’t one. And I wasn’t even going to be sarcastic.
Has anyone got the votes per candidate for turners riding last January.
Someone posted that he only won because of the protest vote. Who protested against what.
He said he would run in a by-election if, emmerson etc also ran. He forgets, if he resigns, Harper has 6 months to call an election.
When does LaPierre leave for his new job.
Wonder how dion likes having 2 martins and a turner in his midst. Is paul ever there.
Is it my imagination or does iggy always look like he is addressing a bunch of lesser humans when he gets up to speak, whether on Newman, Giggles, or QP. I have been paying a lot of attention to body language and facial expressions. Dion always looks like his face is frozen in time, maybe too much botox.
Who gives a flying #%$%!, Garth will surely help the Lie-beral cause. HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!
The link to the Turner/Breakenridge interview is here … bring up Tue Feb 6 … 7 pm. Turner for first half hour, then callers for 20 mins, then Stephen Taylor for 10 mins.
One is a scheming megalomaniac, the other an attention-starved windbag: can you tell them apart?
So this is what is ruffled feathers looks like.
Okay, I’m having a horribly hard time getting any sort of outrage over Turner. He was removed from his party, after all. Now the Liberals can deal with him. In fact, I’m having a hard time even caring about this piece of news. Big deal; big surprise.
What a hipocritical arse.
Ok, lets see if I got it right. CPC throws Garth into a dumpster. dion goes out garbage picking and spots an MP chattering away. dion says something no one understands and takes the MP. Green dion … he even recycles MPs. Dream team material.