Rumblings from the Torysphere suggest that Garth Turner is pondering a jump to the Liberals. From What's Right is Right:
Seeing how the Green Party nod is going to the last candidate (this happened recently at the previously aformentioned Dickens) and Mr Turner (IND MP) cant seem to raise money if his life depended on it (and his political life does depend on it) He's been in talks with the local Liberal Party riding association for THEIR nod. Rumor has it, they'll take HIM in return for the Khan defection. If they have a nomination meeting no one will challenge...more than likely new Lib leader Dion will appoint him.
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."
I checked The Turner Report for clues to the truth of this, but found nothing concrete other than a real distaste for his old Tory brethren:
I will never work with Stephen Harper again, and not just for my own experiences. My devastating discovery this past year was that the Reform Party has, in fact, formed government. Worse, I helped make it happen.
Just when some are arguing its time to put away the "Tories are Scary" mantra, here we might have a brand spanking new Liberal candidate who just escaped from the freak-show claiming its all still true. Oh how sweet it would be!
(Personally, I was convinced by that commercial during the 2004 election showing a black and white picture of Harper with his eyes glowing red. That can't be normal, right?)
And the final result would be Halton goes Lib and Streetsville stays Lib in the next election. That's a two seat swing already.
I don't know about that, I mean, Garth's a pretty hardcore economic conservative. Even if the Liberals could fit with his views on social issues (a good possibility), I think the economic views might be a sticking point for ol' Garth.
ReplyDeleteHe's in a riding that already elected a Conservative-turned-Liberal in Gary Carr. The riding president in Halton has already stepped down in order to run in the nomination - Jose Zlatar. Jose has signed up a considerable amount of members already.
ReplyDeleteGarth carries some luggage but he could fight the good fight WITH us for a change.
The What Do I Know Grit
Garth will be a loose cannon wherever he lands. That would be his problem. He has always been quite green, before it was popular, and he's always been fairly liberal socially. I don't see a problem with his ideology fitting in with the partys. I see perhaps a character issue.
ReplyDelete"Garth will be a loose cannon wherever he lands."
ReplyDeleteExactly. Have fun.
As I understand it, Turner was booted in part for not keeping his mouth shut about confidential caucus meetings.
ReplyDeleteIf I was Dion, I would read Turner the riot act, explaining that certain things are public and certain things ain't. It's possible Garth will behave himself as a grit, should he become one.
But it's hard for blabbermouths to change their ways.
Who's Garth Turner?
ReplyDeleteWhooee! I see a fiscon/solib in GarthFeller an' that's why I figgered he'd be a good fit in the Green Party. I know he turned down earlier attempts at recruitment by Earth Mother Lizzie May. I was hopin' he'd hold off until we get an' electionvote before throwin' in with one gang or anuther. An' I was hopin' he'd throw in with the Greens. Mebbe I was wrong 'bout him, in which case, the Grits is welcome to him.
ReplyDeleteJB
Garth would make fine Liberal.
ReplyDeleteHe should be enticed to join the party and Mr. Dion should use his authority to grant him the nomination.
It would show Mr. Dion is a leader, a decision maker.
JimBobby,
ReplyDeleteActually, I think I would rather see him as a Green too, as that gets E. May into any leadership debates, which would be an event of real historical importance.
Don't get me started on them debates an' the way the executive thought police at the bigass networks control who gets free coast t' coast TV exposure. The sooner Elections Canadee takes the reigns on these here TV debates, the better, sez I.
ReplyDeleteJB