Thursday, August 07, 2008

Curran On Orchard

I shouldn't have to tell you how I stand on the matter but, just in case you forgot, I am all for David Orchard becoming the Liberal Party Candidate for DMCR. I've explained my reasons over and over again, but the main reason is that the Liberal Party has to do something different in the prairies and I believe David will act as a catalyst in that regard.

I 2nd these sentiments.

People look at Orchard and see, politically, a weird cat. But maybe not so much. If you wanted to "slot" him politically, who would you compare him too? My first thought is Elizabeth May: progressive on Enviro issues, conservative on various social ones. In the West that may be a useful combo, because remember that a fair portion of the Conservative vote picks Green as their next choice.

In any case, the Libs could use a few more staunch enviro warriers on the Prairies.


And, certainly, they have been more than able to work with Ms. May on occasion.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Frank said...

"If you wanted to "slot" him politically, who would you compare him too?"

Trudeau era minister, gadfly and all round ditz Eugene 'no hats' Whelan. A farmer like Orchard, I would often see Gene wandering the streets of Ottawa wearing his trade mark green cowboy hat. One memorable 'Eugene event', upon returning from a trip to Africa as our minister of-things-that-grow, Gene told a group of astonished scribes that Africa was still underdeveloped and in poverty because the folks over there didn't wear hats, implying that they had fried their brains.

Yes, take Orchard, please, he'd be worth it for the entertainment value alone. A potential new Eugene.

James Curran said...

Dear Ridiculously Silly,

I suggest you start wearing a green hat.

Jeff said...

In my mind, the question is, can David be a team player? While I feel he was treated shabbily in the DMR by-election process, he also comported himself poorly in public through the affair as well, and did the party no favours. I'd like him onboard, but only if he's going to be a team player.

Devin Johnston said...

Saying that Orchard is socially conservative, but that this might be "useful" is very telling about your attitude toward politics. Orchard, of course, is opposed to gun control and gays. He favours a society in which I have the right to possess the capacity to kill another human being, but not to marry the person of my choice. But the Liberals should overlook this because it might be a "useful combo" in the West.

This is one of the reasons that I would never in a million years support any Liberal candidate.

James Curran said...

um. With all due respect Jeff, if you were told by the Leader, the Leader's office, the national co-chair and the only MP in saskatchewan that you were going to be permitted to fight an open nomination, and the you got back-doored by the only MP in said province in order for an NDP candidate to be appointed, I'm not sure what kind of team player one would be.
I think it is the team that let the player down and not the player that let the team down. In fact David stood silent for weeks to allow the party the opportunity to change its mind. They didn't.

As for you Devin? Thanks for comin' out. Vote Conservative if you like. They share some of your values I'm sure.

Jeff said...

Oh, I would definitely be pissed off Jim, no doubt. And I'd raise all kinds of shit behind closed doors. But, if I was looking to hold open the possibility of running for the party at some point in the future, I'd carefully consider what public comments and actions I and my supporters would be making on the topic.

bigcitylib said...

I've obviously missed something, as I don't recall Orchard making that much of a public fuss. What did he say?

Reality Bites said...

Just want to point out that the first post here is a forgery posted by a coward.

James Curran said...

David fianlly told the truth. And, the truth hurt. But if he just sat there and took it, he wouldn't be running now probably. He did 3 trvb interviews and did not burst a gasket like I probably did on my bblog. . Anyway, it's imparative that we have him with us going into the next election

Ti-Guy said...

Just want to point out that the first post here is a forgery posted by a coward.

Yeah, the Blogger ID is different. You should delete that BCL.

Actually, delete all the CONS. When was the last time any of them said anything useful? Seriously, I'd really, really like to know.

Auntie Liberal said...

Enviro-warriors like Al Gore, you mean? The only Westerners who vote Liberal nowadays are the clinically insane. The LPC has fawked over Western Canada for too long for even the dumbest people to not notice.

John Murney said...

As a Western Canadian and someone who used to support the federal Liberals until recently, I can shed some light on this matter.
Orchard is considered an oddity (to put it politely) in this province, and his politics definitely don't jive with the people here. At a time when the Green Shift proposal has destroyed federal Liberal fortunes and doomed Liberal candidates in Saskatchewan, running David Orchard in the next election is the final nail in the coffin.

James Curran said...

Yes John. Don't worry, you won't be getting a call to help Orchard win DMCR....or anyone else LIberal in that province if at all possible. Go vote Conservative. Thanks for coming out though. Orchard just crushed in the nomination.

James Curran said...
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