[mtbr]

calgaryfan calgaryfan:

Yes, mtbr, I have been elected as a non partisan public School Trustee three times 1992, 1995 and 1998. I was a card carrying progressive conservative who voted against the "union" with the Reform-Alliance party. After Stephen Harper began to employ the tactics, I describe as in opposition to true or meaningful democracy, I sought out members of the former progressive conservative party to see if we could bring a progressive/red Tory voice to the new conservative party. I still communicate with and respect the PC (Progressive Canadian) party members. I asked Belinda Stonach if she would lead a "progressive" arm. After some soul searching and receiving abuse for my views from fellow new conservatives, I decided that I didn't belong inside a party that really didn't want me.

About a week after I met with Liberal representatives to discuss my candidacy, I got a call that Belinda had crossed the floor. The treatment she received after her decision convinced me that my time was better spent in the Liberal Party.

I would like more free votes in the House of Commons. By nature I am non partisan but realistic enough to know that our current system relies on the party organization and mutual respect among the parties, in both majority but especially in minority governments.

mtbr, feel free to take shots at me. The point of this thread is to challenge the blind and mean-spirited partisan comments. I will try not to be that type of partisan.

PS I have also been a keynote speaker at a provincial NDP AGM. The Progressive Conservative, Liberal and ND parties in Alberta all asked me to be a candidate, a fact I am proud of. Sorry my website is out of date and currently in a redevelopment state.

Congratulations your first 2 posts turned this into a partisan thread, your third one finished it off.

I look forward to reading more of your non-partisan comments in the coming future.



from your first post


"This is a good topic of dicsussion because it relates to the very future popularity of web forums.
Now my partisan comment, which is based on my experience living in Alberta. These tactics have been used by the Reformers, not the original grassroots type, but the young Reformers(usually), win at any cost type. When they took over the progressive conservative party, the tactics came with them. Now, some members of other parties have decided to buy into the get down and dirty political game. Honestly I can't say that I have seen Green, NDP, Liberals or Bloc use these tactics as consistently or agressively as the Conservatives. "

your 2nd post


"One anecdote concerned Conservative MP Jeff Watson. It reminded me of a particularly obvious tactic used not so much for communication but for alienation. In Watson's case, in one unattractive episode he associated Stephane Dion with both Britany Spears and the subservient conduct of some dogs. He detailed a colourful tale. The point of this blatant tactic is to create images, associations and negative atmosphere around a person or group. It was noted that Jeanine Kreiber, Stephane's wife walked out during the monologue. Her reaction is growing more typical with women across the country. They are turning off which ever person stoops so low. "

[RUEZ]

kenmore kenmore:

Aging_Redneck Aging_Redneck:

I think everyone regardless of partisanship should be pissed at a party that would steal taxpayer's money under the pretense of 'national unity'.

and be pissed and in an uproar about a party that filters money and cheats the taxpayers.. breaks the Election Act laws... rules like an autocrat and is invisible to the public.. hides from the press so they cant catch him at his dirty little back room schemes.. What happened with the so called sponsorship scandal was just that back room dealings by departments of government that held no regard for the taxpayer.. thats true.. but its history right? like the history and legacy Mulroney left fucking us over big time..

Duly noted which corruption is acceptable to you.

[ridenrain]

This thread and all the other threads about the ex or never were CPC candidates talking out about the in & out "scandel" makes me reflect on previous examples of party solidarity.
I can't recall any Liberal MP's who spoke out against Chretien or Martin during APEC, Shawinigate or even ADSCAM. Some did vote against the party on the same sex vote and their careers were over and the media tarred them as biggots or homophobes.

Where was this spirit of open votes?
Oh yeah.. that was the Reform party.

[bootlegga]

ridenrain ridenrain:

This thread and all the other threads about the ex or never were CPC candidates talking out about the in & out "scandel" makes me reflect on previous examples of party solidarity.
I can't recall any Liberal MP's who spoke out against Chretien or Martin during APEC, Shawinigate or even ADSCAM. Some did vote against the party on the same sex vote and their careers were over and the media tarred them as biggots or homophobes.

Where was this spirit of open votes?
Oh yeah.. that was the Reform party.

Which party was it that promised not to indulge in the MP pension program, then did when several members qualified for it?

Oh yeah.. that was the Reform party.

[ridenrain]

Free vote, baby.
It sure the hell wasn't the Liberals.

Can't remember anyone who spoke out against Chretien? Neither could I.
I guess if you did you'd have a visit from the RCMP, an audit or a hunting accident in you're living room.

[BartSimpson]

Scape Scape:

Hate to break it to you but when has it not been heated? There was a lull, but that was more becuase there was a lull of topics not because the posters here went on prozac.

Buckle up girl, it gets nasty here.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

What he said.

[Thanos]

ridenrain ridenrain:

Can't remember anyone who spoke out against Chretien? Neither could I.

John Nunziata, who broke ranks over Crapchin's lying about getting rid of the GST, and we all know what happened to Nunziata after that. Or Roseanne Skoke, who got nailed to the wall for not being a fellow traveller with Liberal policies on abortion and gays, and was made out afterwards by the Liberals to be worse than Hitler.

At least two names to remember when it comes time to counter Liberal claims about how honest they are or how they want all viewpoints to be respected within their party.

[ridenrain]

Thank you Thanos!
A long and sharp memory is a spin-meisters worst enemy.

[DerbyX]

ridenrain ridenrain:

Thank you Thanos!
A long and sharp memory is a spin-meisters worst enemy.

Thank-you for never failing to display the con motiff. No matter what the cons do you simply point to any possible Liberal misdeeds as if it excuses yours.

Rest assurred the public won't be forgetting the CPC transactions either.

[Wally_Sconce]

DerbyX,

if you weren't so partisan, you'd be writing a similar post to Kenmore.

[Thanos]

DerbyX DerbyX:

ridenrain ridenrain:

Thank you Thanos!
A long and sharp memory is a spin-meisters worst enemy.

Thank-you for never failing to display the con motiff. No matter what the cons do you simply point to any possible Liberal misdeeds as if it excuses yours.

Rest assurred the public won't be forgetting the CPC transactions either.

Actually I never said that at all, but if it makes you comfortable to believe such a thing then feel free to do so.

[hwacker]

$1:

The power to govern with a majority should only be trusted to the party that has a savy grasp of both social issues and economics. Only the Liberals have shown that ability.

Utter horseshit.

[DerbyX]

Thanos Thanos:

DerbyX DerbyX:

ridenrain ridenrain:

Thank you Thanos!
A long and sharp memory is a spin-meisters worst enemy.

Thank-you for never failing to display the con motiff. No matter what the cons do you simply point to any possible Liberal misdeeds as if it excuses yours.

Rest assurred the public won't be forgetting the CPC transactions either.

Actually I never said that at all, but if it makes you comfortable to believe such a thing then feel free to do so.

Look up and see that I quoted Ridenhack and not you. Thanks for coming out though.

[ridenrain]

Seriously Derby.
The Liberals have over a decade of solid and almost uncontested rule.
Any party would get into abuses of power and shit that never would look good in the light of day. It will hapen to the CPC, the NDP or anyone else who gets into the same condition.

You've never said anything even close to that so you really have no where to go on this issue.

Non partisan indeed:
A few months ago I posted a whole thread about some Libs crying that a Harper majority might be dangerous for Canadian democracy. That a majority without a strong opposition has too much power under Canada’s laws. It was timely because I just finished reading Jeffrey Simpson’s "The Friendly Dictatorship" which was about the exact same subject but with Chretien as the bad example.
I can’t recall any Liberals or any of the media apparatchik saying anything about that when Chretien used the RCMP for Shawinigate, APEC or any oft the rest.

[Wada]

The question should never be Conservative or Liberal or New Democratic. This in itself is the problem. The question should simply be, What is the best for our countries people.

Part of the answer, I think, is to do away with party politics. Elect independants who will work together as a single team for the better of us all. Having approximately half the population aspiring for control over the other half is akin to constant civil war and where is the benefit in that?