Some time back, I wrote about what I discovered to be serious divisions in the Dufferin-Caledon Liberal Party riding association about having Garth Turner stand as the candidate.

A key aspect of that division was the refusal by the federal Liberal Party (Ontario) to give the go-ahead for a nomination meeting, and the suggestion that the meeting would be held off as long as Garth Turner was the only nominee.

It seems like the anti-Garth-Turner faction has succeeded, and Garth Turner has quit his campaign to be the nominee.

Latest Update: The real reason for quitting the race?  Because it was about to become a race.

From Garth Turner's blog on the termination of Garth Turner's campaign to become the Liberal Party candidate for the riding of Dufferin-Caledon:

After being recruited to run for MP in the Ontario riding of Dufferin-Caledon, and having my candidacy approved by the Liberal Party last July, today I informed the leader of my resignation.

In Dufferin-Caledon I have been the only nominee for MP candidate since August. I'm interpreting the leader's failure to allow a nomination meeting as a signal my views are unwelcome.

I have skipped over the middle bits.  He goes on for several paragraphs about his views on this or that.  He does take an implicit swipe at Michael Ignatieff:

In my financial books and writings I've warned of the need for families to invest wisely, use debt carefully and live within their means in an uncertain world. Rather than tell voters interest rates and taxes won't rise nor spending fall, leaders should guide us all into realistic choices. Sadly, that doesn't win elections.

"Leaders".  Plural.  Not just Stephen Harper then.

Garth Turner is interpreting the refusal of the Liberal Party to allow a nomination to proceed as evidence that his views are unwelcome.  I can assure you that a Garth Turner candidacy was not seen as a positive thing by many in the riding association:

At least 6 or 7 members of the executive are vocally against Garth Turner being the candidate for the riding.  I prefer to keep the names to myself for the time being.

Of the executive membership who are both active in riding association meetings and who have expressed opinions, we're looking at a 50-50 split when it comes to having Garth Turner walk into the riding unopposed and take the job as Liberal Party candidate. 

In the power struggle that has ensued, it appears that Garth Turner did not come out on top.  I expect a press release shortly from the riding association with their take on what has happened.  If so, I will update this post.

Still, to lose an uncontested nomination?  That a faction within the riding association with rather have no nominee in place than have Garth Turner?  That's got to sting.

Ah well, that's politics for you.  I guess it's the difference between notoriety and popularity.

Donate if you can: I'm looking to recharge the legal batteries after a year-long lawsuit filed by failed MP Blair Wilson continues...  For anyone who was having trouble with the donation button, the code has been corrected.  Thanks again.

There's two hours of my life I won't be getting back:  I suppose my research a couple of weeks back on Garth Turner's use of digital imagery is all moot now.

Attacks Michael Ignatieff: I can't actually explain this.  It is the strangest thing I've ever seen.  Even stranger than when Stephane Dion claimed he was being selected by the Canadian electorate to be leader of the official opposition when the Liberals suffered that historic loss in 2008.  Garth Turner has added an entire post above the post I quote above.  In this new post, he lashes out at Michael Ignatieff:

Some months ago I was encouraged to return to federal politics. I succumbed. Big mistake.

Yesterday I corrected that, and am returning my Liberal decoder ring. In fact, it's fair to say my experiences in politics over the past four years have reminded me why 97% of Canadians do not belong to a party.

To date, no party or leader has treated you honestly to an explanation of what a $56 billion deficit or $600 billion debt mean for your family or your finances. Suggesting there'll be no tax hikes, spending cuts or mortgage increases is akin to Stephen Harper telling us one year ago Canada was immune to recession and our budget would stay balanced. It's crap. But apparently crap that people like hearing.

Such talk has surely not endeared me to the new Liberal leader. Can't say I'm surprised. But neither can I stay.

So Garth Turner has laid the blame for his rejection squarely at the feet of Michael Ignatieff, and alleges that Michael Ignatieff is being dishonest with Canadians.

To alleges dishonesty is serious business.  It means Michael Ignatieff is deliberately lying, and is not simply mistaken.  That's the harshest criticism imaginable to be aimed at Michael Ignatieff from within the Liberal Party (inasmuch as Garth Turner is still in the party -- his membership might be under review right now).

If Garth Turner commands any loyalty beyond the dozen or so rabid fans who sycophantically comment on his blog, then the Liberals have just lost a bunch more votes.

But why the new post?  What triggered this direct attack on Michael Ignatieff?  Did he think he was being too oblique before?

The real reason?  Garth Turner tells us that the reason he quit is that his views weren't welcome:

I'm interpreting the leader's failure to allow a nomination meeting as a signal my views are unwelcome.

So Garth Turner is just too radically honest for Michael Ignatieff's Liberal Party?  Not a bad story...makes Garth Turner look all principled.

How about an entirely different reason?  I get word from inside the riding association that a second candidate had been lined up.  All the signatures had be collected, and the green light committee was working through the application.  The Liberal Party was deliberately holding up the nomination meeting in order to allow this alternate candidate to get into the race.

In other words, there were forces, within the riding association, and in the Liberal Party, who were moving Heaven and Earth to make sure Garth Turner did not just waltz into the job as candidate.

And so...Garth Turner quits. 

The real reason: Exclusive to Angry in the Great White North, the DCFLA makes a statement as to why Garth Turner never got his nomination meeting.  And it was not because he's too brutally honest for politics.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 07:52 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
Post contains 1108 words, total size 8 kb.