Go Garth!
Well, at least some Conservatives aren't afraid to call it like it is and stand up to their bigotted base.
“I have no time for groups in our society who try to force their morals, or their culture, on the rest of us." - Garth Turner
Turner has also labelled those who share right-wing anti-gay activist Charles McVety's views as "people who share his divine Kool-Aid," "single-issue monochromatic militants," and "religious vigilantes."
Cross the floor, Garth!
posted by Ryan Ringer @ 6/09/2006 06:41:00 p.m.
5 comments
5 Comments:
PLEASE!!
Just so we're clear, how many of the 4 million or so Conservative voters do you presume to be its "bigoted base"? Is this another case of you claiming to know what thoughts are swirling inside the heads of others?
Don't count on Garth crossing the floor. Why would he switch to a party that is certain to lose the next election and quite probably the one afterward?
Ryan,
The reprise same-sex marriage vote is a pro-forma exercise. The Prime Minister will go through the motions and lose gracefully. Nothing will change. Equal marriage is here to stay in Canada and Harper is more than aware of that.
Hmm... maybe this means that there are a significant number of Conservatives that are socially progressive. Maybe that's why he won't cross the floor.
Yes there are socially progressive Conservatives, but none of them are part of Harper's inner circle. The only one's in cabinet are David Emerson, John Baird, Jim Prentice, Josee Verner, Lawrence Cannon, and Maybe Mike Chong, Bev Oda, Jean-Pierre Blackburn and Maxime Bernier. The rest our mostly socially conservative and the staunchest social conservatives such as Vic Toews and Stockwell Day are the closest to the PM. Also social conservative activist have more or less threatened to hijack riding associations of MP's who vote in favour of the status quo. Therefore I wouldn't be surprised if Garth Turner loses his nomination. Even cabinet ministers such as Jim Prentice and John Baird could easily be ousted if enough churches are emptied out and signed up as instant members. The only socially progressive candidates who have nothing to worry about are those from Quebec since no social conservative base exists there.
Miles:
If you think that Stockwell DAy and Vic Toews are "closest to the PM", then you really haven't been paying attention for the past, oh 4 years.
In fact, Harper's favourites in cabinet are widely cited as Prentice, Ambrose, Skelton, and Fortier (who will certainly run in the next election).
Vic Toews does well with red-meat conservatives not because of his stance on gay marriage, but because of his unflinching support for victims rights and no-nonsense approach to crime.
Garth Turner can feel comfortable in the Conservative Party because minority opinions are tolerated. If Garth were a Liberal, he'd be kicked out of caucus by now. I think Harper would be wise to dissuade anybody from challenging the riding nomination of such a popular, maverick MP.
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