Bill Casey knows a thing or two about today's Conservatives and their leader, our very own Fuhrious Leader Steve Harper. A former Tory MP who stood on principle against Boss Harp on the Atlantic Accord and was booted from the caucus in retaliation, Casey has a pretty good idea of what Harper has in mind if he wins a majority and warns that we won't like it - not a bit. From the Toronto Star:
"I think Mr. Harper will make changes to a lot of things that Canadians don't want changed – and I think he'll do them fast," said Casey, 63, the Independent incumbent candidate in the Nova Scotia riding of Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley.
"The minority government has restricted what he can do, but if he has a majority – let me just say I certainly would not want him to get a majority."
A Tory, standing on principle? Of course he had to go. No room for the likes of Casey in the most secretive, undemocratic government perhaps in Canadian history.
Apparently the good folks of Amherst, Nova Scotia like their representatives principled. The newspaper reports that Casey lawn signs dominate the riding. The local Conservative riding association wasn't able to muster anyone to run against Casey on the Harper label so the party fired in a former New Brunswick MLA, Joel Bernard. How pathetic is that?
Casey still chafes at his draconian mauling by the Harpies. "In my first seven caucuses we had great arguments. We talked about things like GST, free trade, abortion, gun registries and things like that and they were hashed out in caucus, but in this caucus decisions are made," Casey said.
(CLCL)How does one apply for membership?
ReplyDeleteJoe Hueglin joe.hueglin@bellnet.ca
http://cdndailydigest.blogspot.com/
Interesting little slip there. I thought that abortion wasn't on the table according to Harper. Yet according to Casey, it was one of the issues up for discussion at their caucus meetings. How intriguing...
ReplyDeleteThere is no application process, Joe, it's more of a Zen thing. If you feel you are, you are.
ReplyDeleteIt's unclear when abortion was dicussed BY. Casey seems to be suggesting it was a topic for debate in one of the several PC caucuses he belonged to before Steve arrived and imposed the Gospel of Harpo.
It's funny how Harper with his pitiful minority is being accused of being a dictator.
ReplyDeleteSimilar accusations were leveled at Jean Chrétien when he was PM, but since Harper was elected it's become pretty obvious just how good things were under "da liddle guy".
When Sheila Copps resigned her seat to run again for her seat over failing to get rid of the GST Chrétien still kept her in caucus(though the deputy prime minister's portfolio soon disappeared). And of course, cabinet ministers weren't afraid of their own shadows. They could speak their minds at will, and when they mispoke, they were dealt with.
I agree with Casey, if this is the vision we have of Harper with a minority government, I sure as Hell would not want to see him with a majority!