Red-Tory Treachery! Stronach Liberal Cabinet (CINO back-stabs Canada's Conservatives) P)

CP via National Post ^ | Tuesday, May 17, 2005 | Staff

[GMMAC]

Stronach appointed to Liberal cabinet
Political observers stunned

Canadian Press
Tuesday, May 17, 2005

OTTAWA -- In a stunning political move that could save Paul Martin's government, high-profile Tory MP Belinda Stronach has defected to the Liberals.

Martin, sitting beside a smiling Stronach at a surprise news conference Tuesday, welcomed his new caucus member and named her human resources minister. He also said she will be in charge of democratic renewal.

The development boosts the government's chance of surviving a very tight confidence motion in the House of Commons scheduled for Thursday. It is also a big blow to the Conservatives.

Stronach, who represents the Ontario riding of Newmarket-Aurora, blamed Tory Leader Stephen Harper for her defection.

"I find myself at a crossroads forced on me by the decision of the leader of the Conservative party to try to force the defeat of this government this Thursday.

"I tried to the very best of my ability to play a constructive role in the Conservative party to advance issues that really matter to Canadians in cities, to women, to young people, to many Ontarians.

"But I regret to say that I do not believe the party leader is truly sensitive to the needs of each part of the country and just how big and complex Canada really is.''

Harper quickly fired back: "There's no grand principle involved in this decision, just ambition.''

"I told my wife only a few days ago that I thought it had become obvious to Belinda that her leadership ambitions would not be reached in this party regardless of whether or not we won the next election.''

Harper said some members feel "devastated'' and "betrayed,'' but added he is "relieved that we've at least gone through this before an election.''

Harper acknowledged that given the extremely close numbers in the House, the defection makes the defeat of the government Thursday much less likely. But he maintained that the caucus is united in support of trying to force an election, calling the Liberals ``corrupt.''

Martin said he and Stronach talked Monday night and sealed their deal.

"We found that on critical questions of both policy and politics, that we have much in common.

"We both believe in a centrist, balanced and moderate set of policies.

"We both believe in a strong economic and fiscal program. We both believe in the need to equip our people with the skills to compete anywhere with anyone. And we both believe in the Gomery commission.''

Two weeks ago, Stronach warned that defeating the federal budget in the confidence vote might be a bad move that could backfire on the Conservatives.

She said critical portions of the budget, particularly the billions promised for municipal infrastructure, were extremely important to individuals in her riding north of Toronto and other constituencies in the area.

© Canadian Press 2005

[GMMAC]

PING!

[PeterFinn]

The Liberals are desperate not to have Quebec separate after the AdScam scandla came out. They are grasping at anything to prevent a dissolution of Canada.

Amazingly, almost no one in the USA is paying attention.

[Heartofsong83]

Can anyone say REVENGE???

I've read that her constituents are angry; now if we get a real Conservative like Frank Klees in there, she can be defeated and we will have one more REAL voice!!!

[Heartofsong83]

fklees@frank-klees.on.ca - that is the man I think that can do it, we need to pressure him to get the nomination.

Website: http://www.frank-klees.on.ca/
Biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Klees

Here is what I wrote to him:

Dear Mr. Klees:

My name is Craig, and I have been quite interested in the political scene lately. I don't live in your riding, but I feel you have a big opportunity ahead. I believe that the time is right to go for the federal nomination in Newmarket-Aurora, now that Belinda Stronach has crossed the floor to the Liberals (where she belongs, I may add).

With Jim Flaherty and John Baird going to federal politics and likely to become federal Conservative MPs, I believe you should do the same since John Tory is well to the left of the conservative views that you and they hold. In my view, there are thousands of untapped voters in the riding that a real conservative like you can easily bring to the fold that Belinda could not in 2004, and you are the perfect candidate to return the riding to the Conservative column.

It is just my opinion, but I believe this is a great opportunity!

*Craig*

[Paleo Conservative]

This is not a surprise

[Heartofsong83]

Not at all. She is now where she belongs.

[GMMAC]

From Lorne Gunter's National Post BLOG

Good riddance, Belinda.
It's gonna be perceived as a BIG blow to the Conservative party, losing Belinda Stronach to the Liberals. The national media will play it as a coup for the governing party and huge slap in the face to Conservative Leader Stephen Harper.
And in as much as voters who only pay half attention to politics will swallow that interpretation -- and that's most voters at present and most of them will swallow -- it is a BIG blow. Perception is reality in politics. It's also likely to tip the fine balance in the House of Commons and keep the Liberals in power a few months longer, especially if the two lily-livers from Newfoundland, Conservative MPs Loyola Hearn and Norman Doyle, lose their nerve and vote with the Liberals on the budget bill Thursday.
I also expect all the fanfare and coverage of the Belinda floor crossing will spike up the Liberals' support in the polls, at least temporarily. (I think there is enough bad news from Gomery and the economy coming that any Grit uptick will be gone by Christmas.) Still, what the Grits get out of Belinda is all temporary. The longer term benefits fall to the Conservatives. They're rid of a huge drag.
Stronach is a lightweight. She's only a fraction as smart as she thinks she is (or as the Press Gallery portrays her). And she has a princess complex to boot.
Maybe it is a bit of sour grapes to say the CPC is well rid of her. Strictly from a strategic standpoint, I would have preferred to see her stay with the Conservatives, at least until after the next election, for all of the above reasons.
But now the CPC no longer has her hanging 'round its neck. The Gallery can no longer run to her whenever they want a "moderate" soundbite in conflict with the party's official stance on a touchy subject. Nor will the CPC feel obliged to pander to her policy wants just to keep her onside, since she has already bolted. Yes, the party used her, too, as a poster child for its efforts to appeal to women, youth and urbanites. But the harm she did them with her ability -- thanks to her media profile -- to force the party always leftward was greater than any benefit her presence generated.

For the next few days and weeks, this will be bad for the Conservatives, good for the Liberals.

In the longer run, though, this will probably turn out to be a good thing for the Conservatives.

[styky]

Exatly...she has always been liberal.

What Want to know is where are Peter McKays loyalities...with the party or with his squeeze

[dts32041]

Who cares, if it wasn't sitting on the border of the US Canada would be a third world country.

As the boys at South Park Say blame it on Canada

[Heartofsong83]

Now let's take advantage of this move and get sweet revenge!!!

[RJL]

Belinda Stronach becomes Bill Clinton's girlfriend, next thing you know she joins the corrupt liberals.

Who'da thought!

[speedy]

Looks like Canada has its own Jim Jeffords, and I would bet that Stronach will meet the same eventual fate -- irrelevant, with no friends on either side of the aisle. Thanks for posting, GMMAC. And Peter, I concur, it is amazing that such a major story gets no press at all in the US. Bet if it were a Conservative government, though, we'd be hearing all about it, and how Bush would be losing another ally.

[fanfan]

cross link to my raving first post

[Bahbah]

Amazingly, almost no one in the USA is paying attention.

The seeming lack of interest is surprising to me. Some of it may have to do with our lack of familiarity with the players and the issues. I have been trying to follow this and am as confused as I am informed. For instance, I would never have guessed this switch would happen and, now that it has, I can only see what's on the surface so don't really understand it.

[goldstategop]

It was about two things: personal ambition and money for her riding. Never let principle and loyalty get in the way of opportunities. Belinda Stronach knew how to take advantage of Prime Minister Paul Martin's desperation. He thinks he prolonged his hold on power. He may as well have slit his own political throat by awarding Stronach a plum Cabinet position. This woman wants to become Canada's second female Prime Minister and it really doesn't matter what she has to do to get there.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[bubman]

This issue would be tantamount to the daughter of Warren Buffett running for office on a Republican ticket for congress then running to become leader of the Republican party (only to lose)then swith to the democrats who are hypothetically in power then offered a cabinet post as secretary of labor. All this within three years!

Politics in the great white north is all but a joke. She is a little rich kid that is power hungry and knows that her true place is with those of the Liberal persuasion.

[goldstategop]

I agree. Its a blessing in disguise that will probably trigger an exodus of Red Tories from the Conservative Party. What's left of it will be smaller, hardier and more ideologically principled. Canada does NOT need two Liberal Parties.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[OldFriend]

It's always a good day when the trash is collected.

[styky]

I heard an interview with Vic Toews on Belinda's defection and what I gathered from what he said was that they never really ever had confidence in her.

Well then that beggs the question. Why did they give her the position that she held within the caucus if they didn't trust her. That bothers me.