Belinda Stronach, minister of Human Resources and Skills Development speaks during a luncheon in Toronto on Monday. Her friend Bill Clinton says he didn’t know Stronach was thinking of crossing the floor to join the Liberals.(CP)
Posted on 12/10/2005 8:37:32 AM PST by fanfan
MONTREAL — Former president Bill Clinton says he was just as surprised as everyone else when former Conservative MP Belinda Stronach defected to the Liberals last spring.
Clinton, a friend of Stronach’s, says he had no prior knowledge of her stunning decision last May, which helped the governing Liberals barely survive a non-confidence vote.
He says he had nothing to do with her decision, though he later concluded she had a "principled reason" for doing it.
Stronach was elected to the House of Commons in 2004 as a Conservative after her high-profile bid to lead the party was thwarted by eventual winner Stephen Harper.
With the Liberal minority poised to fall, she stunned political observers by crossing the floor to join the government, which survived by a single vote.
Stronach, the daughter of auto parts magnate Frank Stronach, was appointed to the human resources portfolio and is currently seeking re-election as a Liberal in the riding of Newmarket-Aurora.
Clinton, who met Prime Minister Paul Martin at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal, was asked Friday at a news conference whether he’d known the decision was coming.
"The answer is an unequivocal no," Clinton replied.
"I later talked to her and I was convinced at having talked to her that she had a principled reason for doing it, but I had absolutely no clue it was going to happen and I played no role in it."
Belinda Stronach, minister of Human Resources and Skills Development speaks during a luncheon in Toronto on Monday. Her friend Bill Clinton says he didn’t know Stronach was thinking of crossing the floor to join the Liberals.(CP)
Liberal or not, I'd tap that.
Yeah, right. And I suppose this statement depends on what your definition of "surprise" is...
You wouldn't say that if you knew where it's been...
"Honest! Would I lie?"
This is the way they pay the people back that elect them. If you do not give me my way I will switch parties to defeat you. Those who elected her should be reminded daily of this.
It is apparently for sale!
"I want to say one thing to the people of the world. I'm going to say this again. I did not advise that woman, Miss Stronach. I never told anybody to defect. Not a single time. Never. These allegations are false and I need to go back to work for the U.N."
I'm sorry, anyone in an HR role is by definition a Liberal. Bunch of diversity pimping, kumbaya, gossip mongers the lot them.
More like for rent.
Whose stomach was Clinton on this time?
Stronach stomach!
Clinton's still out there working toward implementing his grand communist controlled world government. But he did not advise that woman. Nope! "I did not advise that woman, Ms. Stronach,"
Tell us the next one Mr. clinton before that one gets cold.
Belinda Stronach, minister of Human Resources and Bill Clinton's Pants
She's not wearing his pearl necklace in this pic.
I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again. I did not advise that woman, Ms Stronach. I never told anybody to switch, not a single time – never. These allegations are false.
Pic is likely airbrushed. She probably looks like Helen Thomas in real life.
Well Opportunists obviously flock together. Clinton and this one. I suspect if Bubba knows her at all he KNOWS her quite well.
In that picture she looks like Celine Dion.
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