Turner told to stay independent: meeting
Melanie Hennessey, Milton Canadian Champion
December 5, 2006
The verdict is in — many residents want Halton MP Garth Turner to maintain his status as an independent politician.
That’s what a crowd of local residents told Turner at a Town Hall meeting he hosted Thursday evening at the Milton Sports Centre.
Since the outspoken MP was recently ousted from the Conservative caucus and told he can’t run again as a Tory, the 70 people in attendance at the meeting were asked if Turner should join the Green Party or Liberals, or if he should stay independent in the next election. While 30 per cent of the residents urged him to go Green, 65 per cent vouched for remaining independent. Nobody voted in favour of the Liberal option, while five per cent said they were undecided.
Residents were also asked if the House of Commons should proceed to re-open and amend or repeal legislation that allows same-sex marriage. Five per cent said yes, while 95 per cent said no.
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14 comments ↓
Garth I am not in your riding and if you wish to stay independant and the electorate support you fine. There is some value in having some independants but I prefer a majority government to rule. A bit of a mix I guess for me but that is my preference.
Garth,
I would really like to se you with the Green Party, BUT! The constituents come first. That is still known as integrity and you have shown it repeatedly. Keep on with the good work.
Isn’t sitting as an independant exactly the same thing as crossing the floor to the Liberals? The constituents elected you as a Conservative… though the handful of people who came to your meetings support you as an independant, what about the thousands more that haven’t had their say? Shouldn’t you practice what you preach (remember Emerson?) and run in a by-election to make sure you still have a mandate?
I did not choose to be an independent, and hold the same beliefs and values I did on election day. This is not at all the same as renouncing a party I campaigned with, and embracing another. I constantly poll my constituents and the latest meeting is but one in 19 I have held, and forms just a part of my riding communications program. So, I am not resigning. Period, and buzz off. — Garth
Garth — you were elected as a conservative ( small C ) I assume you ran in the New (or is that Neo) Conservative Party ;>} because they were closest to most of your values.
Forgetting about the disputes on party solidatity. Do you still have those small c values.
Please no smart *** one liner – this is a serious question.
Of course I do, and have said so a number of times. I did not leave my lifetime of beliefs at the caucus room door and, in fact, have a longer history as a Conservative than most of the people now in the party. I have been a Conservative MP twice, a Conservative cabinet minister and a Conservative leadership candidate. However, I am not a Reformer or a social conservative. Unfortunately, they seem to have hijacked my party. But thanks for asking. — Garth
you’re probably the most ethical politician that we have ever come across….whether someone likes you or hates you Garth……..at least…..they respect your integrity…….its refreshing……..this is why I do not respect politicians such as Rae or Ignatieff or Harper…..they will do anything to get elected…..including lying…….changing their beliefs and opinions for sheer opportunity…….
Garth – Have you heard anything about when the next seat realignment will take place? With the census now complete, who decides if or when this will take place? Is there any truth to the rumor I heard today that the riding you represent may lose the portion of Oakville that you now represent?
There will be no redistribution prior to the next election – that much is certain. Beyond that, there’s no doubt Halton will be carved up to a certain degree, since the population is mushrooming daily. Portions of the riding have the fastest growth rate in Canada. They all want to be represented by an Indie! — Garth
They all want to be represented by an Indie! — Garth
The next election will tell – I am not in your riding so I don’t have a say but will watch with interest.
Another question – as an indie to you get to be part of the various committees etc. on the hill?
I don’t think Garth would like to become a Liberal.
Based on this poll, few of us would.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20061205/corruption_poll_061205/20061205?hub=TopStories
Partisan politics aside, remember what happened to John Nunziata? He served York-South-Weston well and the Liberals threw Alan Tonks against him, in which he eventually lost.
Are you worried about something like that happening? Or do you think your constituents will continue to elect you despite “star” candidates from both parties? Politics is politics.
By the way, I’m jealous you don’t visit my blog, Garth. Hell, I’ve been around for a year now..;)
Are you worried about something like that happening? Or do you think your constituents will continue to elect you despite “star†candidates from both parties? Politics is politics
If D’Arcy gets Mcvety’s help, one can expect that the Christian Right will get the Conservative nomination.
Hardly a star candidate….
JibJab, I have to disagree. Becoming an Indie is not the same as crossing the floor. The latter is changing one party for another. The former is leaving a party and staying party-less. An independent has no obligation of loyalty to one philosophy or approach save that of his or her constituents and, as Garth mentioned earlier, his or her own beliefs etc.
garth, you are lot smarter and sophistated than Liberal Nunziata……who frankly was annoying….
I find this whole Indie thing quite interesting. I don’t recall any other Indie getting quite so much engagment from the public or getting so much press. Time will tell. Garth, you’ve got a few months to prove that Indies can make a difference. And if you can do that, I’ll vote for you to stay. (and honestly, I’ll likely be comparing you to the Liberal candidate. I don’t want another Reform government.)
In my opinion, a majority goverment doesn’t work….. a minority goverment doesn’t work either, but it works better then a majority.
Hypothetically, if all the poloticians were independant, I imagine more could get done. Sure there would be more debates over what is needed to be done in Parlament, but you’d also have a true democratic variety in the votes.
Instead of all the members of one party having to bend over backwards for the party itself, instead of working for the people that voted them in, you’d have more of the local issues delt with in the poloticians locations, you’d have a more accurate vote and idea of what is required in each part of the country, You’d avoid the “Do what we say, or be kicked out of the party” mentality, and you’d have a goverment that is much closer to what Democracy should be.
You’d actually have poloticians who can work for the people and represent the people much better then they can now.