When David Emerson was elected as a Liberal in Vancouver-Kingsway on January 23rd, then turned around joined the Conservative cabinet on Fenruary 6th, I said that was wrong. If he wanted to be a Tory, he should have gone back and been elected as one.
When Stephen Harper, espousing democratic reform and an elected senate, made party bagman Michael Fortier both a senator and an unelected cabinet minister, I said that was wrong. He should get elected.
When Wajid Khan, elected as a Liberal in Mississauga, became a Conservative a few weeks ago, I said it was a good thing a federal election was coming soon, so his decision could be ratified by his constituents.
Today I announced I’m joining the federal Liberal caucus, after having sat as an Indie for the past four months. As I expected, there was a howl from critics who, fuelled no doubt by the PMO, are calling for my head. Resign, they say, as you wanted Emerson to so, and run in a by-election. To do any less, they say, would render me a hypocrite. Maybe even worse, a politician.
So, did I reflect on this as I contemplated going from independent to Liberal, a move I think makes me a more effective MP? You bet I did, because once anybody loses their principles, they have lost their way. So, have I lost mine?
Well, first, I did not walk away from my party. It quit me. Mr. Harper tossed me out for refusing to support him without reservation, and for refusing to stop talking to Canadians. After being a Progressive Conservative my entire life, an MP, cabinet minister and leadership contender, Stephen Harper took my party away.
Second, I have sat as an independent MP for the last four months, after saying I would use this time to talk to everybody, and figure out the best strategy going forward. During this time I’ve tried to go everything possible to make being an Indie work. It’s been frustrating and revealing. I concluded that this is a poor way to make an impact on a House of Commons which is divided into teams.
Third, I am not crossing any damn floor. Prior to 5 pm today, I was not a member of any political party.
Fourth, seems to me we will be having a federal election right quick. I expect the Conservatives will force this to happen somehow, or let it happen, not long after the March 20th budget. That could mean a national vote three months from now. So the people of my riding will have a very early chance to tell the rest of the country of they think I am a desperate opportunist, or if I have made a reasonable move to represent them better.
Last, I am most happy to run in a by-election along with Emerson, Fortier and Khan. Fair is fair, and I challenge PMSH to set a date. I’ll resign 36 days earlier and campaign with pleasure. Bring it on.
348 comments ↓
Will you abstain from voting as a Liberal in the HoC until such time as you are re-elected?
So, basically you are admitting that you are a hypocrite. At least you are somewhat admitting it. You did quit the Conservative Party, you purposely broke the rules to try and make a point. When you purposely break rules, you get punished. You are smart enough to realize that.
You are crossing the floor. You were alligned with the Conservatives, even claim to be a lifelong member. How can one all of a suddem change all those fundamental principles and allign yourself with a party 180 degrees difference?
I’ll tell you why: cause like every other politician you are power hungry and in this for only one thing, yourself. Canadian politicians these days are a spineless bunch, a joke, but you Sir have elevated yourself to Head Joker today.
Spin it any awy you want Garth. Emerson and Khan never said anything about supporting by-elections for switching parties.
But you did. Over and over. Kicked out of the Conservatives, you posted many times about having more power as an independant,so?
And they reported on CBC you agreed to join the Liberals if they promised you could run in the next election.Seems like a reward for joining.
Garth Turner, hypocrite in the highest esteem.
Weak reasoning and poor spin. This is politics as usual. Good luck as a Liberal. We still badly need change in Ottawa. Thanks for at least providing some hope for 4 months.
I get most of your points Garth. But to me this still might warrent a by-election. But if an election is in 3 months or so, who cares.
Glad to see Mr. Turner has the moral fortitude to stick with his beliefs. Which is precisely what makes him, in the long run, a bad fit for either the Conservatives OR Liberals.
Why should Fortier and Khan have to run by-elections. The Liberals didn’t do it for Belinda and Brison. Fair is fair.
However, you said they should run in by-elections, so you should be honorable to your word and resign.
You lie to all Canadians when you claim that you did not run, and were not elected as a member of the Conservative Party. Shame on you!
You have demonstrated nothing but your own narcisissm and hypocrisy. Your own words are clear for all to read: you said before that any MP should resign before crossing the floor.
I challenge you to do so TODAY, or to continue to prove that you put yourself ahead of the people.
Wow, and I thought you were going Green too. Hey, as long as you did what is best for Halton then you are doing what an MP is supposed to do.
Good Luck and lets get the Liberals on the Income Splitting side!
Garth Turner: “Everybody who makes up the government should be elected. They should sit in Parliament as they were elected. If they decide to change parties, they should go and get re-elected. To do otherwise is to place politicians above the people when, actually, it’s the other way around. After stating many a time that Belinda Stronach should have sought a by-election after her defection, how could I not say the same obvious thing now? End of story.”
Garth, your flexible principles will serve you nicely in bed with the Librano whores.
Man, you are fun to watch. You hang in there and do the job you have to do. But, this has to be a bizarre experience for you. I wish we could sit down, have a drink and talk about this weird turn of events. Could you have ever imagined you’d go thru this? Keep on keepin’ on, bro. Ãœ
I just heard your press conference. Good for you Garth. Good for the Liberals. People, particularly the neoCONs, will demand you stand in a bi-election. Yes you should, and so should Emerson and the rest. Hot Air Harper does not have either the integrity or the courage to call bi-elections. Good for you Garth.
Wow, with the green everywhere on ur new site, I thought you were going green there for a sec.
Anyway, good choice, Garth, on moving to the Libs. Now you can be part of the next fed gov in Canada and work with a team that will take you and ur ideas seriously and try to get things done to make Canada a better place for ALL Canadians.
Please tell me you will keep on blogging, though.
-R
Oh, and don’t hold your breath on those by-elections.
Good for you Garth.
“Last, I am most happy to run in a by-election along with Emerson, Fortier and Khan.”
In other words… it is no longer a principle held strongly by you, but a matter of “if they do it, it’s ok for me to do it”.
Disappointing.
What a total and complete joke.
Stephen Harper voted AGAINST the anti-floor crossing bill. Harper NEVER openly opposed floor crossing.
You did. And vocalized it over and over again. Here’s just a few examples to chew on:
http://calgarygrit.blogspot.com/2007/02/turner-turns.html
You want to know why Canadians are cynical about politics? Then take a good long look in the mirror.
Yea Garth!!
Integrity in offering to resign if Harper calls the other three.
Bring it on Harper
So the people of your riding come first, politics second, Emmerson, Khan and now Turner. Garth, as we all know, politicians are “opportunistist” and you are a “policitian” fist, a representative second, and I aslo think a hypocrite. You complain about Fortier, but say nothing about Dion, Tobin and Codeere being appointed by Chretian. Yes, you will make a good liebral, good luck.
This is very disappointing news.
Were you planning on running for re-election in Halton?
The difference, as you well know, is that unlike Messrs. Emmerson & Khan, and unlike Brison, Martin, Stronach, etc, you made the issue of joining another caucus w/o a by-election a darn-near personal crusade.
If you’re going to live down to the standards of others, that’s fine. Just don’t pretend you’re living up to the standards you set for yourself when you say “I’ll do it if they do it.”
…”not crossing any damn floor”?? really?? only the most creative (not meant in a flattering way) individual can eschew common logic and make such a statement…a Conservative, then an independent, then rumoured to be the first Green, then finally a Liberal…all within a year…I hope this minority Parliament lives a little longer so maybe we can see Garth as a NDPer and a BQer as well…or maybe go a little closer to his true roots – rekindle the Rhinoceros Party.
The excuses are so typical “I’m happy to run for re-election”…sure…ah – but only if the “other guys do as well”…typical brinkmanship and spinelessness. The only thing that is interesting about the constant floor-crossing is that it shows Canadians what a sham the “ideological divide” between Grits and Tories actually is…Emerson, Stronach, Turner, bla bla bla…centrist Conservatives or right-wing Centrists – wow, enthralling stuff.
Garth Turner, your politics are colourful, if not completely meaningless, your blogosphere world of direct democracy has as much meaning as your own political values — which no one can pin down since you change seats more often than an A.D.D. child at a birthday party where the kids are all hopped up on chocolate and caffeine.
…and PLEASE…for goodness sake…stop “announcing” press conferences for “big news” about your latest retarded political adventure…a) no one cares, and b) we’re all tired of the high school electoral politics which (for all your criticism) seems to be the only thing you are good at…may your political career be as bright and luminious as your former boss, Kim Campbell ….now where is she again…
good luck Garth the Tory (correction), Independent (correction), pro-Green (correction)…Grit.
Mr.Turner,
I have followed your career with great interest from the very beginning. I held you out to my children as a person that could be trusted to keep his word, and cared more for the residents of his riding then for himself. My oldest child is now attending University with the aim to go in to politics and I had always encouraged her to emulate the same concern and honesty as you display. No More, Your actions today are a total betrayal of everything that I thought you stood for. Your thoughts thru you blog have been very clear. Resign Mr. Turner. Run in a by-election. Redeem your integrity. As to your challange to Mr. Harper concerning the other floor crossings I have not heard him or any other MP so violently denounce that behaviour as you have done. Your own words weaken your actions today to a level that cannot be accepted.
I was watching the news when you got turfed over this blog. I was in shock that the conservatives would abandon you when you say what your constituents have on their minds, and I applaud you for agreeing to stand in a by-election.
Good luck.
it seems to me that you are a politician, just like those you critize. please, be a little more honest here. if you felt that strongly about your convictions you could have waited until the election to join the Liberals. take responsibility for your choices, who cares if Emerson or anybody else does what you think is the right thing to do. they’re your convictions, you act on them. today i see the same thing i’ve come to dislike about politics, say one thing one day, act the opposite the next AND rather than admit the change of heart JUSTIFY it!!! is there an honest human in Ottawa?
Two wrongs don’t make a right Mr. Turner. you need to follow the principles you supposedly hold so dear and run in a by-election regardless.
And in your town hall meetings you learned your constituents didn’t want you to turn into a Liberal. They wanted an independent. And you’ve gone against them.
Do the right thing and run in a by-election.
Ha Ha Garth, your a riot. You actually think people don’t see right through you. Your video should be named “How to act when you think people are stupid”.
Can’t wait to see you whine when Dion starts cracking the whip.
Wow Garth, its amazing how you can justify being a total hyprocrite in order to attempt to save face. You were elected as a Conservative, you were booted out because you couldn’t play on a team, and now you are joining the Libs. Your electorate did NOT elect a independent nor a Liberal.
Regardless, if you had any integrity you would ask for a by-election regardless of whether Khan, Emerson, or Fortier have one.
You sound like a grade 5 student “If they dont have to then neither do I!!” But the thing is Garth, they weren’t the ones making a national bitchfest about floorcrossing.
No matter how you try an paint this – after the amount of fuss you caused last year regarding this very same topic – you still look like a TOTAL HYPOCRITE.
Garth, your promise to do the right thing only so long as Emerson etc. agree to do the same is a joke. It makes you worse than them given your past remarks on the subject.
OK…let’s get this straight,all a Member of Parliament has do if he/she wants to cross the floor of a political party, is call up the Speaker of the House of Commons, say I want to be an independent, and then call back in 5 minutes and say, now I want to join another party!
Some moral high-ground Garth!
Very unfortunate and I disagree with your decision, particularly your claim that being an ‘indie’ is a ‘poor way to work in a commons divided into teams’. As many posters to this site have attested over the past four months, that is precisely the best way to combat the ‘team mentality’-namely refuse to be part of it.
As an independant you could have voted for your constituents, not your party, on all votes. Moreover, you could have represented your constituents far better, and not the party.
As canadians attest at virtually ever federal election it is the parties which are the central problem, not the representatives and in a minority government an independant could have had even more clout.
It’s a real shame.
Garth,
“So, have I lost mine?”
No, but I think, or feel, not knowing or being privy to all the conversations you have had, that the Greens would have been a more neutral choice for a party. That is my opinion, and does it have some bias? Yes, I would have loved to see an MP bringing to QP the ideas of the Greens, led by Elizabeth May!
Note, I said the ideas of the Greens, not Elizabeth May’s ideas!
They deserve a voice, and those who are party mmbers in the Green Party deserve a voice in Parliament.
We, and they, shall continue to strive towards the goal because we truly believe we, as a party, and as individuals, almost independents you might say, have good and solid ideas for a sustainable future.
Now as you go forth, know you still have my respect, and I think that of all people who hold a centrist view. You have done so honourably.
Pay no attention to the whiners, it is as far as they have the capacity to intellectually travel!
Have a good night and may you be blessed with a free voice and opportunity to speak it always! Just as you have afforded so, so many on your blog.
Thank you, and we look forward to you carrying the ideas presented here to Stephane Dion…for we are the Canadian people!
Nice attempt at spin. Rookie move, pal.
Hopefully now the voters of Halton will see you are the blowhard phoney you really are.
Harper made a great move getting rid of you…
I am sorry to tell you, you are a hypocrite. And a challenge to Emerson, Fortier and Khan doesnt change it! You are not a man of your word.
And, now for the spinning and lying. Isn’t your family sick of you Garth, because we sure are!!!
Now that you’ve explained that your decision is based on personal expedience, surely you must want to tell your constituents what it is, specifically, in your opinion, that makes Dion’s Liberals the right party to run the country.
Yay Garth! Soo proud that you are a Liberal now. Yea Stephen Harper if you are brave enough call for byelection in those 3 ridings…Congratulation..i’m sure liberal party will be a great home for you
Your suggestion that your political morality is somehow dependant on how others react to your circumstances is pretty pathetic. I recall your outrage at Emerson’s defection. It was obviously a passing fancy and not a matter of your conscience. Emerson redeemed himself with the softwood lumber agreement. But you seem consigned to an interesting asterix in the history of two Parliaments.
You’ve sold out your principles and your constituency. Finally, a sheep in sheeps clothing! Good luck in the next election, I suspect you’ll really really need it.
The difference between a red Tory and a blue liberal….onlt the colour of the party card they carry….
until PMSH et al. where any sign of red isn’t allowed in the party.
Good luck Garth…and keep speaking your mind…even if you get booted out again. I think this is less likely with the Liberals than Harper, but has been known (don’t insult George W.!)
Since it’s already been stated that neither Emerson nor Fortier are expected to run in the next election, why would they even consider having a bi-election.
Go Garth Go!
I voted for Harper last time around when I voted for you, this time I am voting for YOU!!! Dion is on his way to 24 sussex!
And I called him a shining light. A beacon of truth.. Bah!
As we found from Harper….a politician is a politican is a person who is truth challenged. They have to take the hypocritic oath.
Perfect logic, Garth. You certainly are on a roll!
I’m sure these phrases make sense to you, too:
“I’m going to keep stealing from work until everyone else stops doing it.”
“I’m going to keep stabbing people until everyone else stops doing it.”
And, the excuse that the government is going to fall soon is a pathetic one. You proposed that Emerson stand down right after he was elected for ANOTHER election.
You ARE desperate to hold onto this seat, aren’t you Garth?
Well, I’m not sorry to call you a hypocrite. That’s what you are. You’re just another opportunist, but one who has picked the wrong horse to ride. Goodbye.
Pathetic performance, weak spin, historical revisionsim (the Progressive in PC never had anything to do with being liberal on social issues) and it goes on.
If you were a man of principle you would resign and run in a by-election irrespective of what Kahn, Emerson and Fortier do. However you sir, are a hypocrite.
And you must be extremely confused about crossing the floor. You were a Tory, now you are a Liberal. Did you levitate? Is that why it doesn’t count? This is the real world Garth, not the upcoming Harry Potter novel.
Garth, consider yourself finished. Every ounce of credibility you had is long gone.
So long, and thanks for all the shoes.
Sounds like Chris is a little upset he’s going to lose the next election, ready for another 13 years of opposition Chris?
Visit Calgary Grit’s blog for a round up of what makes Garth a slick politician.
http://www.calgarygrit.blogspot.com
It’s about integrity buddy. You pissed your last drop away.
Mr. Turner,
I must first say that I am disappointed that you did not resign before joining the Liberals; however, I applaud you for keeping the interests of your constituents at the top of the list. I encourage you to keep your word and resign as you said you would. Don’t lower yourself to the level of David Emerson, Wajid Khan or Belinda Stronach, prove it to your constituents and to Canadians by resigning and running in a by-election. Anything less of that is hypocrisy on your part.
Political quote to remember…
http://www.soonews.ca/viewarticle.php?id=10478
Garth gives his opinions on floor-crossing, hypocrisy, and the time wasting Party system.
Garth, you make me laugh, and I have to thank you for that. I worked for your nomination and election, hoping you’d be a wise, mature, centrist Conservative MP for Halton. Well, that whole “MP thing” didn’t work out, did it, but that’s OK.
Because you’re a star! Sure, we have big issues to address in Canada. And in a perfect world, we’d have federal representatives who did the hard work of collaborating with a team, developing policies and putting them into action. But in the absence of effective representation, it is very entertaining to watch the Garth Show 24/7! Tune into Garth TV. Read GarthBlog. It’s all Garth, all the time!
The truth is, Garth* (trademark owned by Garth Turner Enterprises), we were just kidding when we elected you. We didn’t want an MP who gets things done. We wanted to “learn all about Garth”, per your website heading.
The World According to Garth is much more exciting than the quotidian matters that affect us, the little people – trifles such as health care, mortgages, safe communities, our kids and aging parents.
We’d much rather watch Garth, starring in an epic movie about Garth. The camera loves you, Garth. So, this star-struck constituent would like to offer his thanks to Garth Turner, the Honourable Member for… Garth Turner.
Keep entertaining us with your antics, big man!
A man of principle joins the party of principle. BWAAAHAAAAHAAAAAHAAAA!
Amazing accomplishment, Garth – you’ve gone from hero to disappointment to complete joke, all in one year. I predict canvassing ‘aint going to be so pleasant for you next time out.
“I am not crossing any damn floor.”
Congratulations! Not only are you a hypocrite, but you’re a hypocrite with a bad sense of direction. Just in case you haven’t yet figured it out, you HAVE indeed crossed the floor, even though it took you a few weeks to find a party desperate enough to accept you and your baggage. Given what we know about the recent, sordid history of the Liberal party, I suspect you’ll be a good fit there.
I expect that once/if no general elections is called this spring you will agree to stand down and run in a bi-election? I doubt it.
Also, as others have said, if you are refusing to go to a bi-election simply because ‘other people aren’t doing it’ then you aren’t standing on principle, you’re standing on opportunism.
At one point in time I would have been dissapointed, instead I find myself unsurprised by your lack of integrity.
One more thing: Fortier cannot run in a bi-election because he does not hold a seat in the House of Commons. So even if Harper wanted to run him in a bi-election, he couldn’t. Very sneaky of you to demand Harper do something that is impossible.
Just another politician, you are.
A man of principle joins the party of principles. And if you believe that, I’ve got a great penny stock to recommend…
I voted for you as a Conservative. I would have voted for you as an independent. I probably would have voted for you as a Liberal if you had chosen to run in a by-election. However, since you have chosen to be a hypocrit if the Conservatives run Bart Simpson I would rather vote for him. Goodbye.
Garth, I am so glad you moved to the Liberals. I love your ideas and what you represent for Canadians. Your policies make sense. I found it hard to understand why you were a Conservative or should I say in today’s world a “conservative”, but Dion is a breath of fresh air and you fit into it. When the next election is called, I want to help. Best of luck.
You are a complete hypocrite, Garth.
I call on you to resign, just as I have for other MPs who have crossed the floor.
Best of luck Garth. You wll do us proud.
Well it’s interesting to see all the perfect people who can throw stones your way – must be cabinet ministers for the Harper regime.
You’re right – you did not cross party line, you elected to go to a party that you thought would give you more power to do good for your constituents; were you my MP, I would want you to do that.
I would like you to continue to fight to ensure that indpendents have the same rights as party MPs, so choices like you have made, would not be necessary.
I get no warm fuzzies when thinking the “Progressive Conservatives” care about social issues, nor do I see you’re becoming a Liberal as a betrayal of your values. I will watch with great interest your future endeavors on behalf of your consitituents and all Canadians. I wish you the very best of luck in your new party.
If the Harpies wish to put their money wthere their mouths or poisonous blog postinga are – have their 3 crossovers resign and run as you would, should they take up your challenge – I suspect you would be the only one re-elected.
A point of clarification, Garth – when you say that you would be happy to run in a by-election with the fellow parliamentarians you mentioned, do you mean that you would be happy to run in a by-election on the condition that they did as well? Or do you mean that you would be happy to run in a by-election in any event, and you merely hope that they would as well?
If it’s the latter, I must confess that I’m disappointed. While I’m personally of the view that MPs have the moral authority to change their affiliations (which you have done today, any way you spin it) without resorting to by-elections, this is not what you are on record as suggesting.
Refusing to resign until Harper has agreed to call a by-election seems to me to be consistent with your stated views. Refusing to resign until Fortier, Emerson, and Khan have done so seems to indicate to me that you will hold yourself only to the lowest standard that any of your colleagues does.
Devilishly clever move Garth! Welcome aboard and good luck. Don’t stop being an outspoken pain in ass.
Hahahahahahaha, hahahahha, hahahahahahaha, hahaha, hahahaha, hahahahahahahaha, hahaha, hahahahahahaha.
Rgds,
Derek
The spin doesn’t quite wash, given your history of crusading against turncoats. It’s irrelevant whether you were technically a member of a party and actually “crossed the floor” or not. Or whether the Tories kicked you out or whatever. You should have joined the Liberal Party and then immediately resigned. Then you and Stephane Dion would have had the undisputed moral high ground. And Harper would have had to weakly defend Emerson and the other turncoats, and call a byelection – or fight you anyway in the upcoming general election. You could have continued to work informally for your constituents and waited on the sidelines for a few months. You would REALLY have been a folk hero!
Regardless, hopefully you will be able to do more good for Canadians in a party that has a heart – and under a leader who actually cares about Canada and Canadians.
You can offer all the word games and weak rationalizations you want, you are still, quite obviously, a self-serving hypocrite who has no respect for the wishes of voters and is only concerned with his own advancement. Like all the other floor-crossers, from this point forward you have zero credibility.
You’re a coward and a hypocrite. I hope the Conservatives make you eat your words in the next election.
Harper would never call these by-elections because he knows that he would not win any of them!
Wow, you’re such a hypocrite!
To counter your points, first if your party quit you, you should still continue to stand up as an Independent fighting for what you believe in. Being in the CPC, one would have thought that you would continue supporting almost all of the initiatives you ran on during the election. Second, I thought you were on a campaign to give more power to Independents. Why did you give up? Third, you are crossing the floor. Just because you had no “party home” for more than a day doesn’t change the fact that you still ultimately crossed the floor. Fourth, why are you using the prospect of an early election as an excuse for switching parties? Right now there is no election planned. It’s a pretty lame excuse. Lastly, you sound like a 7 year old kid whining, “Why do I have to ______, when _____ and _____ don’t have to!!!” I thought you lead by example, with outrage that other politicians crossed the floor without a by-election. Shows what your personal campaign was REALLY about.
Garth,
I voted for not only the man in the last election but the party. When you were an independant I seriously concidered voting for you because you always said you were a man of your word and demonstrated that time after time. You easily could have represented this riding in a minority government. However, regardless of how you spin it to justify your actions you have just demonstrated to me that you are no different than the average politician (something I always thought that you were not). I am disappointed in your decision and will not be voting for you in the next election.
I had hoped that you would throw your hat in with the Greens, where you could have had some real impact. I don’t see Dion going very far as leader of the Liberal Party (his spoken English is barely intelligible), so good luck in joining that team, Garth. Maybe you should really start your own party!
Garth
I have attended your Town Hall Meetings(Oakville and Burlington) to hear what you had to say and I welcomed your approach to politics and your commitment to the people you represent. But at this time I do have some questions/comments.
At your Town Halls I got the impression that the people you represented wanted to remain Independent until the next election and that you were okay with that. I was under the impression that you felt that if people were to change parties that they had an obligation to people they represent to vote on that change. Now it seems that you are of a different mind and I’m puzzled.
You are clear in your reasons for concerning joining the Liberal Party, lack of opportunity to join committees and issue tax reciepts to donors but I believe that this decision comes at a cost. The cost being the difference between what you say and what you in fact are doing, and in the end some of your credibility. I don’t believe that challenging Mr. Harper to call a By-Election gets you off the hook.
With an election as close to being called as it appears to be I think that your choice to change parties at this time was premature. Had you waited until a general election was first called and then making your intentions known would have sat better with voters(my opinion).
In the end you had my support in the last election and in all likelyhood will have it again. Now however, you are going to be facing a much more difficult task because I believe you have cast a shadow over your credibility.
Hypocrisy indeed. It’s one thing to utter a challenge to the PM that you know won’t be accepted, it’s another completely to live by your own (extremely vocal) principles. Who cares if you think an election is coming anyway? Who cares if you say you’re doing what’s “best for your constituents”? Mr. Emerson fed us the exact same line. I’m glad you communicated with your constituents, but only a by-election can clearly manifest their mandate.
An unfortunate cynical move for an otherwise wonderful beacon of idealism.
You’re crushing us Mr. Turner!
And here I was thinking you had a problem with people crossing the floor. You sir are a hypocrite.
Congratulations Garth! Good on you. Can’t keep a good guy down
It’s a delicious day: you took the wind out of Harper’s sails; Dion and Turner rule the airwaves today; slapped down the gauntlet on Fortier, Emerson, Khan and yourself; put Harper in a box labelled “Bring It On”; and made the Blogging Tories heads explode!
What a day indeed. Keep it up!
Your explanation for “not crossing” is typical politician weasel words.
Thanks for showing both your true colors, and what political expediency is all about.
Politicians are about taking care of themselves first. The system will always take care of mavericks, and in the end, loyalty will be all that matters.
Thanks for being a breath of fresh air for a while…now you’ve joined the stench!
Love the spins, hypocrite it is. Maybe you should watch what/who you criticize this time around.
You should have waited until an election was called to join another party. You were elected as a Conservative not a Liberal. I have no problem with you changing your views, or aknowledging that the Liberals can change their view too.. but some in my riding may feel swindled.. and the honesty and accountability platform may be seen as a cheap parlour trick..
Garth goes Liberal– a good day for everyone!
Spin it however you would like. After you claim to be a lifelong Conservative and cross to the Liberals, you have crossed the floor and done exactly what you criticized other people for doing.
Politicians wonder why the Canadian public doesn’t trust them, and this is why. I call for your resignation, along with everyone else that has.
You are one ridiculous individual garth, how do you think anyone will support you if you can’t support and stay supportive of your alliance. No one will back a turncoat because as much as we vote for the person, we definitely vote for the party. Perhaps you should chose some other career if you can’t be a trustworthy individual.
What childish banter Garth, I’ll run in a byelection if they run. Ever hear about setting an example? How about putting your money where your mouth is? Did you actually consult with your constituents or was that just bull?
I was really hoping you’d choose the Greens, they could use someone like you.
Stephane Dion is just more of the same all talk no action of the liberal party, it doesnt seem like a good fit for you. Honestly the liberals are a pretty top down “party knows best” show too. The way they parachute star candidates into ridings is obscene. Keeping on message and “politically correct” is just as if not more important to them than it is to the tories. Just promise to not lower yourself to their fear tactics and keep truthful on that front, while you may disagree with some harper policies you still know he and many other mps are doing their best for the country!
Congratulations on your decision. Thank you for your contributions to our digital democracy! Catherine
I guess this is a case of “do as I say, not as I do,” right Garth?
Spin it any way you want, you sir, are a hypocrite.
btw perhaps someone should edit your statement, because it looks unprofessional, hmmm. NVMD, leave it, it suits your personality.
I hope Garth learned some lessons from the Conservatives about posting confidential information and criticizing the party leaders. He should thank Mr. Harper for educating him! Great Blog Garth!
Good luck with your new party, but please don’t loose that REBEL attitude, and give them hell when they need it!!!!!
PS See if you can get a commitment from the Liberals on the income trust issue will you?
Joe P.
In the wilds of Weyburn, Sk
Go for it, Garth!
Garth….you are my hero!
Long live Turner!!!
We are so pleased that you have joined the Liberal party. We have long admired your forthright manner and dedication to your principles.
Sincerely
Robert and Beverley
Burlington On
How appropriate Garth, that with your joining the Liberals, that you have changed your site slogan.
“Join Canadians in coversations with Garth”..
The Old Garth.ca [and the old Garth] was a lot better.
“Leadership through principle [and independence]”
Abstain or resign or stand a hypocrit.
There is a massive, extensive, difference between sitting as an independant and actively working against the voters that put you in office.
You were elected a Conservative and if you make even one vote in the HoC as the result of a liberal whip, you will have disenfranchised the people of halton.
Abstain or resign. It’s your call. Vote and you’re no better than Emmerson and you will have lost most people’s respect.
Garth,
As one of the youth executives for the Young Liberals of Canada (Manitoba), I’d like to welcome you to the party! I think we both know that the environment isn’t just an issue…its a challenge that will require greater efficiency and study in everything we do. I know that you can be a strong voice, and I’m glad you’re now speaking with us. We will need all of our voices to convince Canadians that we can and must be visionary and take on a new grand national project of sustainability!
Regards,
Richard
Good move Garth Turner. Whether you win or not will depend on how short people’s memories are and how much of makeover Harper makes. Halton is a conservative riding, but a moderately conservative one, not a staunch one like Rural Alberta or Alabama. Win or lose the next election, you have my full support although I believe the Tories are going down next election. The big question is will they learn from their mistakes a choose a more centrist leader like Jim Prentice or Bernard Lord, or will they stick with a hardliner like Jason Kenney and Stockwell Day. Only time will tell.
I as a former Progressive Conservative left for the Liberals myself and plan to stay put until the party does a major makeover, if that ever happens.
HA HA! Canadian politics. What a joke, pretending all the while to be a democracy, and being nothing but a circus act. Grow up, you bunch of hypocritical armchair, ignorant canucks. This just proves what a joke your political system is and that just because you can vote doesn’t make you a democracy.
Glad to have you a part of our Liberal family!
Best wishes,
Bruc
Well,
It finally came to pass – this anti conservative sites hiden agenda is out in the open.
All that crap about integrety was just a smoke screen.
But I don’t think you should resign – our system is based on electing a representative and once in the house they are suposed to select a PM who holds their confidence – then they form a government. The party system as just overlayed on this without any constitutional law.
But when I suggested this to you months ago you pooh poohed me. It all about Garth facts be dammed.
But I must say you got yourself lots of media coverage you have a definite talanet there. When you fail to get elected maybe you should try media relations. :>}
Garth: you are trying to put the cart before the horse. Earth to Garth: ONE CANNOT CALL A BY-ELECTION IF THERE IS NOT A VACANCY!!! So go ahead and resign your seat, and run as a Liberal! Do you lack the integrity to resign your seat Garth?
On February 9, 2006 you stated “Anybody who switches parties should go back to the people.” Now that you’ve made your bed Garth, go lie in it.
Garth,heard the preliminary announcement en route in a Grey County Snowstorm.
Congratulations, we both agree that ur decision is wise & will be good for u.
Good luck to the future
John & Shirley
Georgian Bay
Tories must be really upset to send so many “slingers” to respond to Garth’s decision today.
They are good at slinging mud when they are cornered–look at the current ads vilifying Dion. Uncalled for and so “American” of them.
Sorry Garth…
I didn’t respect you back in the Kim Campbell days, had a hard time with you during your broadcasting days (recall the CBC documentary!!), but you clawed back a fair bit of confidence with me this time around, even before Harper booted you out.
This takes the cake, however.
You should have sat as an independent, and ran as a Liberal, Green, or Independent in the next election.
Terrible ethics.
No, its not floor crossing.
But it IS sitting as a party which you didn’t get elected under.
A constituency who voted in an MP under a party banner and then has to ‘live with’ an Independent…well that is one thing
A constituency who voted in an MP under one banner, and then have to live with this MP under another party’s banner – well that is just not right.
Sorry Garth….
For all of you who are against or for what Garth did, please remember he is a human being. He, like the rest of us have feelings. No matter how you feel on this move feel free to boast about him professionally or attack him professionally but do not make it personal … please
Turner, you scummy little troll, it was bad enough that you whined and bitched because you didn’t get a cabinet post in the Harper government, and chose to sit as an Independent, but now, you join the LIEberals???
Nice one Garth, you are out on your ass next time around. Its too bad I can’t vote against you the in the next election, as I have moved out of the riding. However, you did come around the summer before the last election, asking for my support, which I said I would gladly give, in return for an HONEST representative in Ottawa.
You Turner, represent all that’s bad about politics, you whiny little puke. I saw you at the Convention Center, when Harper ( a REAL Leader) was there with the other area candidates. You didn’t have a problem being a Conservative THEN, did you Turner???
I hope you end up being ridiculed as the shrimpy little turncoat that you are. Perhaps you and Stronach could pair up…no wait, she already has a relationship with a short assed little cheater. Maybe she can help you get a post from the LIEberals fitting your stature. Perhaps in the shadow cabinet as Party Wimp.
Oh, and Weasel Boy, take a bath now and then…both times I met you, you smelled like you don’t know what soap is. Maybe its just your natural tendency to STINK!
Disgustedly,
Peter W.
Burlington
Thanks Garth – I’ve wanted to vote for you for a long time – now you definitely have it. Stephen Harper is a very scary guy.
Congratulations
Maria D.
Oakville, ON
Garth , Please let me know if I can help on diversity and eco issues.
Mike
What portfolio did Dion offer you? How much money do the Halton Libs have to get you re-elected? Will you abstain from voting to bring down the government if you aren’t re-elected as a Lib before the next federal election?
These are all questions I’m sure a principled politician such as yourself considered.
You’ll make a great Liberal, Garth.
Nothing asked, nothing offered. No idea how much money – probably less than the Conservatives. I will vote for what’s good for Halton and the country, as you would expect me to. — Garth
Garth “Mr. delusions of adequacy” Turner joins the Liberals. Well, no doubt the National Press corps in Ottawa is toasting this move. A new leak in the Liberal caucus. Should be fun while it lasts.
This is the most poorly reasoned “explanation” of obvious hypocrisy I have ever read. Sorry, I mean you’re the victim, this must have been such a tough decision, yadda yadda yadda.
At least this means we will never hear from Your Royal Whiness again. Just ask Tom Wappel how dissidents are treated in the Liberal Party.
Anyways, I hope this digital democracy thing keep working for you, because I suspect the doors will not be so much fun the next time around. Nobody likes a blowhard.
The Ultimate Hypocrite;
It was you Garth, that said, “one should run in a byelection before crossing the floor.”
You were not elected as a Liberal, you ran against the Liberals.
Yet you now cross the floor and join the Liberals.
Don’t turn this around on Stephen Harper, as he never stated an elected MP should run in a by-election…he simply said “get to know your member or candidate.”
Garth, this was your principle, and you have now shown you have no principles….
Great news , you will be a asset to every Canadian whilst sitting in the next majority government.
Phil
Thank you Garth. Your hypocrisy has just given the Halton Tories the biggest boost they’ve had in years. Although I’ve been a member of the Conservative party for many years, I’ve not been that active. However, in the next election, I will be working as hard as I can to see you defeated.
You claim to put your relationship with your constituents above all else. Well, this constituent feels like you think we’re all morons.
Bring it on indeed, Garth. Get all the media you can in the next few months to feed that insatiable ego, because after the next election, you’ll once again fade into obscurity.
I voted for you as a Conservative. I feel betrayed – you aren’t just switching parties but fundamental ideologies from Conservative to Liberal!
Sorry sir..you lost my respect and vote.
Quit whining you CONservative lackey’s, Harper kicked Garth out. Obviously the by-election has begun already based on all Stephen Harper and Jim Flaherty’s posts on here under using other aliases…they don’t have the guts or morals of a bag of sh*t!
Maybe Garth learned their tricks and is using them against Harper…el commandante LIAR…remember “I won’t tax income trusts”.
GO GO GARTH
Hey Garth I hope you don’t cry when you get booted out next election–by the true conservative candidate.
Sorry to see that political expediency and the system beat you down, Garth.
You were a breath of fresh air for a while, now you have joined the terminal stench of Ottawa.
Say hi to Belinda and Scott for us.
Congratulations Garth on becoming a member of the
Liberal Party .
I am positive you have read the winds of change
correctly and Stepehen Harper will lose the next
election by a wide margin .
If you went Green you would still be a party of one .
At least your opinion will be respected and listened
to by ,real, adults .
Congrats on the Kyoto vote as well .
Kyoto may be imperfect but it is the only blue print
we have to follow at the moment until Mr. Dion lays
out his vision for the future .
I am,very,excirted by oour prospects on the
international stage and can’t wait to reclaim our
position as the number one country on the planet .
All the best
I remain respectfully
Attila
AND…IF YOU ARE YOU ARE NOW WHERE YOU ALWAYS BELONGED WITH THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PARTY OF CANADA…
YA SISSY
What a two faced ass hole you are. You whine about Emerson flipping sides what the Hell are you doing…..
You are like most politician’s, you are a lying sack of shit…
David Eric Slater of Calgary…
Dear Garth,
Hang in there. Your decision to join the Liberals is completely understandable. Your party booted you out, where else were you expected to go when your party has moved to the right and not left room for socially progressive conservatives like yourself. For voters to expect you to remain an independent, where you would not be able to issue tax receipts is unreasonable. Thank you for opening a window for all to see how things actually work on Parliament Hill. It has been a real eye opener and serves in the best interest of all Canadians. Please help our leaders make real progress on the environment. You’re absolutely right, honesty is always the best policy. Shame on the Prime Minister for thinking otherwise.
Good luck,
Debra Drainie
Glad to sse you have made the change(for the better)..Also puts another nail in the coffin of that so called leader Harper..Too bad he cannot be impeached…stick to your principals!!
“me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me”
- Garth’s attitude
All he wanted all this time was a piece of the sponsorship pie and NEPII against Alberta.
Well, at least the Librano will appease Garth with a cabinet post in the unlikely event that Bo-rat Dion is elected…
You’re a disgrace, Turner.
You’re really in trouble now, Garth. So far you have only had Harper to deal with, but now the winged monkeys have been launched to sick you.
To all those who accuse Garth as a “floor crosser” or as someone tossing his principles.
1. Unlike Emmerson & Kahn Garth NEVER intended to leave his party! Quite the contrary! His party undemocratically as can be threw him out!… And for what?? Communicating with the people??
2. Being taken away not only his party but also his right to sit into council meetings or to access funds for future election campaigns that HE raised, Garth has every right to make the best out of his situation.
3.As Garth has never betrayed his origin party, he’s absolutely correct pointing his fingers at those who did so.
And last, saying that after all he would stand for a by-election along with Emmerson & Kahn is really showing some back bone!
But honestly speaking, do we really want to waste money on by-elections, knowing that we’re going to walk to the polls very soon anyways? I dont think so!
Personally however, I am a bit disappointed due to the fact that the Green Party wasn’t given a chance. So please Garth tell us what kept you from becoming a green MP?
You’ve lost a lot of respect with me. While I see your arguments as to why this move was reasonable, you still sound like a typical politician justifying a self-serving move. You had a ton more credibility as an independent and should have simply stated your intention to seek the Liberal nomination in the next election.
Today I quit giving a damn about politics. I will no longer bother to vote.
Use sir are a huge disapointment.
I believe you and the sleazy Liberals are a good fit.
This news saddens me deeply. I’ve been a big Garth fan since the first go-around here in Ottawa, and the What the Hell? book. I am just thrilled with your approach to communications with your constituents and all Canadians. Because this approach squares with my #1 cause – freedom. And the Liberal Party is not the party of freedom. I despise the vision the Liberal Party has for Canada and am deeply disappointed that you will be working for it, and against me and my family.
Regards,
Trevor Jones
Ottawa
Well Garf,
You really stepped in it this time. I live in the riding next to yours that is a safe CPC riding. I devote every waking moment to defeat you in the next election once it is called.
Halton won’t take kindly to your situational ethics and grandstanding.
Don’t get too comfortable.
FYI re: Dion I could only understand every third or fourth word of his ramblings during the press conference. Liberals is this the best you’ve got?
Wowsers! You sure have a lot of comments here! You really should try running as a green candidate Garth, I never thought you could stand the stench of the liberals.
You are a hypocrite, plain and simple. You should lose your seat in the next election. I hope you do. I like your movement for more Independent members. By going against what you seemed to stand for, you’ve just proven that your “just another politician” — nothing special about you anymore.
Judy, I’m actually pleased that Mr. Turner has come out. I’m sure you and everyone else that followed this saga for the last year, could have guessed today’s event.
I’m actually pleased. Maybe Garth has long last found peace.
Mr. Turner,
I wasn’t quite convinced you did the right thing when deciding to join the Liberals.
But the whining coming from Harper’s delusional supporters
made me change my mind.
Way to go, Garth!
Removing Harper and the so called “conservatives” crooks from power
should be a priority for all Canadians.
As an investor in income trusts, I am a victim of these crooks.
I haven’t felt as humiliated as in that night of Halloween since 25 years ago
when the communist government in the Eastern European country I came from, demolished our house with no compensation.
Keep up the good work.
You have my support and
the support of hundreds of thousands of income trust victims.
Wow, you sure have brought out the Conservative hacks with your good move today Garth. Look at all the names here I have never seen before. Jason must have been out scrounging up the worst of the lot to run you down here on your blog.
If there is going to be an election at anytime why not cite your intention to run as a liberal in that election and remain as an independent until then. Perhaps Emerson, Khan and Fortier were not acting moral, but you have been outspoken that one must his ridings approval before joining another party that you were not elected too. Regardless of how you cut your not contradictory your being hypocritical.
Wow, you’ve managed to weaken the Liberal Party, perhaps as much as Stéphan Dion.
Congrats!
This would be a great time to start one of your on-line polls… I have been impressed with your work so far and understand your reasons for moving on, but you set the bar high for others then failed to meet it yourself. The right thing to do would have been to seek a new mandate from your voters, especially after all your previous comments. This is a sad day for many people who looked up to you, Sir.
Best of luck
Congratulations Garth!
You are a perfect fit with the Liebranos. It’s interesting to see all the failed Conservative leadership candidates sitting with the Libranos! I suspect it’s more like, if I can’t win then I’ll show the ingrates who didn’t vote for me, I’ll take my marbles and go sit with the most Ethically Challenged Party in existence. Ya, that will show em!
I think the real reason for your unhappyness is PMSH passed you by when naming his cabinet. Your actions today proved how right he was!!!
Honesty and integrity are not required with the Libranos, so you will fit in quite nicely.
What a self serving, ethically challeged blowhard you are!!!!!!!!!!!
Why join the Liberals? At your town hall meeting, you announced that your contituents didn’t want you to turn Liberal.
You still have your vote as an independent. You can announce you’ll run as a Liberal in the next election and stay as an independent now.
Is it the bigger office? The higher salary? Have you been promised a cabinet or critic position?
Doesn’t matter either way. The one thing you had going for you was consistant principles. Now, you’re just another politician; damn your principles, damn your constituents you’ll do anything for power.
Why have you posted so many times in the last day? — Garth
I can understand your motivations for joining another party, but your rationalizations behind not running in a byelection are poor at best.
If you are a true believer in the democratic process, and in the idea that constituents have the right to decide the political alignment of their representative, that conviction should drive your actions REGARDLESS of whether others, such as Emerson and Fortier, do the same. What they OUGHT to do, and what they actually do, has no relationship to what you ought to do – if your colleagues in Parliament fail to behave honestly, that certainly does not relieve you of your obligation to do what is right by your constituents. Your call for the others to run in byelections is simply a search for a loophole.
If there’s an election called by April, I can accept your rationalization that there’s no point in having a byelection before then. But I’d very much like to see a committment from you that if there is NOT an election in the next month or two, you’ll run in one. Regardless of what Emerson does.
sorry for the spelling error it should of course read:
“Your new boss says that life time banishment from the Liberal party is too harsh”
The Liberal leader Stephane Dion spoke today of the necessity of the Liberal party to “point in one direction”–a pointed reference to Garth’s frank, independent, and often belligerant demeanour in the Tory caucus.
Had the other Stephen made the same comment, he would have been accused of intolerance, dictatorial techniques, and the suppression of free speech if he called the Tory caucus to point “in one direction.”
It seems that Garth Turner has now consented to speak with one voice with the Liberal caucus, even if it goes against his constituents.
What a sad day for all lovers of democracy, of free speech, and of the right of MPs to dissent and to speak their own mind, even if it differs with the party.
Mr. Turner now has no choice but to buckle under the restraints of Liberal Party discipline, remembering what happened to John Nunziata and Carolyn Parrish when they dared to speak their own mind.
Heh, seems you’ve taken the choice that would do the most to annoy the Conservatives, enough to even have them sending you a bunch of trolls this way to flood the comments here. Too bad it affirms that all they are good at are pointing fingers at people.
That said, I wish you luck. I would still never vote liberal, even if you were my MP, but if we ever got preferential voting and you were on the ticket as a Lib, you’d be choice #2.
Good thing I’m not a betting man, I would thought hopping over to the Liberal side would have been your last choice!
Anyhow, ignore those calling for a bi-election. The taxpayers don’t need to pay for another election when one is already coming. True fiscal conservatives should already see that.
“Stick to your principals.”
What principles?
Liberal leader Stephane Dion reminded us just today that the Liberal Party must “point in one direction.”
Could this indicate a lack of total trust in Garth in view os past behavious and belligerance within caucus?
Conservatives/Liberals, same choice, different color.
You such an opportunist, not sure why people are surprized. Nice call though, waiting until the liberal leader was picked in order to “defect”
OMG…..
I am stunned, I thought that you had the right stuff, but as we now know you are as duplicitous as the rest of them.
If I had wanted a Liberal representing me in the HoC I would have voted for one.
I would have even worked for you as an indie, but now I can’t ever support you or trust you again. You have lied to the voters of Halton one more time and we now say…….
“Goodbye Mr. Turner, Goodbye”
Garth,
You are the true master of situational ethics. If (when) you loose the next election you will make a bangup used car salesman.
Greg
I am happy to have you on the Liberal team. The day Stephane Dion became leader, I signed up.
I think we are looking at a much greener Canada with the two of you on board.
Truly disappointed…while Garth’s move to the Liberal party is politics as usual, and ends my own hopes for real history-making change originating in Halton, I’m still a little miffed about the whole deal about Garth ‘flirting’ with the Greens to begin with.
Was the hub-bub about supporting Elizabeth May, all just for show? It had to be entered into with some motive – what was it? The ’straw polls’ at the town halls? And what’s with the new green shade on the webpage?
So far, I’ve heard Dion mention the word ’sustainable’ a few times and drape himself in a green scarf. The recent vote on Kyoto was another strong symbol. But what are his actual plans to convince Canadians that we have to take significant steps to conserve precious resources and show leadership on the global climate change issue? He didn’t really communicate any kind of vision for change as Environment Minister, so exactly what is this grand vision?
How do we get on with the business of meeting the Kyoto targets, if it’s possible to do so?
This is a tough job that requires more than symbolic gestures. We Canadians love the comforts our modern lifestyle brings us. And that lifestyle requires we keep consuming at an unimaginable rate.
Who will put forward real effective policies that deter consumption? This will not be politically easy to do.
Some (particularly most of the SUV driving, suburban middle-class families in Halton) will be angered by bearing the inconvenience of changes such as increasing gas prices, tolling highways, building more compact neighbourhoods, and investing big in rail and public transit.
But it is of utmost importance, in order that future generations will even have a future.
How do we convince them to sign on to this challenge, when they have to sacrifice so much? That’s what I have yet to hear from Mr. Dion.
While I like what I hear from the “new” Liberals, past experience tells me that blue or red, you end up getting the same. I felt the same way at first about Harper’s new government. I felt that way when Garth first raised the possibility of going Green. Somehow I don’t think the green scarf or the new website colours are going to change anything. I only hope that Stephane Dion and Garth Turner can prove me wrong.
Like you Garth I was a life-time Conservative until I was stabbed in the back by Harper and Flaherty on Halloween Night.
Canadian Income Trust Investors lost $30 Billion trusting PMSH and his 2006 election promises. Does he honestly think we would believe his 2007 promises?
I think you made the right decision to move to the Liberals. I think there are more Conservative refugees out there than Harper and Flaherty want to admit.
Good luck to you Garth!
Reading through theses posts I must say it is amazing how nasty some of those neo-con. supporters can get. I guess doing what you did was a real hit into their stomach. Good Call!
Some of the people who have posted here are pathetic excuses for human beings. Put yourself in his position. What would you do? Oh wait. You don’t have the gall to be a politician and do something for the betterment of our country.
While Garth might have been critical of people changing parties in the past, he didn’t change parties. He was dumped out of one. He sat as an independent and now he has a chance to make some real change. If anyone actually thinks that Harper has a chance in HELL of winning a majority government, it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee.
Well you lost all the respect I had for you. If you had resigned, joined and ran as a Liberal I would have respected you.
You’re as hypocritical as they come now buddy. Spin as you like, you’re no different from Belinda, Khan, Emerson etc.
Good luck to the Liberals…..they deserve you!!!!!To bad Carolyn Parrish doesn’t have a seat in Parliament.You could sit next to her and share notes.
Sorry Garth, I’m not buying your excuses, All you needed to do and say, was that you have spent the last two months or so canvassing and polling your constituents and that you were able to determine that the majority are in support of the decision you made. Thats what we do in the REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY PARTY OF CANADA, I wish you had taken on our cause…
So what have the Liberals apid you with?
Congratulations on winning the next election, Garth! I hope it’s coming soon.
Best of luck and keep blogging!
Well, I’m not going to be as crass as some here, but I’ve said it before: I don’t live in Halton but if I did I would have voted for you as an Independent but not as a Liberal. I even sent you a contribution. The truth is (as I see it anyway) Liberals need a longer walk in the woods before they are ready to govern again. I’ll be voting for Baird (my MP) again in the next election just because I think they deserve a chance at a majority to either prove they can govern well or fall squarely on their faces, as the case may be. If they end up really stinking up the joint, I just might become a Liberal, but definitely not yet.
Hey folks, crossing the floor is not an issue here…. GET REAL. Garth was elected as a Conservative, true, BUT he was DISMISSED by that party (those SOB’s) for looking after the people who elected him. He was willing to run again in the next election as a Conservative but THEY said “GET LOST.” He stayed as an INDEPENDENT for 4 months and did a DAMN GOOD job of looking after his riding and the rest of us Canadians. But Parliament works best for Members of Parliament when they belong to a political party. Garth HAD to join a party and his only real option was the Liberals. DON’T BLAME HIM, BLAME stupid STEVEN. Thank you Garth for doing a SUPER JOB!!! I hope your riding knows what you just did for them.
A suggestion for a theme song for your next campaign, Garth (From “Man of La Mancha, how fitting):
It’s all about MEEE, it’s all about MEEEEE…
Enjoy Ottawa – you won’t win again. Hope you can get your money advice gig back.
YOU’RE FIRED.
Garth, what a laugh. You have always been morally bankrupt, and now you join your fellows.
Don’t let the fencepost find it’s way up and in.
What an egotist. I’ll see you on the hill in a few years sir.
Disgraceful. Hyporcritical. Immoral.
Looks like you have politics down to a science Garth. Surely you must realize how pathetic this looks. The Liberals??
BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Glen in ON – Harper is not going anywhere, but garth has decided to set himself up to go nowhere. I would rather he go to the Greens – that I could have supported. Fiberals – no friggin shot.
I think i posted a while back Garth, that you are in it for the pension. What better way than to “switch” to the Liberals, all gravy train for personal gain. Enjoy the hustings sport, when the elction is called, too bad I don’t live in Halton anymore, I’d run you off my property for the hypocrite you are.
Mr. Turner, I can assure you I have no connection with the PMO. Your post is simply rationalizing the fact that you just did something you were publicly opposed to before you did it. I can’t say I’m surprised or disappointed… nothing a politician does can disappoint me anymore because my expectations are so low. Voting has degenerated into choosing the least disgusting hypocrite whose party will hopefully try to run my life a little less than the others. So sad.
Garth — I followed your political career as a Conservative and since your Indie days I have followed your blog extensively. Now that you are a Lib, I will not waste my time with your website — I never thought you’d go this way. I think you have betrayed a lot of people with this decision.
Garth,
You are a snivelling, duplicitous hypocrite. I once considered you to be one of the few people in Ottawa with any principles and integrity. I used to think that Canada needed more Garth Turners. Even though I remain a Conservative, I fully supported your decision to become an independent, would have voted for you if I lived in the riding and despite being a student with debts and only a part time job, I was even going to send a 100$ cheque to your re-election campaign the day the writ was dropped. You have neither principles nor integrity. After spending an entire year filling this blog with attacks on the Liberals, suddenly, it is perfectly just and appropriate to become one. After months of posting every second day about how much you were able to get done as an independent, suddenly independents aren’t able to get anything done. After making a big show of holding town hall meetings and asking your constituents what they wanted you to do (and for the life of me I can’t remember a single instance in which more than a handful of participants wanted you to go with the Liberals) you turn around and do the exact opposite. So much for the promise of e-democracy, involving constituents, and putting principle and policy ahead of cash and career advancement. You are no better than the rest of the jackals who populate the chambers and backrooms of the House of Commons, and if anything are even more odious for having pretended otherwise.
Well, first, I did not walk away from my party. It quit me.
Third, I am not crossing any damn floor. Prior to 5 pm today, I was not a member of any political party.
————————————–
good for you.you saved the tax payers some money by not having a by election.
it,s a no brainer you,ll be voted in anyway !
good luck to you and all the best !
Garth, as I read comments from Jackasses that advise that you crossed the floor to join the Liberals I just have to smile and wonder where their brains are. You were already on the opposition side after the Conservatives DISMISSED you (without cause I believe). You DID NOT become a turn coat as you were not a member of a political party caucus for the last 4 months until today. PLEASE PEOPLE!!!!!!! Know your facts BEFORE making yourselves look stupid! OMG!
I thought neocons weren’t allowed to open their mouths according to the Harper mantra. All of a sudden every Conservative Yankee lover is on this website today.Well done Garth.Please keep us well informed as you have done so far.
Looks like my last comment didn’t get posted after I hit the say-it button.
Oh well.
I was saying that if I was a Halton voter I would vote for you as an Independent but not as a Liberal. Liberals need a longer walk in the woods before they are ready to govern again. It had actually occurred to me that if Dion falls on his face in the next election and there’s another leadership race, you might end up as PM someday. Heck I might even vote liberal someday but that would take a lot more stink on the part of the CPC than we’ve seen so far. In my opinion, politics is a nasty game and SH is a good campaigner and he is no fool. Either way, sit back and enjoy the show. It’s going to be a bumpy ride!
Cheers and good luck to you, Garth.
People in this riding fought to be rid themselves of the Liberals, the same party you have opportunistically joined. Your actions and words have proved you to be nothing less than a hypocrite. You made such a fuss over the floor crossing of other MPs, that there should be a by-election, now you have the audacity to say that there is no reason for you to run a by-election unless Emerson et al. do also. You were elected as a Conservative, not as a Liberal. For shame! Where is your so-called integrity?
I believe your motives, I believe you did the right thing, but honestly you should do the honourable thing and resign and run. When Emerson said “Fair’s Fair” we all laughed. Show that a politician can realize they made a mistake and fix it. Run again as a Liberal before it’s too late.
To Mark G.
Re: Tom Wappel. Hmmmm….. seems that he’s still a Liberal MP (although he does appear to me to have more in common with Steve-O). He didn’t get turfed out of the party as happened to Garth.
So, what was your point about ‘dissidents’?
Oh, right. You didn’t have one.
[...] 2: What a Joke – Garth now claims he won’t resign and that Harper should call a bi-election instead. Last, I am most happy to run in a by-election along with Emerson, Fortier and Khan. Fair is fair, [...]
Well, I see you have angered a few Conservatives. I don’t think you did a horrifying thing by joining the Dion Liberals. You’re reasons for crossing the floor aren’t politically motivated. You’d likely have been re-elected easily as a Liberal, Conservative, Indie or Green (less sure of that last one).
Maybe you could have tried taking the high road over Harper and resigned your seat to run for the Liberals in a byelection, while challenging Khan and Emerson to do the same. You would have won easily I think, and at the same time Harper would come off looking terrible. But you and Halton would be without a seat as long as Harper saw fit, which would be undesirable.
I think the BEST thing you could have done is sit as an independent until the next election, where you could have run as a liberal. Why didn’t you try that out Garth? I guess it’s too late now.
Best of luck, and I hope you remain the same Garth Turner that I’ve read about for the last year.
Haha,
What a hilarious situation. For the record, about 95% of people here think you’re a raving hypocrite (whose political principles are apparently contingent on the actions of others). Democracy in action, I’d say.
Great move Garth! Not only are you an obvious hypocrite, you became a hypocrite by backing a loser in Dion. Can’t wait to see you struggle when Dion whips every substantial vote. All this bitching and moaning just because Harper didn’t put you in cabinet?? You are a disgrace.
You’re a clown. Good luck, you loser.
I agree, you’re a political pylon. Have fun being the tallest midget in the Liberal Party, you tool.
Oh Garth please! Your hyprocrisy knows no bounds!
First of all Stephen Harper didn’t send you packing, your big mouth did. If you couldn’t be trusted to keep private matters private then you deserved to be ousted from caucus.
Secondly, you shouted from the rooftops when Emerson switched sides and became a Conservative. Your words exactly were, “If you want to be a Liberal, be elected as a Liberal. All those things have honour but the honour is bestowed by the people, not by the individual.”
So what exactly do your actions today make you? A dishonourable hypocrite.
Let’s not even get into the fact that your oversized ego was mortally wounded when Harper didn’t give you a prominent cabinet position immediately following the election. Your petulant tempertantrums went on for months. It was a truly pathetic spectacle.
So Garth, just make sure you remember which side of your mouth you’re supposed be speaking out of now that you’re a Liberal.
Hey THEPOLITIC.COM – Garth didn’t change parties…….. he wasn’t a member of a party (since October) until today. Hello???? Please know the facts.
After seeing Garth in Parliament from the Gallery, I can assure people that he did not cross the floor. He a very good seat at the back near the Liberals! I think Garth did the right thing (even though it would have been cool to become a Green). I think that Garth will be an excellent cabinet Minister when the Liberals win the next election.
There’s well over 120 comments here, so the chance of you reading this is slim. However I want to welcome you to the party, it was a bit of a surprise I must admit as I was pretty sure you’d go Green (which I wouldn’t have minded for the record as I believe the Green’s need a voice in parliment even though I’m a Liberal). In any case, it’s nice to see you on our side, which is, of course, the winning side
In response to Gill’s post above, Garth writes “I will vote for what’s good for Halton and the country, as you would expect me to.”
Hahahaha. Man, you are entertaining. But, you are not just a clown; you are annoying too.
If you cared about Halton and not just about Garth* (trademark owned by Garth Turner Enterprises), you would resign your seat. It is as simple as that. Now, we all know you did this to secure the Halton Lib nomination and get another shot at a Cabinet post, should the Libs win. Well, if you needed to secure the Halton Lib riding nomination, you could have resigned your seat to pursue your goal to be a Liberal. It is as simple as that.
Of course, if you weren’t such an egomanical, self-aggrandizing pompous ass, you would have learned to work with your Conservative caucus (as every other sitting Conservative MP has done) – and you could have stayed true to the party “you spent your whole adult life in”. You would not have to whine about “the party leaving you.” Heck, you might have even served your constituents….remember them? We elected you.
Do what’s best for Halton? Yeah right.
I wonder, will you be justifying your floor-crossing by saying “you never left your constiuents, your constiuents left you.”
Hey OLAF. What are you? Apparently in need of more education. You at least know one thing……. this IS democracy in action. This is what the CONSERVATIVES are afraid of……. true democracy.
I have never seen so many Conservative pitbulls at once on this site before. Wow! Garth, you flushed em out!
…this just in, Turner crosses the floor again, joining the Greens. Recall, he actively canvassed for Elizabeth May in her 2006 election bid. Justifying his defection, Turner proclaims “I can’t work with Dion. He’s mean; He doesn’t listen to my constant whining and complaining and bickering.” Turner is expected to last until Monday.
Congratulations Garth first for becoming a liberal and secondly for up staging PMSH, he barely got a mention on the news tonight.
Yep, you joined the Liberal because it was the best for your constituents…
Just like how the adscam money was stolen with the best of intentions in mind.
Good luck, you’ll fit right in with the Fiberals.
I am NOT a neoCon supporter, (I voted for Garth last time, but I now KNOW Harper does not offer the political solutions Canada needs now!) but I still can’t vote for any politician that chooses to sit in a “culture of entitlement”. (Adscam!)
I fairly certain Dion has not really changed any of that. The Liberals Adscam, is so profoundly offensive to me, even Garth’s history of integrity and service, cannot entice me to offer a vote for a party like the Federal Liberal party, based on their AdScam, abuses that basically funneled TAXPAYER money ILLEGALLY from the federal government to Ad Agencies that then basically GAVE the money back the Liberal Party (and ridings and individuals, in the form of CASH!!) to help with election expenses to get them selves re-elected.
No Thank you, I WILL NOT vote Liberal, not even for Garth, who I had respect for as a politician, up until now!
I guess you did this for your political life. Couldn’t run as a Conservative, Greens won’t win in the 905, so join a party you have nothing in common with so YOU can get re-elected. No wonder most Canadians don’t bother to vote anymore.
As indicated by the above ‘negative’ comments, it seems some would rather hurl the vindictive than see the light. Personally, I don’t see your ‘move’ in moral or hypocritical terms, I see it as the only viable alternative to caving in and slapping on a muzzle as all other Government MPPs have – and the reason we have traded open democracy for Secret Government should be of concern to all Canadians. The current government is no longer the Conservative government we were promised. In real terms they have become a caricacature: recent revelations about Bev Oda’s taxpayer funded limo joyride to the Junos while accepting money from and playing host to record and film companies; Colin Mayes, chair of the Commons aboriginal affairs committee, amazingly unable to admit an obvious blunder with his Tonto joke. As a fed-up life-long liberal, I finally gave in and voted Conservative believing Mr. Harper’s promise of a higher ethical standard and this is what I get! Garth, you are just one of many finally realizing Harper’s brand of government is unacceptable. Good luck Garth – you’ve made the right move.
Dear Garth
I’m glad you tried the independent route for as long as you did. It really shows how meaningless individuals are in our parliamentary democracy. At least now you are with a party that is not led by a contol freak. Best of luck in the next election. I would vote for you if I could.
BJF
“I hope your riding knows what you just did for them.” -By Brent on 02.06.07 8:38 pm
Ah, Brent. Yes, we in the riding know what Garth has done for us. Haven’t you been reading this blog today?
The other day I said the following:
Garth,
Are you trying to give us some sort of hint? You have way too much integrity to be part of the Liberals. Green possibly. I totally understand your wanting to belong to some party. Have you alienated yourself from your peers? “It’s lonely at the top.†You are the best Leader of the current bunch in Ottawa and are truly the most grass roots style parliamentarian. You must be doing something right. Look at the attention alone this week you brought forward with income splitting and income trusts. Somebody must be listening. Hang in there.
By Paul R on 02.03.07 10:25 am
I can’t see you being too cozy with the Liberals. You said yourself and proved you were more effective as an independent. As much as I would like to see you still be an MP there is absolutely no way I would want to go back to the Liberals in power. Your decision to join them today was discouraging.
The moonbats are out tonight! (see below)I thought neocons weren’t allowed to open their mouths according to the Harper mantra. All of a sudden every Conservative Yankee lover is on this website today.Well done Garth.Please keep us well informed as you have done so far.
By Fort on 02.06.07 8:48 pm
That’s it we are all yankee lovers…keep it up you useless granola.. see you next election MAJORITY!
Garth,
If your blog today is representative of the feelings of your constituents, you are in deep trouble. I would say that your electability has taken a deep turn for the worse. The people have finally had enough of your narrow view point of politics; your ranting about principles then displaying a major deficiency of same, your hypocrisy and vindictiveness. You might consider a career change as I believe the electorate in the Halton constituency are ready to make you a former politician.
Lewis
All the best Garth.
Mr. Turner,
Welcome to the “progressive” Liberal Party of Canada. I am confident by working hard we can convince Canadians that we are the party with a progressive vision for this great country, one that leads us forward but not backward in time. The challenge of our time, sustainable development, is calling for action; we either lead the world or will be left behind…
Olaf,
clicked on you for my first ever exposure to “The Prairie Wrangler.” Lord luv a duck, you even had to get Hitler into Garth’s case. Stupid ploy, but that’s the neo-Con line, and you just had to do it, I know.
Drop the “l” and call yourself Oaf. It’s more appropriate.
And Howard, this is not an “anti-conservative blog.” It’s an independent, up to now non-partisan blog. Can you tell the difference? I can tell the difference.
So Garth, You will vote for what’s “good for Halton and the Country”, do you get to make that choice? Why not just vote the way the majority of your constituents would like you to vote?
Mr. Turner, you are not a hypocrite for crossing the floor, …I’ll give you that, because, as you say, you didn’t leave the party, it left you. But you are a hypocrite to have passed yourself off as a conservative for all these years, and now declare you are a liberal. A leopard just doesn’t change its spots that easily. Further, if you thought life within the conservative party was confining, you’ll find out it’s a helluva lot worse on the “fiberal” side. And – the first time you are confronted by that reality, then we’ll really see the magnitude of your hypocrisy. I hope you don’t wear out the carpet crossing the floor.
I “was†going to vote for you as an independent, I was so proud of you fighting for yourself, and you even said you had more of a voice being an independent! Shame on you for doing this, shame! I even worked with you and your campaign when you were running PC under Campbell, I was proud of you then, and I was proud of you for keeping yourself going as an “indieâ€. I could have lived with you being Green or Independent, without resigning before switching to the Liberals. The only way you are going to get my vote back is by resigning and running as a liberal in a by election as you so wished on others. Garth, you have shot yourself in the foot here. Shame on you for this decision… shame.
At least you will have the CBC helping you more. You upstaged harper’s speech today. The CBC has always been Liberal friendly in their reporting.
http://www.cbc.ca/
welcome to the revolution garth!
all the best!
The people of Halton elected a Conservative, but the Tories booted you out; then, in Town Hall meetings, the people of Halton overwhelmingly recommended that you should remain an Independent. But once again, you proved how short-sighted their vision was. Frankly, Garth, I’m amazed how you continue to put up with all those slow-witted constituents of yours.
Well, well, well… look at all the toxic vitriol launched your way. Yikes!
While I am ashamed by my fellow citizens feeling so free to be rude and uncouth in a public forum (such as the internet), I am not surprised the volumetric anger. The Liberals are still tainted by their recent legacy and Monsieur Dion still has a great deal of work to do to repair the damage. For this reason I suspect you may have made your move too soon. I suppose 4 months in obscurity as an “Indie” was disheartening, but I think it would have been smarter to hang in there as an independent until the PM decreed the next election and then declared your affiliation before the voters.
So what’s done is done. Will political life be smoother now? Will the Dion team put up with your maverick style? Or will this backfire… I am not normally a betting man, I’ll just wager you’ll have to weather a massive blast of hateful hot air for a time, and be sorely tested by your decision in some media quarters. However, I bet the Liberal leash will be easier to wear than the Conservative muzzle – for what it’s worth, if I was in your situation I might have felt forced to go down the same perilous path considering the problematic power of party politics…
Who said politics is easy? It sure as heck is entertaining to watch! Good luck, in the next election. If you hold your seat, then you will truly know you did good
PS: I’m in Mr. Gordon O’Conner’s riding; know of any red tory/liberals out to challenge him who I should consider voting for? lol
Two words:
“THE WORST”.
Nice guy! Holds a town hall meeting. Asks his voters what he should do. Out of 70 people, not one of them said to join the liberals, and WHAT DOES GARTH DO? Follows the advice of this voters of course! LOL I can read this guy like a book. Whenever he gets into trouble, he starts talking about his dog so we look foward to some Chika posts in the next few days.
Mr. Turner, you have proven yourself to be a man without honour. You disgust me.
Hey Garth, when do we get the inside scoop on what the Liberals are saying inside their caucus ? Or are your loose cannon days behind you too ?
I like MPs who think independently and don’t always conform to caucus thinking, but you need to respect party guidelines and be part of the team when final decisions are presented. Turner wasn’t merely representing his constituents, he was a rogue member working to change policies that had been agreed to. At the end of the day, you have to accept party decisions and keep confidential info to yourself – he couldn’t.
Moving to a party that he railed against for decades is hypocritical – he should have run for the Liberals if he likes their policies. He’ll soon find they have even less time for him.
You have to laugh at every liberal in here on Garth’s side. Of course, when a conservative defects to the liberals, it’s okay, but not if it’s happening the other way. You have NO right to criticize anyone who defects to our side if you are content with this behaviour. Hypocrisy all around, indeed.
In October you convened a meeting of your constituents, telling them you “needed their input and direction”. After a discussion you put it to a vote. Of 65 people in the audience who voted, 31 advised you to remain an independent, 17 urged you to go Green, and 17 wanted you to negotiate your way back into the Conservative caucus. NONE advised you to join the Liberals, even though (by your account) there were Liberals in the room. So your decision today told the people who took the trouble to attend your meeting, and give you their views (at your request), that you are not interested in what your constituents want.
In the grand scheme of things I don’t imagine wherever Garth ends up matters overly much; certainly not in comparison to, say, Elizabeth May. She could quite probably have been elected in any of the three main parties, however she decided to follow her beliefs and head up the Green Party. Substance over self-interest.
First a Conservative then an Independent now a Liberal next you will be a No Down Payment . Oh that’s stands for the NDP. Your more Wacko than Jacko .
You should have been a lifelong lawyer Garth with your hilarious games with the truth. You yourself said that MP’s “should sit in Parliament as they were elected. If they decide to change parties, they should go and get re-elected.”
What? Were you implying that if they change parties they should get re-elected… someday? If so, then why did you have a problem with the Emerson crossing to begin with? After all, he was going to get re-elected… someday.
I’m sure you’ve got yourself a nice herd of sheep.
typo…He had very good seat at the back near the Liberals!…
Good move . The Conservative party reminds me a lot of the American Republican party in respect to their aggression, their framing of issues and their attempt to control the message.
We need people with integrity to reform the Liberal Party
At first I was shocked, but after reading some of the comments from obvious “neo-cons” – this is not the Progressive Conservative Party that I once belonged to.
Voters will decide whether or not what you did was in their best interests – not some foul mouthed neo-con from Calgary (the one that posted on here). Not what I would’ve done, but best wishes to you Mr. Turner.
Do the right thing and run in a by-election. Garth, You goofed big-time. Give Halton the chance to decide if they love YOU or the Conservative Party more. If you have the confidence to redeem yourself by trying this, I think there is room for forgiveness. I really believe that lots of people vote for candidates rather than party, so please give it a try. It’s your ONLY opportunity to re-instill your supporters’ faith in you. You can do it. Don’t be a coward. Good luck. If you love something(your seat), set it free…..if it returns, it’s yours.
Garth is right…he didn’t cross the floor!
He was not a member of any party! So no hypocrisy there.
I believe Garth listens to his constituents, works hard to promote fairer income taxes and is a friend of the environment. He should bring new energy to the Liberals and the riding of Halton.
Good luck and best wishes Garth.
You’re right where you belong, Garth. And it’s about time you quit pretending to be something you weren’t. Even in the PCs, you were a Liberal, which was why the greatest PM in history didn’t give you a portfolio.
Brian Mulroney is shaking his head, Garth. And so am I.
Be gone, traitor!
I am very, very disappointed, Garth. Pls. do the right thing – do the democratic thing. Resign – run again.
WOW…Garth you definantly are a man of integrity…WAIT were a man of integrity, now you are a JOKE!
To recount I respected you when you stood up for the individual. It is now evident that you never stood up for the individual, aside from the individual in you.
All hail the mighty Garth, who will fight for the people. STRIKE that, all hail the mighty Garth who will fight for what is best for himself and himself alone.
Keep up the blogging buddy, soon it will be all you have left!
Goodbye Garth Turner the man of integrity; Hello Garth Turner the liar.
How about the real reason you switched to the liberals?
Political Longevity! I bet life wasnt very comfortable being an independant, knowing the next election would probably see you out on the street. So you join the next biggest party that will have you to save your political hide.
Heres hoping you go through nomination at the riding association, but something tells me you dont have the guts
And here I thought you were a progressive free thinker not willing to go along with dogma of the political machine. Talk about jumping from the frying pan right into the Liberal fire pit. Holy Cow Garth!!! How could you abandon the many people who looked up to you for your free spirit, straight from the hip no sugar coated truth of the matter commentator to become part of the dogmatic big government LIBERAL machine, who will no doubt tell you and all your fellow Liberal Lemmings what to think, when to think and then what to say and how to vote.
What did they promise you? Hopefully not a rose garden because I’m sure you will find those Liberal thorn’s pricklier than the Conservative ones. Perhaps Stephane promised you a pair of rose coloured glasses so you won’t see the true nature of the belly of the Liberal beast, or maybe he promised you a patch of GREEN artificial Astro-turf. That’s the only thing GREEN thing that Stephane and the Liberal party can find from their last mandate to stand on. I’d wish you good luck, but he my opening comment is more truthful to the way I feel with regard to you making a deal with the devil. I tell me kid’s that you have to lie (pun intended) in the bed you make. So Garth enjoy your time in bed with the enemy, it will be short lived after the Liberal get trounced in the next election. Oh by the way I am a Conservative who has voted Green before so if you had joined the Green’s I would not have been so PO’d
Thank you Garth! Thanks for keeping your blog up, open and accountable. Some BT’s are betting you’ll scrub it, but I know you won’t.
This is most excellent! It is a complete education on Con politics reading all the people who welcomed Emerson with open arms.
Revenge IS a dish best served cold.
Every time they go after you, they have to bring up Emerson, Fortier and Khan. It’s delicious!
Now, who was it that said “you don’t vote for the person but vote for the party?” or who was it who said “it’s the person, stupid”? Either way, they’re hoist on their own petards!
I expect the minutes from your first liberal caucus meeting to be posted on your webside.
You did a bad move, Garth. And you’re gonna pay for that. People are not stupid, you know!
Probably the saddest argument from Garth’s supporters is calling anyone who criticizes him a “neo-con”. Not being a hypocrite or spilling party secrets has nothing to do with ideology, either from liberalism or neo-conservatism. I guess when you’re on the losing end of an argument, ad hominem attacks are the only hope for those defending Garth.
Garth please do our country and the world a favour and please go away. Retire, take your nice MP pension and shut your mouth for the rest of your life.
I don’t recall Garth saying he wouldn’t run in a by-election.
BTW – who would have had the guts to keep a blog like this open??
Stay tuned
My comment about you having a GIANT Trudeau picture in your house must have struck a nerve, since you removed my comment. Have you always sensored your blog? Whats the term you use…”Digital democracy”?
What a day Garth! Good for you! It was such a great day that I went and splurged on fresh veggies, noodles, some shrimp, ginger beef, potstickers and invited the neighbours for a home-cooked dinner! Fortunately for me I have a VCR (remember those?) and captured your news conference, Question Period, Harper’s underreported Speech (ha ha), Mike Duffy at 5 and every news item I could find, and we played it back during dinner while we watched you take over the news from Harper and his pointed finger. (Question: does Harper wag his finger at his caucus like he does even at the Canadian Club?). A couple blog searches here and there on the old computer, some wine, beer supplied by happy guests and good laughs made this a stellar day all ’round. Dessert was Rick Mercer and his spoof of Harper’s so called attack ads, and the birds flying out of Baird’s hidey hole. Priceless!
Out here in the west we even had a touch of sun to round things out. Awesome!
Thanks for the day! Best of luck, Garth.
So why not ask Canadians if they think you should run in a by election Garth?
You keep telling us that you are the champion of democracy, that you always do what’s best for the people.
Show some balls for once in your life.
Take a poll on your site and put your morals where your mouth is!!
Yea..I thought so.
====
You should have stayed an Independent voice in Parliament! You just threw out all of the small government principles you have always advocated by joining the most centralizing and big government party in the western hemisphere! What the hell Garth? I just don’t understand you. You disappoint yet again.
Congrads on growing up and finally mastering the art of spin spin spin. Hyprocracy at its best. You can say it 50 different ways, but the important thing is that Emerson & Khan never critized others over the need for a by-election when you switch parties. YOU DID. Your little “oh, there will be an election soon anyway” doesn’t cut it. Be a man. I was so impressed with your stand up to now – you really showed me that everyone and their principles are for sale. It is just a matter of price Justify it anyway you want – it doesn’t make any difference in the fact that you are now an opportunistic fake. Prove me wrong. Do the right, democratic thing and Resign – run again and win, but at least be able to hold your head high.
RESIGN RESIGN RESIGN RESIGN … I voted PC, not “Garth the Liberal”
Brent,
Hey OLAF. What are you? Apparently in need of more education. You at least know one thing……. this IS democracy in action.
I don’t really know what the hell you’re talking about here, it makes no sense. How this is even reconcilable with, let alone the ultimate embodiment of, democracy I’ll never know.
Herb,
My man. I didn’t compare Garth to Hitler, I just used an analogy showing how massive an about face this was. So chill.
And feel free to point to a tenant of neo-conservative thought – which I do not subscribe to by any means, but I suppose it’s a fair conclusion to come to after visiting my blog and reading one post – which prescribes Hitler comparisons are to be used whenever possible.
Also, good “Oaf” joke. I hear Sinbad’s looking for writers.
Ever hear the phrase “stand for nothing… fall for anything?”
That describes your supporters.
Your career in politics has been a joke from start to finish. You were never an important man. You were in Cabinet so briefly that you really just made yourself look pathetic. When you realised that your career peaked in the Campbell admisitration you set about deliberately goading your own party because they wouldn’t pay any attention to you. The Conservatives have to battle through stilted leftist bias in the media. They finally come back out of the wilderness and are hanging by a thread and you figure that is an appropriate time to take them to task? You were just another red tory who used his inside position to try to deliberately destroy a man you never liked. You are just another red tory (like Clark, Brison, and Stronach) who always planned to sabotage the party if you couldn’t achieve success within it. By ousting you Harper demonstrated wisdom and good judgment. He smoked you early so you couldn’t harm the party at a sensitive time. By accepting you Dion stupidly blunted his own ability to criticise the defection of Emerson and others. No one in Canada sees any distinction between what you did and what Emerson did. You were anti-Harper from the second you were elected. If you hated Harper so much (as you obviously always have) you should not have sought the nomination and run as a Tory. Most of the votes that federal MP’s get are votes for the leader, not the MP. Like it or not you rode on Harper’s coat tails to get elected. Anyone who follows your rantings can only be left with the impression that you are clinically depressed and unbalanced. You clearly have some pscyhiatric problem that causes you to desperately seek attention at any cost. Your blogging was only interesting to people because of the bizarre spectacle of a man attacking his own peers. Watching your overt attempts to sabotage Harper (purely to gratify your need for attention and noteriety) was entertaining to people precisely because it was so odd and weird. Your behaviour is typical of a child who acts out to get negative attention. Liberals like you because you were an embarassment to the Tories (do you get it?..not a maverick…not a champion of the little guy…an EMBARASSMENT). I bet dollars to doughnuts that if I looked at your highschool transcripts it would indicate you have been acting out to get negative attention since childhood. I bet you had issues in University too (did you even complete University Garth?..your official bio says you were ‘educated’ at a couple of schools…those sounds like code words for a guy who flunked out and has been padding his resume ever since…). So now you are a Liberal. But you aren’t a real Liberal. To them uou are a tool to hurt Harper. Nothing more. You don’t have Magna and a rich dad to buy you some attention (like airheaded Belinda). You will obviously be ostracised. Maybe a few B list back benchers will eat lunch with you in the caffeteria, but for the remainder of your tenure (which may not be as long as you hope), your Liberal colleagues will mostly politely ignore you. No one in Canada will ever remember you (except as that weirdo who ran some sort of internet complaint blog to start sabotaging his own party as soon as they got elected). Now that your a Liberal your blog is also no longer newsworthy. So you are critical of Harper..well…that’s normal for Liberals isn’t it? You had ten times more attention as a saboteur and turncoat running a blog attacking your own leader than you will ever get as a Liberal. Now your blog is just another boring left wing anti Harper blog. There’s nothing interesting about it any more (because a Liberal trashing a Tory is no longer news). Getting booted and crossing the floor was the last bit of publicity you will ever have. There is nothing else you cold possibly do to get another five minutes of fame (unless you set yourself on fire, or streak accross parliament Hill). You are just another floor crossing footnote who stands as an example of the utmost hypocricy. You saved your ass by crossing the floor for selfish reasons…just like Belinda, just like Emerson…(yes you crossed Garth…you knew that pissing off Harper would lead to you being forced to change parties one day). Your name is synonymous with 1) odd psychiatrically unbalanced attention seeking behaviour 2) childish unprofessional conduct 3) hypocrisy in your attacks on floor crossers. What a flame out. I can hear you now “I once ran for leader…” “I once ran for leader”…”I once ran for leader”. How many times have you sat there talking to people about your few days in cabinet or how close you came to being Prime Minister?…I bet you find a way to drop those little tidbits into almost every conversation about yourself (which I suspect is your favourite topic). Quite frankly Garth most people don’t put jobs they held for less than 6 months on their resume…for you…it was your WHOLE resume…ha ha ha.. You are such a strange little loser… Get a good therapist. Find a way to fogive your parents. Take a vacation. Get off the coffee or prozac or whatever is causing your bizarre personality disorder. Whatever you have to do Garth, save yourself now before you do something even more embarassing. Your career is the worst flame out in politics I’ve ever seen. Wow. Garth Turner… joins the same political party that stole millions of tax dollars from the working man in a money laundering scheme…nice. And just remember..you weren’t bounced for disagreeing with Harper..you were bounced for being strange, having a behavioural disorder, and plotting to deliberately sabotage your leader…he just saw through your silly little shenanigans before you could do any damage (and trust me…you haven’t hurt Harper at all by crossing..because you are considered a clown not a serious political player). You are not David Emerson (who IS still a cabinet minister). When an odd little back bencher crosses the floor no one really cares. You will be forgotten or worse…laughed at..in years to come. Garth who?
And you think I need therapy? — Garth
Garth, you strike me as a man I could trust with my money.
Why on earth would you join the Liberal party?
Leaders, lead.
Show some leadership, resign and run in a by election.
Then you can hold the others to account. Show the way and be a leader.
Very very disappointed, though not surprised, greed, it’s a powerful motivator. You sir are greedy for power.
I’m in Halton and I support your decision. I’m a long time liberal,
though I am perhaps, as they say ’socially left wing but financially
right wing.’ I think Garth will do a great job being a voice for
Halton and providing some quality financial guidance to the Liberals
(e.g. more financial responsibility than we have seen in last 15 years
or so from them)..
Harper, the other neocon crooks and their scummy supporters are fuming.
The country is slipping away from their slimy, temporary grip.
Well done Mr. Turner.
I pity the poor kitties under the chair Harper kicks all over 24 Sussex tonight.
Hey, like ordinary Canadians Harper is responsible for the damage he does to property he does not own.
good move, that lying harper (i will not touch income trusts) is toast!
Garth:
Explain to me something, why is it that you consider Canadians bunch of illiterate idiots who would eat up any garbage that you feed them? Let’s see, shall we? You got kicked off of Conservative Party not because you were a folk hero and a victim as you always portray yourself to be but rather simply because you cannot be trusted. Then you went on to your famous press conference by the end of last year, really explaining nothing and just babbled on how wonderful it is to be an Independent member and urged the Canadian public to elect at least another 20-30 other Independents, remember? Of course you do. Mind you the week preceding to that event you were campaigning with Elizabeth May in a by-election! Now, I think you may need stronger glasses. Did you by any chance miss the Independent candidate who was running against Elizabeth May? Of course you didn’t, you just figured what the hell, if Elizabeth May were to get elected maybe you would get on board with the Greens. Well that scenario didn’t unfold the way you hoped, did it? Then you realized, oops, I, the almighty Garth Turner, won’t get re-elected as an Independent, that’s for sure, so I might as well go start wiping a new ass. Thank God for Stephan Dion! I hardly understand him when he speaks English but hey with your half ass French and his half ass English you guys managed to make a complete ass of yourselves in today’s press conference. So here is a word of wisdom for you dude: We, the Canadian public, see through your lies and hypocrisy and make note of every move that you make. Don’t for a moment think that I say that because I am a devoted Conservative. I may be a Conservative and it is my right to follow a political party that best represents my views but I would not hesitate for a moment to disagree with any Conservative who steps over his/her boundaries to point blank lie to the Canadian public either. Garth no ifs and buts, you are without a doubt the most disgraceful politician that Canada has ever witnessed. Of course you will pay for it in the up-coming election. But, hey, credit shall be given when credit is due. You made the right choice to get on board with the Liberals and I am sure you will feel right at home. I mean where else could you find bunch of other parliamentarians who steal, lie, break promises, and are simply opportunists who try to steal votes instead of winning them? Just one last question, when you go to bed at night knowing that you are simply nothing but a common thief and a liar doesn’t your wife look at you with utter disgust? I guess not! You probably managed to fool her as well. I can never forget you once saying that the most important thing in your life is your Dog and your wife? Well, when you put it in that order I can just imagine what you think of the rest of us.
May someone stand in judgment of you some day. — Garth
For all the neo-con scum out there:
Do any of the Harper’s automatons MPs
have a blog like this?
One where one could post comments?
Comments that are actually read and replied to by a MP?
I lost any respect I had for Garth Turner. Garth was kicked out of the Conservative party for not being able to keep caucus secrets and being openly critical of the party. Now Garth is joining the Liberal party after serious talks with Dion regarding keeping caucus secrets and not be openly critical of the Liberal party. After being kicked out of the Conservatives Garth talked about voicing his opinions and standing up for what he believes in. Apparently his talk about being a principled man was just that…talk.
Excellent work, Garth! In Vancouver we support you and admire you! You made the correct decision. Don’t let these Harper hacks get to you. THEY kicked you out of the caucus – you didn’t leave them to cross the floor. By the way, the Harper hacks who post here shouldn’t be calling the Liberals ethically challenged. After all, it was the CONS who basically expropriated billions of dollars of hard earned taxpayers’ money carefully saved over the years for many a retirement – just to pay for Harper’s election buy-vote goodies. Mr. Turner – I hope you and your new colleagues give Harper what he deserves for grabbing money which wasn’t his. He has given Canada a black eye in the international community – both because of this massive expropriation of wealth and also our new biased pro-Bush foreign policy. My goodness, even Hugo Chavez doesn’t lie and break promises as your former leader, Mr. Harper, did. Thanks to the CPC Canada is the new Banana Republic!!!
Wow!
Good going Garth, Ottawa must be a wild town for the blues to become reds and the reds to become blues eh? So it sounds like PMSH days are numbered, hmmm.. I wonder why… Good luck Garth.
Gee, so much anger by the Conservatives…those Jesus loving, God fearing, forgiving bunch that preach tolerance and all that jazz!
I sure glad I saw the real Light years ago!
Oh, BTW, it was you who elected PM Harper, but I guess if you can’t have total control you cannot be happy campers.
Ah, well, there will be another election, anbother chance to right, er correct a wrong.
Now you have Garth as your Red Heifer to slaughter. The perfect Scape-Goat to be sacrificed on the alter of Atonement!
Let the blood flow!
And all this vile venom was the First Day!
liberal, conservative? wtf is the difference? they have both been selling us out for years! i don’t expect anything new from dionne (if elected).
it is like watching wwf wrestling.
Mr.Turner,
When Emerson came to the Conservatives, you said MPs should have to go through a by-election to switch. Whether Emerson and Khan resign are immaterial to your situation. You clearly said what you said, and if you no longer believe that, then say so. If you still believe it, then resign!!
Oh yes, and I note that so many comments have come from people who have never posted to Garth’s blog before!
Could they be troll assassins? Do bears crap in the woods? Do Geese fly! Do fish swim.
Yes, the Great Silent
MajorityMinority speaks…finally!A venting we will go! A venting we will go! HiHo the merry A venting we will go!
Thank you for stabbing the Conservative voters of your riding, including me, in the back. Many of us voted for you not just because we liked you and your party, but because we HATE THE LIBERALS, the guys who brought us the joy of AdScam. A vote for you was supposed to be a vote against such corruption, but now you’ve gone and joined the enemy. I CANNOT WAIT for the next election, so I can campaign against you and watch you get torched by the voters. To hell with you!
So it’s okay to ignore your principles just because other people aren’t following them? Classy. Also, if the election is coming so soon, why not just run for Liberal nomination and sit as an independant for the remainder of this Parliament?
he was an independent. dummy.
Those Harperdroids just don’t get it: Garth never “switched.” Garth never crossed the floor. Garth was persona non grata to the Cons. Garth was an Independent. Garth can do or go as he damn well pleases.
Man, do Cons hate freedom, or what?
Hey Garth! Where are those tantalizing Liberal Caucus meeting reports? I really want to know what Michael Ignatieff puts in his coffee!:P
he didn’t cross. numbnuts.
Most MPs, and every Canadian, is able to ascertain what you apparently are not: that a byelection cannot be called for a riding for which there is a sitting Member of Parliament.
Only if you resign can a byelection be called. I’m still waiting for you to do what you claimed “anyone” would do. And yet, it is clear that you meant nothing but to prove your own narcisissm and hyprocrisy.
And how much the Liberal Party is the Party of losers and hypocrites.
Well, Garth, I haven’t been longing for another election soon, but you’ve made me change my mind. I hate long goodbyes. And a Garth-and Liberal-free Halton sounds pretty good to me.
By Bill-Muskoka on 02.07.07 12:20 am – Hey Bill, any chance you can stop your name calling and see the side of the people in this riding? The people that elected him not as a Liberal but as a Conservative. Call us names if you like – but, hey, we do expect our elected representatives to respect our wishes. And, I tell you, the views of every neighbor I have talked to is that Garth is slapping us in the face.
DarkBlueTory: Brian Mulroney (can you believe it!) is shaking his head at Harper’s wrong headed, bull headed desire to throw off all good advice and carry on in his mad cow way.
Soon Harper will not be able to hark back to ANY Canadian Prime Minister for strokes for his “priorities.” Face it. Harper has gone as far as he can come. It’s over, a done deal, done like dinner, all over but for the crying, the fat lady sang, pushing up daisies, dead parrot, hey! who said that?, etc.
Newsflash: Stephen Harper can’t control absolutely everything.
Pity the kitty! Please Harper, make sure the chair you kick over does not have anything live and sentient under it!
One thing you can give to Mulroney: he always smiled. Looked like a real smile. Harper, not so much. Harper can’t even fake it till he makes it. Time for the Con party to elect a new leader. I nominate MacKay!
A reasonably sound move. Hitler, Pinochet and Dubya were and are extreme right-wing nutcases (and Harper is clearly headed in that direction), whereas Stalin, Ceaucescu and others of their ilk are extreme left wing. Dion and the Libs are a good, middle-of-the-road choice to start again. I will check out the Lib candidate here (although Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley is mostly Tory), and if h/she is a good candidate, I will vote for that person. Failing that, I will vote Green again, as I have done for close to two decades. At least you’re honest, which is a helluva lot more than can be said for the rest of them!
May someone stand in judgment of you some day. — Garth
They have Garth, I swear they have but on that day I held my head up high because I refused to step over my integrity for my momentary gain. Integrity Garth, leads to character, and I am here to tell you my character is in tact. Something that you have a very hard time understanding. So here is my wish for you: May one day you look into the mirror and pass the most difficult moment of judgment. You can go on to philosophize your reckless decisions and attempt to fool Canadians but you can never lie to yourself. You are not fooling anyone, just making a fool of yourself.
It is amazing how you can hesitate for so long, speculate about going green and eventually make an opportunistic decision to switch to a party which blatantly doesn’t understand the word decisive. Maybe the switch does suit you. Come the next election, I hope your constituency will be much more wise and vote for the Conservative Party.
Well now. At this point the score is 59 in favour of this move as good for Garth and the Liberals, 41 indeterminite, and 135 who think its bad for Garth and good for the Conservatives.
Allow me to add 1 more to the last score.
The current Prime Minister has always said that floor-crossing is a part of our parliamentary system, even at the height of the frenzy when Belinda crossed and propped up the (at that point in time) illegal government of Paul Martin’s Liberals. Garth has always contended that position is WRONG. And now he is is trying to spin it to mean that his party “left him”. Sorry, I can’t buy that. From the beginning of this Parliament, Garth has been agitating against the Conservatives, even when he was in caucas. When he was removed from caucas by his peers (not the Prime Minister, no matter how the revisionists out there may try to spin it) it was for his general agitation against his peers.
In that vein, I look forward to hearing him agitate against his new peers on anything that he disagrees with in the Liberal plan, but I really don’t expect it to happen.
All in all, just another disappointing poltical hack. Halton deserves better.
I do not pass judgement on you Garth since this mess is here and to stay.
I just like to point out how useless the Canadian political system is. Does not the MP represent the will of the people and not the other way around. If the plot from Boys from Brazil were to ever work, it would work in Canada. Easily have a hand full (cloned or not) fake party supporters that get elected and as needed change party affiliation to support their true love. One has to ask, for an MP to change sides months after being elected (regardless of who) did this person do it with intent (run for the other side) to switch parties in the future if need be. Of course their are those who will, just to ensure a win (read belinda). Lastly the voting public, regardless of who the MP is that swithced are fools for re-electing that person as their MP ( read Sheila). Did that many voters change their beliefs that quickly and all at once, or is the Canadian political vote a popularity contest or god forbid people vote to be on the winning side (scary).
As for you Garth, your near future attitudes about income trusts will mean everything. The liberals have shown that they will bend to the power brokers of this country let’s see if you bend with them!
evil mike doesn’t see the scam. all the bs about adscam and the ontario liberals raising taxes just before the election. it was a concerted effort to get martin out. now the slimeball dionne will get in. let me count the slimeballs….
1. trudeau
2. mulroney
3. chretien
who will be the next slimeball? elected by the media monopoly?
TO PROF. FRINK
My point about TW was that in the Liberal party everyone shuts up and toes the line so that they can share in the bounty. Either Garth has abandoned his “heroic” outspoken nature, or else Dion just had a moment of weakness which will dog him until the voters in Halton have a chance to throw the dog out.
GARTH: I know you sometimes answer questions here. I really am dying to know – do you recognize how opportunistic you are, or do you actually believe yourself to be the on principled man in
Ottawathe world?Hi Garth. Reading what some people have commented about you makes me laugh. I think you did everything possible to stick with your party and your beliefs. Your party kicked you out unlike what happened with Khan or Emerson. Garth didn’t leave his party, his party left him. Welcome to the Liberal’s Garth and I’m sure your riding will re-elect you. It’s good to have politicians like you in Parliment. Good Job and Good luck!
So another unprincipledness advocate of the peoples business,
Does parasite ring a bell?
Pathetic you are.
What’s funny here is half the people that are against Garth are probally the same person. Garth should check his logs and see.
Dear Evil Mike – you Harper droid keep on parroting the adscam thing. Frankly, the adscam thing didn’t cost me $25,000 as your leader’s lies and broken promises costed me with respect to my investment portfolio. Believe me, I’ve endured years of “soak the rich” Robin Hood rhetoric and taxes under Glen Clark’s NDP right here in B.C. but that government as dreadful as it was never grabbed so much money so quickly and so dishonestly as did Flaherty and Harper did last Halloween with their massive Pearl Harbour style attack on wealth. Believe me, this “old rich bastard” applauds Garth’s move and can’t wait for the Liberals to return. And don’t insult my intelligence by having your minions and hacks calling me greedy – I worked very hard and paid my taxes honestly in the highest brackets (50%++) for many, many years. Garth did the right thing – his party was no longer either progressive (their foreign policy is an embarrassment) or (economically) conservative.
Bill – ya the signal to noise ratio has gone nuts today.
But surely you don’t actually support Garth joining the Liberals without a by-election after he so violently attacked the others for doing it.
Garth, seriously, men of ethics cannot hold themselves by the standards of others. Either act ethically, or don’t but there will be no excuse for your unethical behaviour on the grounds that the other kids are doing it.
I’m totally not impressed with you today; You held your preference for a made-in-canada solution for many months here, but yesterday you voted for an unachievable Kyoto standard in your first test as a Liberal.
Can you honestly say that this move had nothing to do with the way you voted or the way you will vote in the future?
Have you sold out?
Typical political trash. Hypocrites like to sit on their high horses and condemn the actions of others but, when they actually end up doing that which they condemn, there’s always an exception that somehow makes it allowable. Sound like someone you know, Garth?
You, sir, are a hypocrite of the highest order.
I KNOW WARREN..WHATS WRONG WITH THOSE CONSERVATIVES… Go Turner Go… We liberals are with you.and he didnt cross the floor..he was an independent.
Congratulations on your move! At the end of the day, it is the people in Halton who will have the last say on your move.
Like you, I believe the “Progressive” has disappeared from the Conservatives. All my voting life (30+ years) I voted Progressive Conservative, Reform, Canadian Alliance and Conservative. No longer. I quit the party and joined the Liberals in December 2006 because of Flaherty’s Income Trust decision, the Evangelical “instant access” to the Prime Minister and most importantly, the Conservatives’ lack of direction on the environment.
Best wishes for the future.
Funny Edward – your description would probably apply to yourself.
Who are you to pass such high and mighty judgement?
Go Garth – screw these Harper crazies
Income trust investors across Canada applaud you, Mr. Turner! It is time to get tough with Mr. Harper. His Pearl Harbour style dishonest attack on Canadians’ hard earned investments will not be forgotten. And they are daring to attack the liberals over dishonesty on adscam! Go get ‘em Mr. Turner!
Your explanation ended with the words, “Bring it on.” The last politician to say something similar was George Bush who said, “Bring ‘em on.” Before long, he regretted his words. You are taking the very same foolish risk.
Jason:
I gather you have the mentality of a ten year-old, based on your comment. Who am I to pass judgment? I’d say I, and anyone else, who is not guilty of the hypocrisy of saying they’d never affiliate themselves with another political party without going to the electorate and then doing just that is qualified to judge in this case.
As for your assertion that my description would probably apply to myself I would have to ask if you’re a braying jackass, since you don’t know me. I am not in public life as Garth Turner is.
I won’t even touch “Harper crazies”. That is to laugh! I made a comment about Garth and never said I support Stephen Harper.
Let’s stick with what GARTH did and not bring straw-men into the debate.
I had a faint hope that the floor crossing news earlier today was just typical Liberal misinformation, but it seems I have been disappointed. I thought your crusade against taxing income trusts was a bit odd, but now it makes more sense on the side of the Liberals. The fact that you are not immediately stepping down to face reelection as a Liberal spits in the face of those who thought you had a shred of honesty and integrity.
I am sick of all this nonsense. As of tonight, I am now a member of the Green Party, and will do all I can to prevent the election of these old party MPs. Anyone who believes in environmental sustainablility, small government, social justice, and economic prosperity should follow suit.
To Evil Mike: I’ll exchange your Liberal Garth Turner for my Conservative Colin Mayes from Okanagan- Shuswap. At least Turner isn’t afraid to speak up on behalf of his constituents.
Garth once said, “I am a democrat who believes everyone in the House of Commons, including the cabinet members who make up the government, should be elected. They should sit in Parliament as they were elected. If they decide to change parties, they should go and get re-elected.”
The only benefit of this, I suppose, is that Garth will now have to compete with about 100 other Liberal backbenchers for Question Period time, so we’ll hear less from him until his defeat in the coming election.
Hypocrite Hypocrite Hypocrite Hypocrite Hypocrite!
You can try and spin this all you like, but the residents of Halton elected a CONSERVATIVE because they thought that person would best represent their values. They were pretty clear about NOT wanting a Liberal. And yet that’s now what they’re stuck with. So you can split hairs until Dion can speak English but it all amounts to the same thing. You got YOURSELF ejected from the Conservatives and when the Liberals, desperate for any seats, offerd you a crumb you jumped at it to try and save your own political hide. It had NOTHING to do with what was good for your constituents – once again it’s ALL about GARTH. And despite the HEAVY opposition BY THE PEOPLE YOU CLAIM TO REPRESENT of you joining the Liberals, that’s EXACTLY what you did?
Kinda the pot calling the kettle black isn’t it? You’ve lost ALL moral authority to point fingers at ANYONE with this one. I sincerely hope the residents of Halton see this for what it is and send you packing at the first opportunity. Guess all this “I’m for the people first, the party second” was a load of horsecrap huh? Big shock there.
garth will have to fill us in about what type a guy dionne is. does he invite debate or does he support israel like harper? no dissent allowed. i have a feeling he is ia lot like harper.
kill the muslims. it is in the pm’s best interest.
garth i dont care what you say, you are a hypocrite. call it what you want this is political opportunism at its worst and you should be ashamed of yourself. you say you are doing what is best for you constituents and after reading the multitude of comments i can see that there aren’t many people who are happy with your decision.
By crossing the floor after all the kerfuffle you raised about the ethics of this act makes you lowest amongst the low… how you can honestly wake up each morning and look yourself in the mirror is beyond me. Your words mean absolutely nothing and I’m counting the days (or perhaps even minutes) before you get the royal boot out of the Liberal party. But hey, being a trader that you are I’m sure the Bloc will gladly accept you next time around… you’d be the perfect fit for them ’cause you sure don’t understand what being in a team is all about do you?
“Last, I am most happy to run in a by-election along with Emerson, Fortier and Khan.”
In other words your the bigger man…. but only if you get your way (whine)….
The word hypocrite appears more than 30 times on this page.
Here’s the link: be wery wery kerful when you tink u got dat wabbit : http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=6b924082-1d11-4291-8416-b8b82f2eb748
I am not one who tends to post on blogs, but todays events have prompted me to give it a whack.
I will come out in the open so you know off the top where you stand. I am a member of the Conservative Party, but just a member in the rolls, not an activist…at least not yet.
I have a few comments and I hope I am succesful in soliciting a response.
Mr. Cretien was well known to hold a solid grip against dissenters in causus and was famous for increasing the role of the PMO over the MP’s, in fact, this was one of the arguments Martin used over and over again, among others, to turf Cretien. Martin proved himself to be no different (i.e. Parrish). Since this very issue was the cause of your beef with Harper, I am forced to ask myself, do you have any indications that Mr. Dion will be any different? I would imagine that it would be against your morals to join with Team Dion unless you had some sort of guarantee of your right to speak up publicly or with impunity. If you are under the assumption that you will have this freedom, will you then quit the Liberal party (or engineer your expulsion) if Mr. Dion decides that such freedom is not part of the deal?
Answering these questions now, instead of in future (i.e. committing yourself to specific actions on what will be almost certain eventualities) will define to us what kind of a man you are, and whether or not we should fight for you.
Respectfully,
Jim
Jim: Obviously this was a topic Stephane Dion and I discussed, and he assured me there is plenty of room for debate and dissent and ideas within the Liberal party. The man knows clearly who I am, and my style in being an MP. I believe there are no illusions on either side. — Garth
I never forget a face, and I’ll remember both of yours.
To sit as a Liberal, you morally should first face a by-election. If you unwilling, you should remain an independent. I think you could have been most effective joining the Greens or staying independent. You will be lost and silenced in the Liberals.
Folks, how is Garth a hypocrite for joining the Liberal caucas. He was essentially thrown out of Canada’s New Government! You can count on the Conservatives losing the next election too.
Garth:
I disagree with your statement that conservatives will be calling your actions hypocritical. On the contrary, I think in light of your past statements and subsequent equivocation on a matter you where so outspoken about only a few short months ago make you a perfect fit in a party that still won’t reveal which ridings in Quebec received the adscam funds.
So just remember to be just as outspoken on this issue as you where while you sat as a conservative.
Garth, you seem like a fiery guy — someone with a lot of star power.
Rather than waste your (and our) time with your “political” career hypocrisies, why don’t you join something more suited to your unique talents like a reality tv show?
At least with Canadian Idol or Dancing with the Stars, you’d have many opportunities to cross the floor on every episode instead of just every few months!!
All I have to say is !!BY-ELECTION!! or continue being the joke of the country.
put on your tin foil hat and follow me down the rabbit hole:
OK…
Its all a huge “right wing Neocon” conspiracy, Garth is just the patsy, he really his a conservative and just “took one for the team”.
So here’s the REAL plan, Garth gets kicked out of the CPC, sits as an independent for a while, then when the timing is right he jumps on board with the Liberals, and completely alienates all the conservative voters in his Halton riding. So here is the secret, NOW with the only real viable choice between a Liberal vote and a Harper Conservative vote (the riding has flipped a few times and it was a pretty close call last time) Turner has now in fact promoted the hidden agenda of the Conservative party, because he knows Halton voters won’t send a hypocrite, turncoat Fiberal back to Ottawa.
So Turner, having failed to secure the nomination of the local CPC electoral riding association has (as dictated my his CPC minion “handlers”) been sent to sabotage any attempt by the Fiberals to win the Halton riding in the next election. Freaking BRILLIANT!
A cunning and deceptive plan IF ever I saw one. Turner is in fact a closet conservative, and will be fully eligible for a plumb government appointment (AND government pension), once Harper wins the next majority.
(this information and post is intended for NOVELTY use only, if you were NOT entertained, please read on, I am SURE you can find other posts here equally comical if not MORE so!)
Read up and have a GREAT Day.
Mr. Turner, Good Luck! you WILL need it!
I live in the Halton region, here’s my perspective:
1. I voted Conservative and am now represented by a Liberal. If you don’t want to call if floor crossing I don’t care, but the outcome is the same.
2. He’s stated floor-crossers should go back to the people for legitimacy. Yet has no firm timeline and simply speculats on the next election date.
3. To shroud his responsibility amongst other MP’s is unethical. Hold yourself to the standard you have set forth and show some integrity.
This is completely underhanded, and if nothing else, shows the need for a better electoral system in Canada.
Good for you Garth. I’m sure being a member of a party of delusional and angry windbags who make up the CPC’s base couldn’t have been pleasant.
Mr Turner, If you care so much, as you say, about taxpayers,middle class etc, why would you join a party that during so many years has robbed and squandered billions of dollars of taxpayers money, has not done anything for the environment, and taxed canadians even more? You should be ashamed of yourself for aligning yourself with a socialist.
Economy lesson number 1, Socialism = higher taxes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rob,
Harper and his gang
caused $30 billion (and counting) worth of damage to this country in a little more then one year of governing.
In many other countries, people would march on the streets and head to the palace armed with baseball bats.
It would take hundreds of years of Liberal “squandering†to match Harper’s thievery.
Wake up, buddy!
You, I and every Canadian lost. CPP investments, all mutual funds, RRSP’s – all suffered losses. Thousands of dollars per Canadian.
Harper and his big finance and big oil buddies- Desmarais, D’Alessandro, Morgan, Edwards- won. Billions of dollars per crook.
We have to put an end to this.
Moving from one party to another is floor crossing. I am not sure going from no party to a party constitues floor crossing.
Alot of negative posts here.
I`ve been reading this blog almost daily for some time and I think Garth has struggled with decision, some of the more negative posts seem to be from names I have never seen before.
Many of the postings have the tone that most of us want our elected representitives not to use.
I`ll support Garth, its hard to tell a Lib from a Con these days anyway, because they are both covered in mud.
Tim D,
“Call us names if you like – but, hey, we do expect our elected representatives to respect our wishes.”
So, Tim, did you personally attend all the meetings Garth held? Did you make your point known to him face to face? You live in his riding, right?
Seems to me Garth gave more than ample opportunity to his constituents.
As to name calling…Everyone can see that the likes of the Blogging Tories has gone into fusion over this. Kind of reminds me of that crowd long ago screaming ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’, or the fine crowd that filled the Collesium ranting for more blood!
Yes, a fine example of our Canadian politeness, civility, and well known calmness…which is really only a skin deep character trait.
Integration with the U.S. will be easy, you have all learned how to act like Americans! Hate, but don’t think! Speak, but don’t listen! Judge, but do not discern! Yes, you are ready, just as you were trained to be.
Aren’t you all so proud?
I, as a Canadian, am not, I am saddened that ignorance and arrogance know no boundaries, political or otherwise.
Garth was honest as he could be. I stand against those who vehemently attack his honour, and I am not even in his riding, so the only issue to me is fairness.
Garth has given Canadians a forum where they can express themselves openly and freely, and they have given him in return this diatribe.
So be it! I still remember that this entire matter started with the Conservative’s Fuhrer Steven Harper whose meglamaniac power lust was the reason Garth ended up thrown out of caucus, and no longer a functional member of the CPoC!
Most others would have simply shutup and conformed to save their own arse, but Garth did not! He set an example at his own personal cost. So you all scream about the matter, but one day you might look back and say to yourself ‘Oh Shit! I acted like a child!’
You will get your chance for blood and revenge very soon when the next election is held.
Too many have let party loyalty replace their critical thinking. That road leads to becoming the like the U.S.! You do not want to go there, thrust me!
Have a good day!
they are all hypocrites these politicians who put self interest ahead of public interest……………
Now you can associate your self with Liberal Slimeballs and these useless moochers….Stronach…..Bennett and Ignatieff……………….
I will be voting GREEN IN THE NEXT ELECTION…..
I will not have my neighbours vote the next 4 years……….a liberal moocher………who can’t even be bothered to answer telephone calls from her constituents and will say anything just to get a plume posting………..
MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT………….THATS POLITICS…………A BUNCH OF BUREAUCRATIC BOZOS THAT ACT LIKE USED CAR SALESMEN……….
The man who does not stand for something will fall for anything.
I am totally disguted with your hyprocrisy.
You are grand standing to the highest degree and you chose to do so on a day when we should be celebrating some of our great accomplishments of the past year.
I will no longer visit this website. Nor will I purchase any more of your books.
Good-bye Garth.
God another liberal coming out of the closet. Shame Shame – fine join a party that has a history of corruption and a fairy vegetarian leader so incompetent he results to fat jokes. Long live the Conservative party.
POLITICIANS ARE LIKE PARASITES………THEY JUST GROW AND FESTER IN THE ROT OF PARLIMENT HILL……..WHILE THE CANADIAN PUBLIC……PUT UP WITH THEIR CORRUPT WAYS AND THEY LOFTY HYPOCRITICAL…….OVATURES……………..WHAT A CIRCUS…..??? HOW CAN ANY POLITICIAN BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY WHILE GETTING PAID RIDULOUS OBSCENE PENSIONS……….AND OVERTAXING THE CANADIAN PUBLIC THAT HAS TO LISEN TO THIS NAUSEA…………OTTAWA IDIOTS
Did it ever occur to anyone that it was Harper who let down Turner’s constituents by ousting “their representative”? Harper let you down, not Turner. Harper took away your voice.
Also, did it ever occur to anyone that Harper is an “abuser”? Yes, an abuser. Anyone who bullies, belittles, demeans is an abuser. We don’t approve of this behaviour from the general public so why do we accept an abuser as a PM? In a time when bullying in schools is a problem, low self-esteem is a problem – why do we accept a PM to represent us?
For me, this is unacceptable behaviour and sets a really bad example for kids.
Harper is an abuser, period.
Mr. Turner,
I admired your position on most financial issues that went before the H of C. Your stand on reducing taxes is a part of the public record and we thank you for that legacy. You destoyed that yesterday.
The first sign of a serious ‘personal wobble’was not falling in line with the party’s rules. A new government with many new members needs to be coordinated and consistent.
The second was to personally attack the PM.
However, you did manage to maintain some legititamcy because of your public statements on ‘floor crossings’.
Now….well….you have completely lost it. First, you do not mention Belinda and Brison in your rant against conservative members changing their party affiliation. Second, you align yourself with a party that has mis- placed, mis-spent or stolen hundreds of millions of tax payers dollars.
All for what? Because we finally have a government in place that won’t permit lose cannon MPs from setting the agenda?
For all the years during which you built your credibility as a smart fellow who understood the tax code, who fought for his voters and, who openly discussed government abuse, you have lost it all with one stupid decision.
You have nothing in common with the Liberals, their leader or their policies (save for the enviroment).
I never thought I’d see the day Garth Turner became a self serving politician whose self interest outweighed his political convictions. I was wrong…that day was Feb. 6, 2007.
Shame on you. I hope the voters of Halton region show you the exit under you new colours- RED.
John Usborne
By Bill-Muskoka on 02.07.07 9:08 am – Hey, you must be a Liberal – you took a shot at the U.S. at the end of your rant. And, yes, I DID make it known to Garth that he should resign if he crossed the floor – on this very blog. This is my riding. Dismiss all those that are complaining as partisan whiners if you like. But, hey, I just want the person I elect to represent me as the person I elected. I did not elect a Liberal. Halton did not elect a Liberal. If he wants to run as a Liberal in the next election, that is fine! He just should not sit as a Liberal now. He should resign.
I do not blood; I do not revenge. I just want my MP to act with integrity.
Solitario, I dont know if you know about economy but the move on the Income Trusts was necessary. Have you ever heard of diversification.? Believe me I learned the hard way with Nortel. So you wake up and stop whinning and be less greedy next time. The move had to be made as a surprise because the market could collapse if there was a warning of the move
Solitario – “You, I and every Canadian lost. CPP investments, all mutual funds, RRSP’s – all suffered losses. Thousands of dollars per Canadian.”
Time for you to get a new advisor. Mutual Funds in my RRSP gained 10.5% last year.
Solitario – you weren’t taking advice from Garth, were you?
Garth: Hypocrite, Hypocrite, Hypocrite. Hope you enjoy your short stay in Ottawa as a Liberal. You were voted in as a Conversative to represent your community, and all you do is show boat and media hunt. “I got kicked out of the Conversative party”, Bull crap, “I’m an independant, and I like it, I get more time on the commons floor to represent my voters”, “I might join the Green Party”, “I’m calling a press conference to deal with secret Conversative issues” (then say nothing). Now you get Dion to stand with you on your Liberal announcement. You are nothing more then a self serving meathead, so steal some more head lines for yourself instead of caring for the people that voted you in like the Liberals stole money during “sponsorgate”.
Anyone else notice the horrible spelling and grammar some of these neocons use?
Good luck, Mr Turner.
Believe me, you will need a lot of it.
Yeah Long Live the Conservative party…oh wait a minute. They are a bunch of liars!
Stephen Harper said he wouldn’t change the tax on trusts and he did. I REALLY like backing liars. How about you?
Congratulations on acting on your principles! Some of us like representatives who think for themselves rather than hiding behind the ‘party line.’
I never forget a face, and I’ll remember both of yours. – Alex, that was one great line. It is, perhaps, the best comment I have seen on this monument to Garth’s ego and insecurity. I would never, in a million years, think up anything so appropriate or hilarious. Good one.
I suppose, the alternative for Garth of being unemployed was too much to bear.
Terrible….
Another display of brinksmanship by Garth!!
Next election – Too bad, so sad!
Expect your constituency to lash back in votes the way they are doing now with their comments.
I’ll look for you on TV with more home-spun advertorial.
Hard to believe the passions that have been aroused on this blog.I can’t fathom the vitriol spewing from the right.What did he ever have in common with those people?
Are you feeling the love yet, Garth? The problem you’ve got is that all of the folks who share your views regarding floor crossers now think you’re a hypocrite, unless they’re willing to accept that two wrongs make a right, or are highly tolerant of moral ambiguity, like your new Liberal buddies. On the other hand, everyone who doesn’t feel the way you do (or did) about floor crossers is going to recognize you as a hypocrite when you have to renounce your previous stands on all of the issues on which you have very publicly disagreed with the Liberal party. Quite the conundrum, isn’t it.
You’ve had quite a ride courtesy of the Internet, and now it’s going to bite you, buddy. Enjoy.
And to think…if Halton was gonna be Liberal in the end anyways, we could’ve had all-around good guy Gary Carr in Ottawa right from the start.
Face it, you’re not a superstar. You’re a Canadian politician. Furthermore, you’re a relic from a lost generation, and your hypocritical comments never fail to show how far out of touch you are with today’s political scene.
You’ve alienated hundreds, if not thousands, of your constituents, all the while embarrassing a governing party that has done an excellent job thus far (minus a few roadbumps…like yourself). If you could’ve ever learned how to shut up and play as a part of a team, maybe you’d have received the respect you think you deserve.
Don’t try to blame Harper for this…he’s the best PM we’ve had since early Mulroney.
Have fun backbenching for a floundering party…and see if you can understand one word that Stephane Dion says in English. Lord knows no one else can.
Hypocritical prick. People like you ruin politics for the everyday man like myself.
Garth, Garth, you could have done us proud. Instead, you went over to the “dark side”. How could you do this? Why depreciate all you have stood for to stand with such an unprincipled group. A group who thinks it’s ok to pass my tax dollars around in brown paper bags. A group who preaches about rights and freedoms and then does everything possible to compromise them. A group who undermines the importance of the family unit at every turn. What a disappointment you turned out to be.
Had you stood on principle, retained your “independent” position, I would have understood.
I read your columns religously for years and thought you were one of us. I was mistaken. For whatever reason, you gave away something you couldn’t lose for something you can not keep, and I feel sorry for you.
Garth, indeed you’re a hypocrite, but aren’t we all?
If nothing else it looks like this whole floor crossing issue will get some long-deserved attention and maybe we’ll get some legislation out of it, legislation like that which you’re tabling. Good on ya. No one’s perfect, but at least it sounds like you’re trying.
How about legislating that every elected politician have a blog or similar public forum for their constituents and their specific issues? How about a poll on your site here for your constituents to see if they (the blog savvy of them anyway) support your decision?
Garth, you now have some liberal funds behind you , you may want to investigate something.
Take a look into the activities of the CPP manager , in November just after the income trust taxation announcement.
You could find that CPP was buying up income trusts at huge discounts.
Not a very fair way of wealth transfer from people who have the discipline to save for retirement to those who want to rely totally on CPP.
Maybe the finance minister was smiling for a reason when $30 Billion in market capitalization was transfered from the seniors into the CPP coffers ?
red is dead; Blue sails true!
Garth is a hypoGRITe…….
Garth has adjusted his credibility sufficiently that he is now qualified to author another Lieberal Red Book…..Fiction might be Garth’s calling after he finds himself on the unemployment line after the next election……or byelection….RESIGN GARTH!!!!
Garth was… how shall we say?… somewhat inaccurate in predicting that Real Estate would NOT be a good investment in latter years of the 1990’s and early 2000’s, described in HIS book titled 2010 After the Boom, being back in the dot com years but more RECENTLY he has revised that to claim that Real Estate has ALWAYS been one of the best investments for Canadians. WE KNOW THAT GARTH… QUIT CHANGING COLORS LIKE A CAMILLION TO SUIT YOUR ENVIRONMENT. Stick to your guns on SOMETHING and you might retain your creditibility.
The previous comment is MY own personal OPINION based on Mr. Turner’s OWN statements spoken on public radio, newspapers and books HE himself has published. DO US ALL A FAVOUR GARTH… LEAD THE DEMOGRAPHIC EXODUS YOU SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER AND RETIRE… TODAY!
If you’re going to chew me out for things I wrote 12 years ago, at least get it right, bud. In my book “2015″ I said by that year the stock market would would have ascended to new all-time highs and residential real estate would have turned into a sinkhold for personal wealth, based on demographics, among other factors. In case you had not noticed, we are exactly on that track. Come back in eight years and bring some a sharp knife to carve the crow. By the way, what does this have to do with anything on this blog? — Garth
Garth
You are one sorry excuse of a man.
IT APPEARS THAT TORY HACK DOUG FINLEY HAS ENGAGED THE YOUNG CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP TO JAM GARTH TURNERS BLOQ WITH NEGATIVE COMMENTS.
typical harper and tory tactics.
all you do is expose yourselfs for what you really are.i love it !
You can’t please everyone. If your choice to join the Liberals felt right for you, that’s great. The public will have thier chance to cast thier votes…at least you contributed to our democracy, right or wrong, it created debate among the people. That’s the root of change. Let the political winds blow where they may…
I just read a piece on Lifesite which claims you called people opposed to same-sex marriage “the Taliban”, and “Fleurs de mal” (Flowers of evil). That surprised me, because I always thought you were pro-life, a traditionalist on family issues. Anyway, if it is true that you said that, you have certainly found your proper home in the Liberal Party, which is intent on destroying every vestige of Christian values in our country. Happy trails!
Brian Mulroney (can you believe it!) is shaking his head at Harper’s wrong headed, bull headed desire to throw off all good advice and carry on in his mad cow way.
Boy are you a blasted moron. Who the hell do you think is advising Harper? What colour is the sky on the planet you live on? Christ. What a maroon.
As far as comparing Harper to Hitler and Stalin, nice crowd you draw there Garth. Welcome to the wingnuttery of the left. Hope you enjoy.
I attracted you, didn’t I? — Garth
See “Ontario By-Elections Today” for our final commentary and “guess-timates” of what might happen.
The CONservatives can have Wajid…
I’ll take Garth thank you very much.
You’re an opportunistic, back-stabbing , scum-sucking hypoctite! You’ll be perfect for the Liberals!
Get a spine and resign from the seat on your own and get the Liberal nomination and stop wasting our time.
“If you want to be a Liberal, be elected as a Liberal”-Garth Turner
You said it, dumbass
Steve Badger….can you even vote yet??
Lets hope not!