Garth Turner’s been urged to enter MP race
(June 11, 2009) — Garth Turner could be the area’s next Member of Parliament, if some local Liberals get their way.
The high-profile ex-MP, bestselling author and financial guru has been invited by the Dufferin — Caledon Liberal Association to throw his hat in the ring for a federal election, expected later this year. Turner recently moved back into Caledon, where he is restoring the 1855 Cataract Inn.
He said he’s pondering his options, adding he expects to make a decision in the next week or so.
Turner, 60, has a long history with the area, having represented Caledon in the House of Commons for five years during his first term as an MP (from 1988 to 1993). He went on to purchase and operate the Belfountain Store, the Caledon Inn and other hospitality-based businesses in the region.
As MP for Halton in the last Parliament, Turner gained national attention for having stood up to Prime Minister Stephen Harper after being elected as a Conservative in 2006. Turner’s open style, outspoken nature and insistence he worked for voters instead of party bosses earned him Harper’s wrath. In late 2006, he was booted out of the Tory caucus and the next year joined the Liberals.
“While I had no intention of jumping back into the political fray,” Turner said, “we have a crisis on our hands.
Families are under financial stress, small businesses are suffering and unemployment is just out of control. In the last election campaign, Stephen Harper promised there’d be no recession and no deficit, and look at us now.”
He also pointed out that Ottawa recently revealed it will plunge the country into a $50 billion deficit, virtually guaranteeing higher taxes, lower growth and a slower economy for years to come. Turner observed that 15 years of paying off the national debt have just been wiped out.
“Many Conservatives never, ever expected Stephen Harper to be the biggest government spender in history or to embrace debts and deficits,” Turner commented.
“What we need to get out of this is not more bailouts and billions from politicians but things like an income tax cut, family income-splitting and serious help for small and medium businesses. We need jobs, not more government.”
He observed that no one knows for sure when the next election will be, but he doesn’t expect the call will be imminent.
“I would say a summer election is not going to happen,” he remarked, adding no one wants an unnecessary campaign. but he added if the governing Conservatives don’t start showing some results by the fall, then “obviously we’ll need a new approach.”
