Note: Weblog posts are now open for comments

Was Garth Turner’s blogging a betrayal? Or the future of politics?

(Key Porter Books, Toronto) — Stephen Harper demanded subservience. Garth Turner would not give it.

Stephen Harper exerted complete control – over caucus, policy and message. Garth Turner embraced the new technology and the promise of digital democracy.

The battle lines were drawn before they met – hard and fast, uncompromising, black and white. What was the spark that ignited the war ending in Canada’s, perhaps the world’s, first dooced politician? What was so dangerous that could not be tolerated by the back room boys? So radical it was considered destabilizing?

It was the Internet. And a blogging MP.

This is a unique story. An important story. Written as a first-hand account by a professional journalist, author and Member of Parliament, Sheeple takes you behind the scenes to witness an all-out battle between old style politics and an agent of change. Between an often cult-like caucus and a politician who insisted he worked for the people.

Turner opens the sealed caucus room doors to reveal a clash of personalities, a collision of ideas and a disturbing dose of the religious right. In that room are inexperienced MPs, cowed into submission, and political staffers wielding so much power that caucus is governed by fear. Layered on this volatile and disappointing mix is Harper’s insatiable quest for a majority, a desire so strong it resulted in a military-style discipline that repelled anyone deviating from the script.

This is a story about Stephen Harper and Garth Turner. It’s also about the changed nature of Conservatism and the triumph of a party over democracy. Turner shows in graphic detail how Harper concentrated power in a few hands and in the process neutered those people the voters had sent to Ottawa to represent them. Gone was the ability of Conservative MPs to speak out on your behalf. And gone was Garth.

Turner had political experience. He was not naive. He served as a two-term MP, a cabinet minister and leadership contender. But he was also a professional journalist and author and of that Stephen Harper was dismissive. Harper told him journalists make bad politicians because they only want to tell the truth.

Garth Turner paid that price.

Sheeple: Caucus Confidential in Stephen Harper’s Ottawa
By Garth Turner
Key Porter Books
$21.95, paperback, 978-1-55470-179-7
AVAILABLE APRIL 24

./

______________________________________________________

In January I decided to close this political blog and leave the affairs of the state to others for the time being. May they serve us well in days of uncertainty.

In the meantime, I try to help my fellow citizens in other ways. With an understanding of the economy, and strategies to help us all cope with monumental changes and mounting dangers. Also with tools and knowledge which I think are vital. I will do this through my books, my speaking, my daily blog and through providing direct assistance.

Deceased, but not finished.

There is always hope, and reason to be optimistic. The greatest guide on the path forward is understanding.

For my daily blog on the economy, investment and survival strategies, go here.

For information on my books, including “After the Crash” and my public speaking schedule, go here.

For tools and knowledge to help you and your family, go here.

Long, long ago, before I’d met Stephen Harper, before I once again won a seat in Parliament, before anyone believed a Conservative government could lose $50 billion in four years, before I was kicked out of my own party live on TV, before I learned Conservatives were no longer Progressive Conservatives, before I became a refugee Liberal, before I lost my seat, before I understood it’s all about power and not the people, before I wasted three years and neglected my wife, before my Tory colleagues shunned and hurt me and my new Grit family embraced me, before I was dooced, before the crash and when I still believed passionately in the integrity and worth of individual democracy, I started this blog.

Now it ends.

As of today, this is an archive. In it are 1,854 articles, made up of 1.3 million words, the equivalent of 20 books. In addition, there are 144,610 visitor comments and over 169 MB of database content, plus dozens of hours of original digital video shot on Parliament Hill.

Since May 20, 2005, this site has received over 60 million hits. I felt every one.

Curious historians will read of a born-again politician, a democrat, who dreamed of marrying the role of member of Parliament with the technology of a newly-wired country. The hopeless and naive man thought by blogging about his job, his experiences and the way we are governed, he could improve it. He called it ‘digital democracy’, and took the unprecedented step of opening a new channel onto the floor of the House of Commons, where any citizen could speak out loudly, cast a ballot, be partisan or just honest. He hoped it would change the cynicism and repair the mistrust. Make us all the government.

Naturally, this led to disaster. Leaders aren’t fans of democracy. Within a week of being elected, the guy knew he was toast. Choose, he was told. And he did.

His story is here in 1,854 chapters.

 
To truly help your country never, ever stop paying attention. — Garth