Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Tory Turmoil, Redux

The situation over Melissa Bhaghat, putative CPoC candidate in Mississauga East-Cooksville, continues to churn. A number of the Tory electoral district association BOD (10 of 29) have quit, arguing that Melissa's appointment and acclamation has violated the party's populist roots:

"I won't be a party to that kind of corruption," said Charles Conn, one of 10 people who recently resigned in protest from the electoral district association board of directors for Mississauga East-Cooksville.

As I reported three weeks ago, in addition to process issues, the local Torys are unhappy that Melissa is an ex-Liberal:

Inflicting us with a Party-selected candidate who has been rejected by the Liberals, both provincially in Brampton Centre and federally in Brampton Springdale, and who was not welcomed by the PC's provincially, is an invitation to disaster.

[...]

MEC members deserve a better candidate than a Liberal reject, from Brampton.

Now, in addition to these complaints, Charles Conn and his fellows have added another pair:

Conn and some other ex-directors also expressed their suspicions that Bhagat might have been preferred by the party because she is a woman and belongs to a minority.

Hoo Hah! And what a woman at that! But the Mississauga Torys apparently want to run under the slogan: "Lily white & unsullied by the touch of female flesh!"

11 comments:

Sean Cummings said...

Just wondering how this differs from Stephane Dion acclaiming Joan Beatty here in Saskatchewan against the wishes of the local constituency association? Looks pretty much the same to me.

Anonymous said...

While I agree women need better represenation should affirmative action supercede the wishes of the local members? It's a tough call, how much can you mess with the system and still assure you get the best people man or woman?

Of course thats assuming the local ridings can choose best over personal biases, relationships etc.

At least they had the conviction to quit over it, LIBs continue to bend over and take it when the party interfers.

I think the most important question is,where do I get her swimsuit calendar?

Ti-Guy said...

Just wondering how this differs from Stephane Dion acclaiming Joan Beatty here in Saskatchewan against the wishes of the local constituency association?

It doesn't. It's just funny to watch. Politics at this level (and this applies to all parties) can be entertaining as petty squabbles, giant egos, delusions of grandeur and small town Machiavellianism come to the fore.

It's why most of us avoid that level of politics...at our peril, of course.

Anonymous said...

And this is different from Dion hand-picking only female candidates to run in ridings how?

Because Lieberals can do no wrong! That's how it's different.

Mark Richard Francis said...

I don't know why people insist on the "...but the Liberals!" defense. So what if the Liberals do it? The point is, the Conservatives do it as well despite claiming a 'heritage' of populist democracy very superior to that of the Liberals.

This is known as hypocrisy.

If the claim that Findlay has sole discretion to appoint without appeal is accurate, holy @#@!#!!! (See The Star article)

The Conservative party's populist roots have long been eaten by Harper grubs. Perhaps it's time for another Reform Party?

The "Re-Reformers"?

Ti-Guy said...

And this is different from Dion hand-picking only female candidates to run in ridings how?

Well, it's slightly different in that that was part of a policy announced long ago that Dion was going to get more women candidates to run for the Liberals, and that would include appointments.

You know that anony-tard...you're just being a terrorist and lobbing of bomb of ignorance into this discussion.

Because Lieberals can do no wrong! That's how it's different.

Go back to KKKate's. She loves that kind of stuff. And you're not helping her with her hit count and Pajamas Media ad revenue by wasting your time here.

Anonymous said...

Unlike Dion, who tries to put women candidates into ridings that should be winnable, the Conservatives are trying to cover two bases, women and a member of an ethnic community, into a riding that they have ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE OF WINNING. Putting another white male, which they intend on doing in at least two other, more winnable Mississauga ridings, is what is at play here.

I am not the greatest admirer of Albina (a remnant of the Martin era), however, I can assure you that she will be the last Liberal MP standing in Peel (Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon - 9 ridings) if there is ever a Conservative tide.

Anonymous said...

If the Liberals rejected her, the most likely reason is that she was an honest, ethical person. Those aren't Liberal values.

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