They say if you live long enough

[FarmRanger]

Just heard on the news that Martin is trying to recruit more Conservatives to cross the floor. After thinking about this mess for 24 hours, I have come to the conclusion that the Conservative party are well rid of Belinda and anyone else who chooses to follow her. Turncoats and opportunists are not what it takes to make good leaders, anywhere.

[farmers_son]

Interesting you mention the sponsorship scandal and Liberal corruption. Martin said Stronach will be charged with implementing the Gomery recommendations once they are announced. That is of course if Stonach and Liberals get in again as Martin has already committed to an election once Justice Gomery makes those recommendations.

As former President and CEO of Magna Corp. Stronach will gain incredible experience in her new cabinet post. That kind of experience is hard to come by. When Martin made it clear to Stronach that she had no prospects in the Conservative party as long as he was leader didn't he kind of force her hand? I would have done it if I had been in her place. Martin deserves some of the blame for his mishandling of his people.

My impression is Stronach is no dummy, or a dipstick blonde or any of the other names the Conservatives are calling her. When I look at the calibre of people that were sent to Ottawa from Alberta to represent us as MPs I shake my head in dismay. At least Stronach has something on the ball.

[farmers_son]

farmers_son, you certainly have a right to your obvious support of Belinda and Martin, but please don't lump all Alberta MP's into your comments about the 'calibre' we sent to Ottawa. I don't know which ones you are referring to but I can tell you that our MP is an honest, decent man with family values that we can all be proud of. He is committed to trying to change things for the better as evidenced by his prior career in municipal politics, health region board, and spending hundreds of hours volunteering for his community. I am sure that many of Alberta MP's have done the same.

[wilagro]

My cynicism deepens as more of the defection is aired. A good many people are going to be pissed off with these power brokers and hopefully will toss out the lot.
Time to get more involved with the political process and start reform from the grassroots up.

[cowman]

I obviously don't know Belinda Stronach. But consider her record? Two failed marriages...both lasting just a few years?
Dropped out of business school...but no problem there when daddy owns this big corporation that she can step into?
One of the most disturbing things I noticed in the CBC footage last night was a little blurb about her and Peter McKay? He is looking at her like the sun rises and sets on her....and she is looking at him like some sort of cold fish!
Her snotty interview with Peter Mansbridge told me one thing...that she is totally devoid of any human characteristics! Definitely one of the "elite" who really can't feel anything for anybody. I pity poor old Peter McKay?

[farmers_son]

Emrald1: You are right and anytime we lump people together we will most likely open ourselves to correction. I see a number of Conservative MPs from Alberta who were considered competent enough to be handed shadow cabinet positions. Diane Ablonczy, Citizenship and Immigration; James Rajotte, Industry; Bob Mills, Environment; Monte Solberg, Finance; Rahim Jaffer, Infrastructure and Communities; Jim Prentice, Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Without knowing the MP you are referring to I believe you would be right in your opinion of that person and there are many MPs who would have the same high qualities.

Unfortunately some get in by winning the party nomination rather than being the best candidate. Our MP would fall into that category.

Obvious support for Martin and Stronach? I was not in favour of an election so soon, preferring to wait until Gomery made his recommendations. I do not know what to think of Stronach but I hate to see people vilified for making what could be a difficult and personal decision. Even rich people and even politicians have some morals and personal values. Who knows, Stronach might have some too.

In her new role as Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal Belinda will not be in charge of areas that are particularly important to me. If there is no election this June and government can focus on more important matters until later this year, hopefully after the border is open to live cattle, then that suits me just fine. I saw Bloc would be the big winners of an election if one were held right now and that did not agree with me.

[farmers_son]

Good Lord farmers_son, Belinda will be responsible for implementing the recommendations and direction of the Gomery inquiry, and that doesn't seem like a responsible duty ?????????
Nobody wants this country spending money on elections but if the Martin government continues on their drunken sailor spending spree by the time the Gomery inquiry is complete the country will be broke !!!

[grassfarmer]

So what are the chances of Belinda following up on her crusade to get the border open to live exports - remember how she was telling us that the Government had tackled the issue entirely the wrong way?

[grassfarmer]

Just as she called the Liberals corrupt !!! I can just see her and Rick Pascal settling the issue in no time !!!

[farmers_son]

Emrald1: I believe what I said was Stronach was not in a ministry that was particularly important to me such as Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Finance or Trade. Certainly it is a responsible duty to be in charge of implementing the Gomery recommendations but that will not happen until after the next election. Stronach would have to successfully face reelection as well as the Liberals. I would point out that 35% of Conservative delegates at last years leadership convention thought Stronach was responsible enough to be leader of their party.

Regardind spending like drunken sailors; all of that spending was to take place in the upcoming years, not before the next election. There will be an election sometime this year with a new government and a new budget. Unless we continue to have more minority governments that spending would be subject to review.

Minority governments by definition are going to have to open the purse strings to keep everyone happy no matter which government is in charge. I do not think the country will be broke by this fall if it is not broke now.

[farmers_son]

Belinda was recruited by ONTARIO Conservatives that didn't want Stephen Harper, likely because he was from the backwoods of Alberta !
As I have said before I don't think he is a strong leader but after Stronach's turncoat charade he certainly has more credibility to me.
I thought that Peter MacKay was a class act in his interview with the CBC. I haven't been a great fan of his but he is loyal to the party and Canadians, which is one heck of a lot more than I can say for Stronach.

[farmers_son]

Harper has made a point of saying he was born and spent his first nineteen years in Ontario. If Ontario Conservatives recruited Stronach to block Harper in the leadership race because he from backwoods Alberta they did themselves a disservice because they just split the vote between former Ontario health minister Tony Clement and Stronach. It more likely that Stronach supporters did not like what Harper stood for.

There is an interesting bio of Harper at http://www.answers.com/topic/stephen-harper

I do respect Peter McKay and see him as the next leader of the Conservatives. Obviously Stronach was not loyal to the Conservatives but to suggest she is not loyal to Canadians is over the top.

[cakadu]

When things like this happen, I often wonder what we don't know about a situation? Obviously the media and everyone is going to be talking about the walk across the floor - should we be looking a little deeper at what precipitated it? On the surface it looks like Belinda was doing what was right for her and maybe it is just as simple as that. I do believe that things are not always as they appear - so what are we not privy to?

[cakadu]

Anyone acting in the best interest of Canadians would surely want to rid this country of any government that has been proven to be corrupt.

[farmers_son]

I believe any proof of corruption will be made when the Gomery report is made public, apparently later this year around November. I prefer to wait until then rather than make my judgements now based upon some journalists remarks on CBC or CTV.