October 23, 2006
Some background info for the debate below...
FROM: Yahoo News
http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20061018/ca_pr_on_na/turner_suspended
Turner points to backroom boys for suspension from Tory caucus
By: JENNIFER DITCHBURN
Wed Oct 18, 7:35 PM ET
OTTAWA (CP) - Clues that things might not be going swimmingly in Garth Turner's fishbowl life first surfaced about a month ago in the candid Internet blog he shares with constituents and political junkies about the trials of a maverick in Stephen Harper's Conservative government.
"I encountered a challenge within my own caucus that I can only describe as shattering," the Ontario MP wrote cryptically at the time. I wish I could get it off my chest, but that cannot happen."
Fast-forward to Wednesday: that challenge morphed into Turner being frog-marched from the Conservative caucus.
On his way out the door, he cast dark allegations at the prime minister's campaign wizard and a government that came to power insisting on a new era of openness was rebuffing allegations that it smothers its MPs' attempts to speak freely.
The outspoken Turner was suspended indefinitely from his caucus by his fellow Ontario MPs.
The official reason was difficult to discern. A number of Ontario Conservative MPs scurried, bolted and sprinted in another direction when they were asked about the incident.
It was suggested that Turner broke caucus confidentiality rules on his Internet blog.
But Turner, and at least one other caucus colleague, believe his ouster have more to do with his occasional criticism of party policy and thin-skinned party brass that do not countenance dissent.
"Is my leaving caucus a shot across the bow? Yeah, Of course it is," an unrepentant Turner told reporters. "Will it perhaps make other people think twice? Perhaps it will. That would be regrettable, to think twice of speaking up or representing their constituents. That would clearly be too bad."
Over the past month, his fellow Ontario MPs had been complaining about what they saw as Turner's Internet indiscretions. Turner says he discussed the concerns of various MPs head-on over the past weeks.
He points to two issues in particular that seemed to rub some colleagues the wrong way: his insistence that the government deal forcefully with climate change, and his proposals in support of income-splitting among Canadian couples.
But he says he was never told it had anything to do with breaches of confidentiality.
The Ontario caucus had an extraordinary visitor in the moments before Turner's expulsion. Doug Finley, the party's director of political operations - the same man who tried to block the riding nomination of local Ottawa Conservative Alan Riddell - made an extremely unusual appearance at the meeting. Riddell is now suing the party.
MPs discussed the pros and cons of suspending Turner and then voted to toss him.
"This decision was not taken lightly. It has been brewing for quite some time," explained Ontario Caucus chairman Gord Brown.
"Caucus confidentiality is an important thing for our caucus. It allows us the ability to discuss issues within the caucus and there had been breaches of caucus confidentiality."
The decision then passed on to the party's national caucus meeting mid-morning. There was no vote - MPs unanimously decided they concurred with the decision of the smaller committee.
The actual breaches of confidence were never spelled out, Turner said. But he was prepared to suggest where the order to boot him might have originated.
"I can't answer the question as to why this happened now. I would certainly recommend you might want to talk to Doug Finley, director of political operations for the Conservative party, to shed some light on that."
He also noted that he'd had a difficult relationship with the prime minister's office since the Conservatives took power, particularly after he openly criticized the move to embrace floor-crossing cabinet minister David Emerson to the Tory fold.
More recently, he has argued against re-opening the same-sex marriage debate and in favour of tougher gun laws. Both of those positions put him in direct conflict with the prime minister.
In the aftermath of the Dawson College shootings last month, he mentioned that Harper had spoken about the issue in caucus. Was that a breach of confidentiality? No specific instances were given by party spokespeople.
Ontario MPs and other Conservatives who were asked to comment on why they had supported the move rushed past reporters Wednesday, saying they had nothing to say about the matter.
That level of secrecy worries outspoken Conservative Senator Anne Cools, who herself has been yanked from three Senate committees in recent months.
She said she was ashamed and disappointed by the suspension, and says that a secret caucus meeting should not be used to undertake an expulsion - something that should only happen for the most "reprehensible behaviour."
"One cannot rely on secrecy to conceal punitiive actions, or to conceal wrong actions or bad actions," said Cools, who has not set foot in a caucus meeting since the summer.
"If one sets out to punish there has to be a clear process - look at the humiliation and embarrassment he's been put through today."
The news of the suspension was music to the ears of the Liberals, who were already riding high on new polling numbers that suggest they are neck and neck with the Conservatives.
"One thing we've seen about this government and this prime minister is tremendous reluctance to accept criticism, even when its constructive, from his own troops."
Graham did not rule out Turner possibly joining the Liberal caucus, while Turner said it's too early to consider such options.
Turner's departure leaves the standings in the Commons as follows: 124 Conservatives, 101 Liberals, 50 Bloc Quebecois, 29 NDP, 2 independents. There are two vacant seats.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20061018/ca_pr_on_na/turner_suspended
Turner points to backroom boys for suspension from Tory caucus
By: JENNIFER DITCHBURN
Wed Oct 18, 7:35 PM ET
OTTAWA (CP) - Clues that things might not be going swimmingly in Garth Turner's fishbowl life first surfaced about a month ago in the candid Internet blog he shares with constituents and political junkies about the trials of a maverick in Stephen Harper's Conservative government.
"I encountered a challenge within my own caucus that I can only describe as shattering," the Ontario MP wrote cryptically at the time. I wish I could get it off my chest, but that cannot happen."
Fast-forward to Wednesday: that challenge morphed into Turner being frog-marched from the Conservative caucus.
On his way out the door, he cast dark allegations at the prime minister's campaign wizard and a government that came to power insisting on a new era of openness was rebuffing allegations that it smothers its MPs' attempts to speak freely.
The outspoken Turner was suspended indefinitely from his caucus by his fellow Ontario MPs.
The official reason was difficult to discern. A number of Ontario Conservative MPs scurried, bolted and sprinted in another direction when they were asked about the incident.
It was suggested that Turner broke caucus confidentiality rules on his Internet blog.
But Turner, and at least one other caucus colleague, believe his ouster have more to do with his occasional criticism of party policy and thin-skinned party brass that do not countenance dissent.
"Is my leaving caucus a shot across the bow? Yeah, Of course it is," an unrepentant Turner told reporters. "Will it perhaps make other people think twice? Perhaps it will. That would be regrettable, to think twice of speaking up or representing their constituents. That would clearly be too bad."
Over the past month, his fellow Ontario MPs had been complaining about what they saw as Turner's Internet indiscretions. Turner says he discussed the concerns of various MPs head-on over the past weeks.
He points to two issues in particular that seemed to rub some colleagues the wrong way: his insistence that the government deal forcefully with climate change, and his proposals in support of income-splitting among Canadian couples.
But he says he was never told it had anything to do with breaches of confidentiality.
The Ontario caucus had an extraordinary visitor in the moments before Turner's expulsion. Doug Finley, the party's director of political operations - the same man who tried to block the riding nomination of local Ottawa Conservative Alan Riddell - made an extremely unusual appearance at the meeting. Riddell is now suing the party.
MPs discussed the pros and cons of suspending Turner and then voted to toss him.
"This decision was not taken lightly. It has been brewing for quite some time," explained Ontario Caucus chairman Gord Brown.
"Caucus confidentiality is an important thing for our caucus. It allows us the ability to discuss issues within the caucus and there had been breaches of caucus confidentiality."
The decision then passed on to the party's national caucus meeting mid-morning. There was no vote - MPs unanimously decided they concurred with the decision of the smaller committee.
The actual breaches of confidence were never spelled out, Turner said. But he was prepared to suggest where the order to boot him might have originated.
"I can't answer the question as to why this happened now. I would certainly recommend you might want to talk to Doug Finley, director of political operations for the Conservative party, to shed some light on that."
He also noted that he'd had a difficult relationship with the prime minister's office since the Conservatives took power, particularly after he openly criticized the move to embrace floor-crossing cabinet minister David Emerson to the Tory fold.
More recently, he has argued against re-opening the same-sex marriage debate and in favour of tougher gun laws. Both of those positions put him in direct conflict with the prime minister.
In the aftermath of the Dawson College shootings last month, he mentioned that Harper had spoken about the issue in caucus. Was that a breach of confidentiality? No specific instances were given by party spokespeople.
Ontario MPs and other Conservatives who were asked to comment on why they had supported the move rushed past reporters Wednesday, saying they had nothing to say about the matter.
That level of secrecy worries outspoken Conservative Senator Anne Cools, who herself has been yanked from three Senate committees in recent months.
She said she was ashamed and disappointed by the suspension, and says that a secret caucus meeting should not be used to undertake an expulsion - something that should only happen for the most "reprehensible behaviour."
"One cannot rely on secrecy to conceal punitiive actions, or to conceal wrong actions or bad actions," said Cools, who has not set foot in a caucus meeting since the summer.
"If one sets out to punish there has to be a clear process - look at the humiliation and embarrassment he's been put through today."
The news of the suspension was music to the ears of the Liberals, who were already riding high on new polling numbers that suggest they are neck and neck with the Conservatives.
"One thing we've seen about this government and this prime minister is tremendous reluctance to accept criticism, even when its constructive, from his own troops."
Graham did not rule out Turner possibly joining the Liberal caucus, while Turner said it's too early to consider such options.
Turner's departure leaves the standings in the Commons as follows: 124 Conservatives, 101 Liberals, 50 Bloc Quebecois, 29 NDP, 2 independents. There are two vacant seats.
