The Party Of Garth?

In a move guaranteed to revive rumours of The Party of the Flea, Garth Turner is apparently seeking the status usually reserved for groups of two or more humans:

He said he has decided to quit the Conservatives altogether and will seek legal opinions about how the big parties can be forced to be more democratic. He plans to introduce a private member's bill that, if passed, would allow Independent MPs to sit on Commons committees and Independent candidates to issue tax receipts to donors under the same rules that apply to party MPs. And, last night, he said, a board made up largely of former Conservatives was formed in his riding to help him get re-elected. "I will stay an independent member of Parliament, certainly for the foreseeable future," he said. "I will be running in the next election, you can count on that."

I think this is good as essentially Garth is a centrist and having vocal centrists, even a maverick with a habit of far away gazing knowingly, is always a good thing. Better especially when no one seems to want to even talk to the current bunch in power.

It is odd that some might find the inability to be allowed into discourse as proof of the validity of their position. In most contexts it is proof that "The Sign of the Doofuss" is upon ye.

Comments

Gordo - November 15, 2006 10:07 AM

http://blog.cruachan.ca

You mean the anti-party of Garth. I think it's high-time someone shook things up in Ottawa and Garth's the guy to do it. This is way more fun than switching to the Greens.

Alan - November 15, 2006 10:22 AM

The Singularity of Garth? I'd vote for that.

Flea - November 15, 2006 10:24 AM

http://www.ghostofaflea.com

I confess I am not clear on how, and more importantly why, MPs sitting with a party currently have the ability to issue tax receipts differently from MPs who do not. Membership in committees strikes me as a different matter arising from nomination and election to such committees by fellow MPs. MPs sitting with a party will necessarily be at an advantage.

Gordo - November 15, 2006 11:05 AM

The Reformatives have a lot to answer for to Garth's riding association if nobody else. Disqualifying their preferred candidate with no reason given? I wonder if Harper has realized yet that it would have been better to keep Garth in cabinet instead of kicking him out? LOL

Alan - November 15, 2006 11:10 AM

What an odd phrase which may be applied to many situations:<blockquote class="smalltext">...I wonder if Harper has realized yet...</blockquote>

gorthos - November 15, 2006 11:15 AM

http://www.gorthos.com

I am SO apathetic right now. I keep getting pleading emails from Liberals trying to raise moolah to go to the convention and I keep politely crying hard times.. I finally stopped getting calls and emails from Leadership candidates which was pleasent as I declared my non-desire to be a delegate this year and it is pretty open who I support. Right now, i just want Harper out so I will keep helping Libs but once the harpies are gone back to their evengelical communes located on teh frineg of the oilpatch, I may honestly just drop out of politics for the first time since I was 18.

Gordo - November 15, 2006 11:21 AM

Good point, Alan. That's like asking if [Ed.: insert your elected official of choice] will remember the message he was sent [Ed.: insert your election day of choice]. LOL

I should know better than that.

[Ed.: amended for sensitivity to good manners.]

Flea - November 15, 2006 11:51 AM

I keep telling the Conservatives to stop calling me asking for money. I explain every time that I cannot vote for a party which opposes equality before the law. But do they listen? They do not.

Meantime, over the years I have tried to join the Liberal party three times and have yet to convince them to accept cash or credit. Looking back on it their administrative incompetence saved me from myself.

At least I am at no risk from the NDP. Plus Olivia Chow = HOT! I am still having flash-backs from the time I was chatting with her and she was wearing these Xena strappy sandals that went all the way to her knees.