Conservative Party Changes Rules - Yet Again - To Ensure Rob Anders Wins Nomination
"Governing Conservative MPs will have to face nomination challenges before the next election only if two-thirds of their riding association members call for one, in a new and unusual arrangement the Tories came up with to deal with the controversial issue.
National political parties normally either open up nominations or freeze process to protect their incumbent MPs, but the Conservatives are now saying they want some protection after the Liberals offered some qualified security for their incumbents.
"Riding association members can ask us for a race and if two-thirds or more of the membership in any riding asks for a nomination race then there will be a contest. The membership will get to decide whether they want to have a nomination race or not and if two-thirds of the membership decide they want a nomination race, then there will be a nomination race," Don Plett, president of the Conservative Party, told The Hill Times in a telephone interview.
Mr. Plett said the 25-member national council of the Conservative Party made the decision on March 9, and was announced at the Conservative Party's regular national caucus meeting on the Hill on Wednesday. [...]
The riding of Calgary West went through a messy and prolonged nomination contest prior to the last federal election. Rob Anders eventually was acclaimed as the party's candidate leaving a number of riding association members frustrated because they were of the view that the party headquarters favoured the incumbent MP and failed to conduct a fair nomination contest.
Mr. Anders, who is well known for making controversial statements, has been winning elections with comfortable margins in the riding since 1997."
Hill Times
Stephen Harper interfered in the Calgary West nomination in the spring of 2007 when Anders faced a serious challenge for the Tory nomination. The Conservative Party has a history of protecting Stephen Harper's good buddy .... Rob Anders!
National political parties normally either open up nominations or freeze process to protect their incumbent MPs, but the Conservatives are now saying they want some protection after the Liberals offered some qualified security for their incumbents.
"Riding association members can ask us for a race and if two-thirds or more of the membership in any riding asks for a nomination race then there will be a contest. The membership will get to decide whether they want to have a nomination race or not and if two-thirds of the membership decide they want a nomination race, then there will be a nomination race," Don Plett, president of the Conservative Party, told The Hill Times in a telephone interview.
Mr. Plett said the 25-member national council of the Conservative Party made the decision on March 9, and was announced at the Conservative Party's regular national caucus meeting on the Hill on Wednesday. [...]
The riding of Calgary West went through a messy and prolonged nomination contest prior to the last federal election. Rob Anders eventually was acclaimed as the party's candidate leaving a number of riding association members frustrated because they were of the view that the party headquarters favoured the incumbent MP and failed to conduct a fair nomination contest.
Mr. Anders, who is well known for making controversial statements, has been winning elections with comfortable margins in the riding since 1997."
Hill Times
Stephen Harper interfered in the Calgary West nomination in the spring of 2007 when Anders faced a serious challenge for the Tory nomination. The Conservative Party has a history of protecting Stephen Harper's good buddy .... Rob Anders!
You almost have to wonder if Anders has pictures in his possession of some big Tory mucky-muck in a provocative situation?
Posted by
leftdog |
7:52 pm, March 16, 2009