Liberals turf canidate who founded white-supremacist group

[punked]

It seems a year and a half after signing André Forbes nomination papers Mr. Ignatieff has gotten rid of him. The NDP brought up over the last few days them man has said some pretty harsh stuff about First Nations people and Muslims. At which point the Liberals fired him. It seems that they might have wanted to look into the guy they nominated a year and a half ago eh?

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has fired one of his Quebec candidates over disparaging remarks he made about aboriginal Canadians.

André Forbes had been the candidate in Manicougan, a community in northern Quebec. He was the founder and former spokesperson of l’Association des droits des blancs, or the Association for the Rights of Whites.

Edited April 6, 2011 by punked

[kimmy]

It might reflect badly on some people in that riding association, but this isn't something that I would hold against the national party. Nobody could possibly believe they'd have let him be their candidate if they'd known.

It happens. All 3 major parties have been embarrassed by some incredibly poor choices of candidates once in a while.

-k

[Saipan]

Not the first such Liberal, and surely not last. Great liberal supporter Chief Ahenakew, Tom Wappel MP, and the bastard Don Lindsay....

http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/003405.html

Blind war vet told to get lost by Liberal MP

Tom Wappel a Liberal MP wrote a blind 81–year–old WWII veteran to get lost– because the old man did not vote Liberal. How did Wappel know Mr Baxter did not vote Liberal. I thought our votes were democrately secret. Do the Liberals keep a tally on how Canadians vote ? Do the Liberals only represent those Canadians whom voted for them ?

www.cbc.ca/national/rex/rex20010510.html

[Battletoads]

So what exactly did this guy say? Was he just honest and the political correctness police are out to get him, or did he actually say something hateful?

[Wild Bill]

So what exactly did this guy say? Was he just honest and the political correctness police are out to get him, or did he actually say something hateful?

Both, BT! Just one of his gaffes was to call natives "featherheads"!

Still, as Kimmy says, all 3 parties have had some candidate turn out to be a dumbass. It happens every once in a while because it's very difficult to prevent. Riding workers are only human and make mistakes. Sometimes a riding is a very unlikely choice for a particular party to have even a bare chance at winning so they may have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to come up with a candidate. Nobody wants to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The real test is not if a party comes up with a bad apple but rather how they handle the situation. In the early 90's we saw 2 examples of a bad candidate, in a Reform riding and in a Liberal one. In both cases the candidate was revealed as a serious racist. The Reformers immediately turfed their man, even though there was insufficient time left to appoint a replacement. They left the riding uncontested, rather than keep a candidate of poor character.

The Liberals KEPT their man, bleating "What can you expect of us? We have to have A candidate!"

Just another reason why I lost respect for their character, particularly after they had so blatantly tried to paint all Reformers as KKK members! Just hypocrites, the lot of them!

The problem this time for the Liberals is that it was so easy to expose this guy. Apparently, a simple google search of his name would have turned it up! There was a Liberal spokesman on CTV Power Play this evening and he tried to defend what happened very clumsily. It sounded like he was a computer illiterate and had no concept of how easy it was to better vet a candidate or how much more quickly Ignatieff and his people should have reacted.

Whatever. next week it may be a Tory and the week after that an NDP. Big deal. As long as we hang ALL of them impartially it really doesn't affect things much.

Edited April 7, 2011 by Wild Bill

[Michael Hardner]

It might reflect badly on some people in that riding association, but this isn't something that I would hold against the national party. Nobody could possibly believe they'd have let him be their candidate if they'd known.

It happens. All 3 major parties have been embarrassed by some incredibly poor choices of candidates once in a while.

-k

I agree. This also goes for Harper's aide. Mistakes happen.

We should focus more on the leaders' plans.

[Shwa]

I agree. This also goes for Harper's aide. Mistakes happen.

We should focus more on the leaders' plans.

I disagree since people are actually voting for the candidate in their riding and this sort of thing is disturbing. If all you want is some schmuck to toe the party line, why bother with local candidates in the first place? Just vote for the leader.

What is most disturbing is that this sort of candidate wasn't vetted properly by the LPC or was, and wasn't reported as anything to be concerned about. It's not like he was working in the PMO with RCMP security checks or like the Durham NDP candidate McKeever in 2008 who was 'resigned' for speaking out of turn, this guy has been around for awhile. Someone

would have known his past associations and comments and it wasn't picked up by the party executive? Why wasn't it picked up by the riding association? Surely they must have known about the guy. You know, a Google search or something at least.

I find that hard to believe that didn't know. One would think that the "leaders plans" would include knowing about the unsavory characters in his party. In this modern electronic age, it shouldn't be too hard to screen out the nutcases.

Edited April 7, 2011 by Shwa

[Michael Hardner]

What is most disturbing is that this sort of candidate wasn't vetted properly by the LPC or was, and wasn't reported as anything to be concerned about.

As I said - mistakes happen. You don't think that Harper or Ignatieff wanted this to happen do you ?

As such, it's a distraction at best.

[Shwa]

As I said - mistakes happen. You don't think that Harper or Ignatieff wanted this to happen do you ?

As such, it's a distraction at best.

Is that the point though - what they 'wanted?'

Curious - you are a chief advocate for accountability, but when it is presented, it is a mere "distraction."

The problem being is that the LPC have no problem raising the issue about Carson, shady dealings, unsavory types as current election issues with the CPC, but God forbid someone would want to take the LPC to task for not knowing who their representatives are. In an age when I can simply Google someone in 10 seconds. Let me emphasize: their representatives.

That is shoddy and it's an issue.

It is not like the guy went off the deep-end just recently. He has a history.

A real leader would have closed down and suspended the riding association right there and then or have it completely replaced. And why is that? For gross incompetence. Are you telling me the riding association had no idea about this guy's past remarks and associations? If they didn't, gross incompetence; if they did and let it slide, gross incompetence.

Would it more than a "distraction" if he had said something about the Jews or Blacks?

Edited April 7, 2011 by Shwa

[bloodyminded]

Would it more than a "distraction" if he had said something about the Jews or Blacks?

I do think that undisguised hatred for Natives is more acceptable in Canadian society. Interesting.

[Michael Hardner]

Is that the point though - what they 'wanted?'

Curious - you are a chief advocate for accountability, but when it is presented, it is a mere "distraction."

Definitely I advocate accountability, but this is about 'gotcha' politics. We need to hold the candidates accountable for priority items.

To my mind, the big picture should focus on the services rendered to Canadians and their costs.

The problem being is that the LPC have no problem raising the issue about Carson, shady dealings, unsavory types as current election issues with the CPC, but God forbid someone would want to take the LPC to task for not knowing who their representatives are. In an age when I can simply Google someone in 10 seconds. Let me emphasize: their representatives.

That is shoddy and it's an issue.

It is not like the guy went off the deep-end just recently. He has a history.

Yes, both the L-party and C-party messed this up.

A real leader would have closed down and suspended the riding association right there and then or have it completely replaced. And why is that? For gross incompetence. Are you telling me the riding association had no idea about this guy's past remarks and associations? If they didn't, gross incompetence; if they did and let it slide, gross incompetence.

Would it more than a "distraction" if he had said something about the Jews or Blacks?

I think something similar happened to a backbench CPC or Reform candidate a few elections ago.

It's important in that it reveals that the parties aren't very good at applying a screening process.

[GWiz]

Definitely I advocate accountability, but this is about 'gotcha' politics. We need to hold the candidates accountable for priority items.

To my mind, the big picture should focus on the services rendered to Canadians and their costs.

Yes, both the L-party and C-party messed this up.

I think something similar happened to a backbench CPC or Reform candidate a few elections ago.

It's important in that it reveals that the parties aren't very good at applying a screening process.

All it reveals is that when he was nominated as a candidate and the guy filled out his paperwork he lied on it, or the "Are you or have you ever been a Racist or made a disparaging remark about any group of people in your life?" question wasn't on it... The riding association accepted him as a candidate based on that paperwork...

Why would someone vet all 308 candidate nominies that have been acceped and elected by their riding associations beyond the official (it's a criminal offence to make false statements on them) documents that they have to sign?

Sure, it happens, you get a bad apple, you boot the person, you move on...

Checking EVERYBODY out online trying to find dirt on people isn't the kind of "Government Controlled State" (read dictatorial police state) I ever want Canada to become... That's Harper's vision of what Canada should be... Not mine...

[blueblood]

All it reveals is that when he was nominated as a candidate and the guy filled out his paperwork he lied on it, or the "Are you or have you ever been a Racist or made a disparaging remark about any group of people in your life?" question wasn't on it... The riding association accepted him as a candidate based on that paperwork...

Why would someone vet all 308 candidate nominies that have been acceped and elected by their riding associations beyond the official (it's a criminal offence to make false statements on them) documents that they have to sign?

Sure, it happens, you get a bad apple, you boot the person, you move on...

Checking EVERYBODY out online trying to find dirt on people isn't the kind of "Government Controlled State" (read dictatorial police state) I ever want Canada to become... That's Harper's vision of what Canada should be... Not mine...

Why? People putting stuff online is public domain. If you want to post stuff online with your name on it, be ready to deal with the consequences. There's a difference b/w a wire tap and doing a google/facebook search.

[Saipan]

It is not like the guy went off the deep-end just recently. He has a history.

So did Chief Ahenakew. Much worse. But he wasn't thrown out long ago.

He was still admired by his flock.

[Wild Bill]

A real leader would have closed down and suspended the riding association right there and then or have it completely replaced. And why is that? For gross incompetence. Are you telling me the riding association had no idea about this guy's past remarks and associations? If they didn't, gross incompetence; if they did and let it slide, gross incompetence.

I'm not sure if I'd go that far (and that from me, the guy who's constantly called a Conservative!) since I've worked in riding associations and I know how with volunteer help you can't always expect perfection.

Still Mr. Shwa, after reading your argument I do have to admit that this riding association was either corrupt themselves or indeed grossly incompetent. This guy was around too long and the dirt on him was too easy to be noticed!

I'm not sure however if we should put most of the blame on the riding association or their national HQ. Whatever, hopefully this has smartened some folks up somewhat!

[Guest peterb]

Another "disgusting candidate" on Ignatieff Team

This "disgusting" candidate, as labeled by Ignatieff himself, in Wild Rose will continue to be on the Liberal team, and remain an advisor and confidant for Ignatieff on crime legislation

Ignatieff said he was "disgusted " by the comments of Liberal candidate John Reilly in Alberta, who is poster child for Liberal policy of tough on crime, who suggested not all sexual offenders deserve to go to prison.

"These remarks are utterly ,totally unacceptable. We find them, in fact disgraceful" but Iohn Reilly will remain a member of the Ignatieff Liberal team in this election. Nobody on Liberal team will question this decision because as Ignatieff has told Canadians "only I speak for the Liberal party" and this makes sense to him.

Is it any wonder now that the new Liberal crime policy will require no jail cells?

Only yesterday we learned of another disgusting member of the Liberal team (even by Liberal standards) Andre Forbes, who has been a Liberal candidate in Quebec, since August of 2009.

[guyser]

Is it any wonder now that the new Liberal crime policy will require no jail cells?

Hows that crime rate pb ....and tell us how it has dropped....now tell us why would we build jails again?

[blueblood]

Hows that crime rate pb ....and tell us how it has dropped....now tell us why would we build jails again?

If I said it once, I've said it a thousand times.

Jails are overcrowded and with the rise in population, that means there is still a substancial amt of people committing crimes. I'm not sure if the crime rate takes that into account. Then there's the fact that canada has an aging population and some people maybe feel too old to commit crime.

Edited April 7, 2011 by blueblood

[guyser]

If I said it once, I've said it a thousand times.

Crime rate and number of crimes has dropped.

Reported crimes-down 77,000 (28,000 fewer thefts,22,000 less break ins and 20,000 less car thefts,)

Edited April 7, 2011 by guyser

[Jack Weber]

Try a thousand and one for all its worth.

Crime rate and number of crimes has dropped.

This was the fifth consecutive annual decline in police-reported crime. There were about 77,000 fewer reported crimes in 2008, including 28,000 fewer thefts of $5,000 and under, 22,000 fewer break-ins and 20,000 fewer motor vehicle thefts.

But that does'nt fit the

"We're tough on crime!"

and

"Here for Canada!/Standing up for Canada!"

bumper sticker slogans the Con ideologues need...

[guyser]

But that does'nt fit the

"We're tough on crime!"

Damn, keep forgetting.

[blueblood]

Crime rate and number of crimes has dropped.

Reported crimes-down 77,000 (28,000 fewer thefts,22,000 less break ins and 20,000 less car thefts,)

The rate is down, however there is a rise in population, so there are a fair amt of crimes occuring. Jails are needed to house those criminals and then there's the fact that the jails are currently overcrowded.

A stat I'd like to know is a ratio of convictions vs space in prison. The rate is redundant if those who are convicted get chinsy sentances because of low prison space and/or funding isues.

[guyser]

The rate is down, however there is a rise in population, so there are a fair amt of crimes occuring.

blueblood......read what was posted please.

No matter how you slice it...... 77,000 less crimes reported means 77,000 less crimes were reported no matter if we doubled or tripled the population .

How is that not understood ?

[GWiz]

I'm not sure if I'd go that far (and that from me, the guy who's constantly called a Conservative!) since I've worked in riding associations and I know how with volunteer help you can't always expect perfection.

Still Mr. Shwa, after reading your argument I do have to admit that this riding association was either corrupt themselves or indeed grossly incompetent. This guy was around too long and the dirt on him was too easy to be noticed!

I'm not sure however if we should put most of the blame on the riding association or their national HQ. Whatever, hopefully this has smartened some folks up somewhat!

Once more dear Bill we arrive at the same page...

[Shwa]

So did Chief Ahenakew. Much worse. But he wasn't thrown out long ago.

He was still admired by his flock.

if you actually think that, then you are a total idiot. Total. Not partial, but total idiot.