Christine Elliott denies rumours

[Shwa]

From the local Metroland rag:

Christine Elliott denies rumours she intends to resign

WHITBY -- Christine Elliott is denying rumours that she intends to step down as deputy leader of Ontario's Progressive Conservative Party just three weeks after being re-elected MPP of the Whitby-Oshawa riding.

A Toronto media columnist stated in an article last week that Ms. Elliott is "tiring of Queen's Park" and would resign to allow her husband, federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, to run in a by-election to replace her.

"I have no intention of resigning my seat for anyone," she told This Week.

Then Jim Flaherty, in this shoe-in PC riding, would get the seat and be in a position to pry the party leadership out of the cold, stiff hands of the Hudak 2011 campaign corpse.

"Jim is very focused on doing the job that he's doing as finance minister with Prime Minister Harper and I'm fully committed to my responsibilities as the provincial member," Ms. Elliott added.

I am sure he is, but he is a distant second fiddle to the PM and that has to grate on any man's pride, especially someone like Flaherty. Although if the CPC were to lose Flaherty, it could be a significant blow and, if the PC had to submit Whitby to a bye-election, that is risky. A small risk, but a risk nonetheless. I can imagine the Liberals pulling out all the stops in a bye-election here. With hockey being more popular than politics, a local hockey hero as Liberal candidate could make things interesting.

[Smallc]

I doubt it.

[Michael Hardner]

Me too. Flaherty could be a contender to replace Harper at some point, couldn't he ?

[capricorn]

How can we be sure Flaherty would remain a politician after serving this term? My hunch is that he's not interested in becoming Harper's heir. As Finance Minister, he's made contacts worldwide within financial and political circles where he seems to be widely respected. Surely there will be tons of opportunities awaiting him if he decides to leave politics. And who knows, in a few years Elliott might jump to the federal Conservatives where I think she would do well.

[Shakeyhands]

Talk about teat suckers. I'd love to see her step down and see ol' Jim run there and lose.

Let them both join the private sector.

[Shwa]

Me too. Flaherty could be a contender to replace Harper at some point, couldn't he ?

He was a contender to replace Harris too. Twice in fact.

He was going to declare homelessness illegal.

[charter.rights]

Talk about teat suckers. I'd love to see her step down and see ol' Jim run there and lose.

Let them both join the private sector.

Rumour has it that Clement and then Baird are being groomed fro leaders of the CPC.

Elliott and Flaherty (husband and wife) have nothing to worry about. They co-own a successful Whitby law firm and dance in international circles.

[cybercoma]

Baird is the worst politician we've had in ages. He would destroy the CPC if he became leader.

[fellowtraveller]

Rumour has it that Clement and then Baird are being groomed fro leaders of the CPC.

Elliott and Flaherty (husband and wife) have nothing to worry about. They co-own a successful Whitby law firm and dance in international circles.

Nah, neither of those guys will be leader.

I think it might be James Moore. He is young, bilingual, articulate, 11 yeasrs a MP and Minister and a progressive on social issues. The Tories will want somebody that is smack in the middle of the political spectrum and Moore pushes that button and several others.

[tducey82]

At this point I doubt Flaherty has leadership aspirations. He turns 62 next month and I figure he's on his last term federally. I can see Elliott replacing Flaherty on the federal level in fact in 2015 but not so Flaherty can run as provincial leader.

[Topaz]

Nah, neither of those guys will be leader.

I think it might be James Moore. He is young, bilingual, articulate, 11 yeasrs a MP and Minister and a progressive on social issues. The Tories will want somebody that is smack in the middle of the political spectrum and Moore pushes that button and several others.

James Moore is only 32 and hasn't even experience life! Besides that he was the one looking a playboy on his computer and I don't thiink it was his girlfriend, if he had/has one!

[fellowtraveller]

James Moore is only 32 and hasn't even experience life!

11 years as an MP, several as a Minister.

Oh, and ypou don't ever ned to have a real job to be a political leader. Trudeau, Dion, etc etc etc never worked at much beyond lawyering, schoolteaching on occasion and speechifying.

Moore already has more experience than the entire sum of the NDP Quebec caucus.

Harper won't need a successor for a few years.

[cybercoma]

I'm sorry, but did you just say being a teacher or lawyer isn't a "real" job?

[Newfoundlander]

Me too. Flaherty could be a contender to replace Harper at some point, couldn't he ?

No.

[Newfoundlander]

Baird is the worst politician we've had in ages. He would destroy the CPC if he became leader.

Baird is one of the most talented MPs in Ottawa.

[fellowtraveller]

I'm sorry, but did you just say being a teacher or lawyer isn't a "real" job?

No, I said that the examples of politicians I gave were just dicking around at real work, which in their cases included pretending to work as lawyers or teachers.