Veteran Tory MP Might Vote Against

[Michael Bluth]

What the hell are you talking about? Every party kicks out anyone that dissents on a confidence motion. That's how the parlimentary system works.

It's not like the Liberals have ever kicked anyone out!

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/11/18/...rish041118.html

Parrish just criticised the leader, didn't even have to vote before she got the boot!

You have a serious issue with reality Catchme. You see things only your way... it's a major contributor to the irrational nonsense flying around the boards these days.

wtf was with Casey thinking he wasn't going to get kicked out over this?

Parrish was f*cking crazy. Kinda sad people like that can get elected in the first place.

Looking at this thread it's not just Catchme who has the problem with reality. Mr. "false allegations" also falls into that category, but not just these days.

[jdobbin]

Wow, the CPC, or rather Harper, really knows how to keep a party together. Lie to them, then kick em out for actually representing their constituents. and all when you have a bare minimum minority government

The problem is that many Tories, most prominently MacKay had said the Tories would never do such a thing.

Personally, on budgets, I think caucus support is paramount. Tories somehow thought they were above this though.

[Michael Bluth]

The problem is that many Tories, most prominently MacKay had said the Tories would never do such a thing.

Personally, on budgets, I think caucus support is paramount. Tories somehow thought they were above this though.

Any support for the "many Tories" part of your post?

[geoffrey]

The CPC never had a policy to allow free votes on the budget. It's never been expressed, find a reasonable quote on that and I'll think on this one.

[nbguyca]

Tradition or not, a system that does not allow an MP to represent the people who elected him has a serious flaw.

What exactly does booting him from caucus accomplish? I don't care which party does this, it is just plain dumb.

[Michael Bluth]

Tradition or not, a system that does not allow an MP to represent the people who elected him has a serious flaw.

What exactly does booting him from caucus accomplish? I don't care which party does this, it is just plain dumb.

Do you think there should have been an election over this budget?

That is what Casey voted for.

[Guest chilipeppers]

It was a confidence vote so in this case Harper was justified otherwise I wouldn't agree.

[runningdog]

A politician standing up for what's right for his/her constituency? Unheard of!

This is fantastic news. This means that maybe...just maybe there's hope for politics yet.

I agree. Good to see him stand up for his province. I think kicking him out was a mistake on the part of the Tories. He should be a lock to win based on this and they threw the baby out with the bath water.

[runningdog]

This was a third reading of the budget. A question for Mr. Casey...why vote against it now when you previously voted for it, twice?

this might answer the question

"This has been a very emotional, trying decision to make. But I went to the Parrsboro legion on Saturday night to (provincial attorney general) Murray Scott’s lobster dinner. I think I’ve gone to 12 of these consecutively and I’ve always spoken. And I felt so uncomfortable that I said to my wife, I hope they don’t ask me to speak. On the way home, I thought to myself, I don’t want to spend the rest of my career not being able to look people in the eye or speak to my people."

http://www.herald.ns.ca/Search/839632.html

[jazzer]

This was a third reading of the budget. A question for Mr. Casey...why vote against it now when you previously voted for it, twice?

this might answer the question

"This has been a very emotional, trying decision to make. But I went to the Parrsboro legion on Saturday night to (provincial attorney general) Murray Scott’s lobster dinner. I think I’ve gone to 12 of these consecutively and I’ve always spoken. And I felt so uncomfortable that I said to my wife, I hope they don’t ask me to speak. On the way home, I thought to myself, I don’t want to spend the rest of my career not being able to look people in the eye or speak to my people."

http://www.herald.ns.ca/Search/839632.html

Right on. Seems to me there were plenty of folks on this forum saying the constituents who voted for Emerson should have realized they were voting for the man, not the party. Now we have the party outing the man for voting for his constituents.

[jdobbin]

Right on. Seems to me there were plenty of folks on this forum saying the constituents who voted for Emerson should have realized they were voting for the man, not the party. Now we have the party outing the man for voting for his constituents.

I think what was unseemly was that Emerson ran as a Liberal and as soon as the election was over became a Tory minister. Even Conservatives were mightily surprised by that.

As far as Casey goes, it is good for him that he was principled. Unfortunately, in budget votes, party solidarity is of the utmost importance.

This issue has become more of a focus on Tory hypocrisy because they howled when Dion ejected Comuzzi following the last budget vote.

[jdobbin]

The CPC never had a policy to allow free votes on the budget. It's never been expressed, find a reasonable quote on that and I'll think on this one.

This is what MacKay said.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

'We will not throw a member out of caucus for voting his conscience. There will be no firings on budget votes as we saw with the Liberal government'."

So should MacKay admit that he was wrong then or is he wrong now? Was he a hypocrite for supporting Casey's ejection?

[Michael Bluth]

This is what MacKay said.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Your 'proof' is an undocumented statement in the House of Commons by Jack Layton.

Take that one to court.

[nbguyca]

Tradition or not, a system that does not allow an MP to represent the people who elected him has a serious flaw.

What exactly does booting him from caucus accomplish? I don't care which party does this, it is just plain dumb.

Do you think there should have been an election over this budget?

That is what Casey voted for.

No Casey voted for the people he represents. He was principled enough to stand up for not only a promise that was made but a signed agreement his province had with the federal government, an agreement that was completely disregarded by the Harper government.

If more MP had the balls to do what Bill Casey did, there might be more faith in the system. Booting him from caucus served no real purpose, especially given the fact that they knew the budget would pass.

[nbguyca]

This is what MacKay said.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Your 'proof' is an undocumented statement in the House of Commons by Jack Layton.

Take that one to court.

The fact that Peter MacKay was not allowed to address the issue himself speaks volumes. Seems that cirumstancial evidence and his past history would weigh heavily in many courtrooms.

[Michael Bluth]

The fact that Peter MacKay was not allowed to address the issue himself speaks volumes. Seems that cirumstancial evidence and his past history would weigh heavily in many courtrooms.

That level of "proof" only satisfies the blindest of partisans.

dobbin said that MacKay had made the statement in the past. Shouldn't be too hard to find, if it every existed. Should it?

[jdobbin]

The fact that Peter MacKay was not allowed to address the issue himself speaks volumes. Seems that cirumstancial evidence and his past history would weigh heavily in many courtrooms.

Layton was quoting from Hansard so it is on the record about MacKay. Certainly on all the political shows today, they were talking about how MacKay was muzzled because of those quotes.

The Tories have been attacking Casey all day. No amount of attacking is going to make people in Nova Scotia happy. And the fact that MacKay looks as bad as he does on this must warm May's heart.

[Michael Bluth]

The fact that Peter MacKay was not allowed to address the issue himself speaks volumes. Seems that cirumstancial evidence and his past history would weigh heavily in many courtrooms.

Layton was quoting from Hansard so it is on the record about MacKay. Certainly on all the political shows today, they were talking about how MacKay was muzzled because of those quotes.

The Tories have been attacking Casey all day. No amount of attacking is going to make people in Nova Scotia happy. And the fact that MacKay looks as bad as he does on this must warm May's heart.

The link provided doesn't say anything about Layton quoting hansard.

[jdobbin]

If more MP had the balls to do what Bill Casey did, there might be more faith in the system. Booting him from caucus served no real purpose, especially given the fact that they knew the budget would pass.

I have no problem with a member being evicted for not voting on a confidence measure. However, MacKay is quited by Canadian Press in articles saying the Tories would not do it. Casey himself said that MacKay had assured him he was not in danger.

I think Canadians, especially in Nova Scotia know that was a lie. Harper supporters here though are going to say that the Tories didn't make a big deal of Comuzzi being turfed. They did though. They howled and yelped and MacKay said the Tories would never do that.

[Michael Bluth]

Harper supporters here though are going to say that the Tories didn't make a big deal of Comuzzi being turfed. They did though. They howled and yelped and MacKay said the Tories would never do that.

All you have to do is prove it.

[madmax]

Tradition or not, a system that does not allow an MP to represent the people who elected him has a serious flaw.

What exactly does booting him from caucus accomplish? I don't care which party does this, it is just plain dumb.

You sound like a Reformer. They're gone now, none left in the Conservative Party. All of them lost their tongues when the gained power. I am very surprised to see Conservatives on the East Coast speaking out more and more, like the Western Reformers did during the 90s. I have to wonder about all those Sasketchwan MPs who show up in the commons and sit, silently, saying nothing while their province doesn't receive what it was promised.

[jdobbin]

You sound like a Reformer. They're gone now, none left in the Conservative Party. All of them lost their tongues when the gained power. I am very surprised to see Conservatives on the East Coast speaking out more and more, like the Western Reformers did during the 90s. I have to wonder about all those Sasketchwan MPs who show up in the commons and sit, silently, saying nothing while their province doesn't receive what it was promised.

There are so many silent Saskatchewan Tories. One wonder how they fill their days.

[madmax]

This is what MacKay said.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Your 'proof' is an undocumented statement in the House of Commons by Jack Layton.

Take that one to court.

Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what I suspect Nova Scotia and Atlantic MPs will do is support the budget because it is good for Nova Scotia. It in fact allowed the government of Nova Scotia to balance its budget this year.

However, I can tell the member opposite what we will not do. We will not do what the Liberal leader did to the member for Thunder Bay—Superior North. We will not throw a member out of caucus for voting his conscience. There will be no whipping, flipping, hiring or firing on budget votes as we saw with the Liberal government.

[jdobbin]

Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what I suspect Nova Scotia and Atlantic MPs will do is support the budget because it is good for Nova Scotia. It in fact allowed the government of Nova Scotia to balance its budget this year.

However, I can tell the member opposite what we will not do. We will not do what the Liberal leader did to the member for Thunder Bay—Superior North. We will not throw a member out of caucus for voting his conscience. There will be no whipping, flipping, hiring or firing on budget votes as we saw with the Liberal government.

I wonder if those people who say there is no documentation will shrivel up and die of embarrassment. Just like MacKay is now.

Every freakin' political show today said that Dion and Layton were quoting Hansard and MacKay remained rooted to his seat because what can he say? Nothing.

[jdobbin]

Editorial in Nova Scotia about the Tory betrayal.

http://www.amherstdaily.com/index.cfm?sid=35236&sc=61

Atlantic Canada has been betrayed by a government that is playing politics with the future of the entire region. This province and Newfoundland had a promise and a deal that Harper broke because it was politically expedient to do so. Casey called him on it, stuck to his guns and is now sitting in the House of Commons as an independent.

Casey did applaud the budget when it was first released earlier this year. He felt it was good for his riding, but that support stopped at his government’s decision to force both this province and Newfoundland to accept either more equalization funding or sacrifice that in hopes offshore revenues would some day make them have provinces.

Nova Scotians know that the Tory budget screwed them.