Thursday, September 18, 2008

Conservative Candidate's Last Media Availability

Someone in the war room better get the hook on Conservative candidate Gerry Labelle, he's expressing an independent thought, and it's not good for the party. Mr. Labelle's LAST radio interview:
Conservative candidate calls Harpernomics “horrible”

It looks like Ontario Tories are having trouble toeing the party’s economic line.

In an interview today with Radio-Canada, Conservative candidate Gerry Labelle blasted the Harper economic record, stating that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s attitude toward Ontario has been “horrible.”

“That’s not how you do things,” he said, referring to Minister Flaherty’s statement earlier this year that Ontario is the “last place” in Canada businesses should invest.

“It’s the federal government, so you’re not supposed to have favourite provinces, you treat everyone equally,” continued Mr. Labelle.

Labelle also characterized his party’s environmental plan as “insufficient” and said about the Tories’ recent cuts to cultural programs that, “If there is a fault that I think the Conservatives have, it’s that they explain things poorly.”

Labelle basically admits that Ontario is getting the shaft from Ottawa, we're not one of their "favorites", Flaherty's "horrible", the environment plan a sham.

If you haven't received a call or email yet from the bunker Mr. Labelle, expect one soon, when they find the time- so many fires, so little water.

UPDATE
Friendly fire.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see Jane Taber's extensive article on this tirade in the G&M! I mean, if her whining "liberal insider" friends random gripes are worthy of columns and columns of newsprint, then this will be Page 1. Gerry Labelle is an actual MP instead of just some shadowy back-stage handler, afterall.

I can't wait for her extensive analysis on what this means about Harper's inability to inspire his party, failure to grasp the complexities of rival visions within the caucus, and as an expose of their failure to devise a winning strategy in the most populous province.

Should I hold off on dinner until it comes out or maybe continue with my plans? I know these articles take time to compile ; ).

(Note: I will gladly apologize to Ms Taber if she does in fact write such an article, but I think I'm on pretty safe ground on my suspicion that she won't).

Steve V said...

I'd grab a bite ;)

Anonymous said...

Correction - candidate for MP ; ).

Guess he understands what policies he needs to support in order to win. I'm sure that will get extensive paragraphs in Ms Taber's article as well.

Steve V said...

joseph

And maybe the NP will acknowledge the Ritz story, it's like "find waldo" on their website.

Jerry Prager said...

Perhaps Mr. Labelle has had a taste of 'turd and idiot' emails from tory head office and isn't so keen on being micromanaged for dubious purposes as he was before he became a candidate.

Anonymous said...

Labelle is a first time candidate, not an MP. He has never before been involved in any election campaigns. No doubt he has been chewed out for his rookie mistake. The MP from Sudbury is Dianne Marleau a twenty year Liberal MP.

Steve V said...

Speaking freely=rookie mistake.

Anonymous said...

Good catch, Steve . . . I thought that too.

Do you think they flog rookies in private caucus sessions, or just threaten their children and pets? Such independent thought cannot be accepted to the collective.

Incidentally, I did something rather bold this evening. I actually sent Jane Taber an email (or at least I think it is her G&M email that I found on-line - the message wasn't returned and it is a G&M account). In it I shared my thoughts politely and suggested she write an article discussing what this type of statement by a conservative MP says about Harper and their election game-plan.

I just thought I'd request it since it does only seem fair that they'd give the conservatives the same critical eye (or pen, as the case may be).

Don't expect anything, but it made me feel better.