Nomination Watch
In a shocking move which no one saw coming, it's been announced that Justin Trudeau will run in the next election for the Liberals. He's settled on Pierre Pettigrew's old riding of Papineau, currently held by the BQ.
And with Bill Graham's official announcement that he won't run again, the feeding frenzy for one of the country's safest Liberal seats is in full swing. ABC has the rundown on the rumours, as Bob Rae targets the riding. I got the following e-mail from one of the other aspirants, Meredith Cartwright, which I presume she has sent to virtually every Liberal in the country:
And with Bill Graham's official announcement that he won't run again, the feeding frenzy for one of the country's safest Liberal seats is in full swing. ABC has the rundown on the rumours, as Bob Rae targets the riding. I got the following e-mail from one of the other aspirants, Meredith Cartwright, which I presume she has sent to virtually every Liberal in the country:
Toronto Centre's Member of Parliament, The Honourable Bill Graham, may retire. Mr. Dion is now under pressure from the party elites to facilitate the nomination of one of their guys into Toronto Centre, including a non-resident male, or conversely to appoint a non-resident female candidate into Toronto Centre.
Meredith Cartwright is working relentlessly to prepare for and win an open nomination in Toronto Centre, where she will be supported by the diverse communities that comprise Toronto Centre.
The nomination process is the point at which most women are shut down and the point at which a leader's support makes a crucial difference.
Please click the below to sign our online petition and urge the liberal leader, now is the time to bring more women and th! is woman to Parliament!
Click here to support Meredith
Labels: Bob Rae, Justin Trudeau, Nominations
posted by calgarygrit at
1:59 p.m.
22 Comments:
Heard from Meredith Cartwright.
Didn't hear from Justin.
Great to see the strong feelings exhibited by people wanting to secure the nomination.
By
Down & Out in L A, at 3:03 p.m.
And the elitist liberal Party moves another step away from ordinary Canadians
By
Peter, at 4:28 p.m.
As I write on my blog, Toronto Centre houses a large gay community and has been represented by a gay man since 1993. Any effort to parachute a Liberal outsider into the riding will alientate the gay community.
With the NDP picking off Liberal seats provincially in the Toronto area, it would n't amke sense for the Liberals to piss off perhaps 30 per cent of the riding.
By
nuna d. above, at 4:45 p.m.
Eh? Bill Graham's wife, children, and his grandchildren may be surprised by your insight into his personal life.
By
JG, at 5:00 p.m.
The riding has NEVER been represented by an openly gay man at the federal level. Speaking as an out and proud gay man living in Toronto Centre, I have never voted for Bill Graham and never would. I have no problem at all voting for a straight man or woman. I have a huge problem with voting for someone half-in and half-out of the closet. With Bill Graham's retirement I will be voting Liberal in the next federal election for the first time in my life.
So nuna d. above, please don't presume to speak for me or other members of my community. There is no chance whatsoever of the NDP or Conservatives picking up Toronto Centre. And Josh Gould, nothing said here would come as even the slightest bit of a surprise to Bill Graham's family. His rumoured sexual orientation has been reported on many occasions in mainstream media, as well as openly alluded to in the House of Commons by a Conservative MP.
By
Reality Bites, at 5:42 p.m.
Yeah, I remember that - some bizarre non sequitur from Cheryl Gallant, before Harper muzzled her and the other CPC kooks.
By
JG, at 5:52 p.m.
josh, Graham purchased a $400,000 townhouse for his young lover David on Maitland St. in Toronto. They were setting up their love nest about the same time Allan Fotheringham was coyly outing Graham in his MaCleans column.
reality, read your community press to find out how many feel about parachuted candidates.
By
nuna d. above, at 6:57 p.m.
CG, a bit OT, but Stephane is the gift that keeps on giving:
http://www.taxpayer.com/main/news.php?news_id=2499
Staying at the Intercontinental during the conference is ok, lazy, but ok, 15 days is pretty much over the top however.
98 Limosine trips from Ottawa to Montreal? Indefensible. Forget the waste of our money, what about the environment? Planes go from Ottawa to Montreal so often that you could almost walk between those cities by stepping from wing to wing, ergo, one extra passenger is carbon neutral, 98 limo rides most certainly is not.
Stephane Dion: You piples do as I say not what I have done since long time, you peasants are lucky that Stephane will elp you. You think it is easy to make your own bed or get on a plane where stinky piples might be? You pilples turn down your eat and give thanks for Stephane Dion.
By
Peter, at 7:43 p.m.
He's not running he's seeking nomination. At last count, there were about 22 others doing the same in Papineau a riding where the name Trudeau will probably mean little or nothing. To say he is running for the Liberals in Papineau is both ignorant and arrogant.
By
S.K., at 8:31 p.m.
Interesting topic about Mr. Graham's sexuality. What is open and out? He goes to the gay bar in Ottawa on just about a weekly basis. I, for one, am very happy that people can still keep their private lives private in Canadian politics. I believe Mr. Graham is an out gay man with a wife and children and male lovers and that this is a well known fact. It just doesn't enter into political discourse.
By
S.K., at 8:36 p.m.
Nuna, I've read your blog. I don't take advice on my community from homophobes using coded bigotry.
If you want to believe there is even the slightest chance of the Liberal candidate (whoever it turns out to be) losing Toronto Centre, have at it. Enjoy your fantasy. But it's not going to turn into a circle jerk, you'll have to play alone.
By
Reality Bites, at 9:59 p.m.
s.b., when you're a public figure, representing the largest LGBT community in the country, being out means being able to defend that community's interests while speaking as a member of it. Bill Graham has never been willing or able to do that, and that is why he has never earned my vote.
He cannot speak honestly on our behalf as one of us, nor can he speak honestly on our behalf as a friend and supporter, like (for example) Hedy Fry can. When subjected to homophobic slurs, he could not stand up to defend himself, relying instead on Stephen Harper, of all people.
Bill Graham has many qualities and accomplishments. But I am VERY glad to see the last of him as my MP.
By
Reality Bites, at 10:10 p.m.
Very disappointed in rae and Smitherman's choice of crashing his retirement party with their hands out for Bob's appointment.
Where is the class? Atleast they got the slap in the face that they deserved and now hopefully we'll have a nice fair open nomination.
By
Greater Toronto Grit, at 11:51 p.m.
Competition is good.
Please keep things fair.
I hate to see nomination meetings stacked with instant members.
There are people with political talent.
Politics is a skill and they deserve a home, on occasion, even when they don't live in the riding.
Think about the big picture.
Think about the best interests of our country.
And choose the best representative for Canada.
By
Down & Out in L A, at 12:29 a.m.
Going for a Bloc riding is a good move for Justin; win or lose, it silences the critics who would say he's getting a safe seat handed to him. He seems to have a good sense of humour, so more power to him.
Sad to see Graham go. A future Liberal government will be worse off without him; but he's given a good decade-and-a-half to public service, and done a fine job. After the big tribute at the convention, it must have seemd like a good time to call it quits.
By
IslandLiberal, at 11:52 a.m.
Saw the headlines this a.m.
Justin is taking the media by the throat with this one... It's not about winning anything. It's about a hungry lion coming out.
Doesn't matter if he wins or loses anything. It's in his blood. Not fate... just a huge story that's waited patiently 30 years to re:emerge.
He's putting himself right in the middle of the fire. Good for him. Guts!
Regardless of the immediate outcome for Justin, this move has tremendous impact on what appeared to be a walk in the park minority election campaign.
Justin seems to be involved in all the right things with a lot of key people... when a ruler is tested, his outcome is tied to the wisdom, or lack there of, in his circle of advisors.
By
Unknown, at 1:40 p.m.
"He goes to the gay bar in Ottawa..."
There's only one?!?
By
deaner, at 2:03 p.m.
Reality being your political champion is different than being out. Mr. Graham is out. He just chooses not to be a "gay" politician. You have every right to want "gay" politicians but I don't think you have the right to judge his personal life or decide whether or not he is out enough for you. He comes from a different time and it has probably been very hard for him to be as open about his sexuality as he is. If you truely want to support your community, then support your community. Don't you get judged enough by others on the validity of your relationships?
By
S.K., at 2:55 p.m.
Oh yeah Justin did ask for a safe seat to be handed to him. Outremont, where he took out membership even though he doesn't live there. He was told no.
By
S.K., at 2:57 p.m.
Joyce Murray, former provincial cabinet minister and head of Dion's BC campaign just annonced she is seeking the nomination of Vancouver Quadra. See the difference??? Justin's announcement while checking into first class at the airport, that he is RUNNING for the Liberals in Papineau, his second choice after asking to be given Outrement, is reason enough not to vote for him.
BTW It wasn't lost on the press that he is being given no help or co-ordination from the Party. Chantel called him the Liberals worst nightmare in Quebec and my bets are he loses the nomination.
By
S.K., at 12:21 p.m.
grithater,
can you provide us with an update as to the contested conservative nomination in wildrose alberta and calgary west? i am curious what the unelitist cons did to squelch its voice of fair nominations from within the constit. thanks.
By
kenlister1, at 2:27 p.m.
Graham isn't "out". At public events and in communications, it's always about his wife and family. I find it hilarious that Boystown is represented by a closet case and that none of the usual supects does a highprofile "outing" of him. But that's only for conservatives, not liberals.
TC-Rosedale is one of the worst ridings in the country. No community of interest, but it helps ensure that no conservatives can win in Toronto. That Rosedale/Moore Park share a representative with Regent Park is despicable. What kind of constituent service can an MP provide? Further, what's the real vote weight, given the very high proportion of non-citizens in the riding?
Hope that Justin loses the nomination.
By
Hey, at 11:39 p.m.
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