Not enough room for Garth in parade

It appears that there will only be one jolly bearded man in a suit spreading cheer to the little ones in this year’s Milton Santa Claus Parade. That is, there will only be one that was invited.

My hometown’s local newspaper (full disclosure: years ago I was once a paperboy for the outfit), had the following story about Halton MP Garth Turner and the latest controversy he’s involved in.

Controversial Halton MP Garth Turner is butting heads with the Milton Santa Claus Parade Committee after learning the only politician allowed in the festive event this year is Mayor Gord Krantz

One of the parade organizers, Mike Ricker, had the following to say:

“It’s got to the point where I want to quit the parade. I’ve volunteered 200 or 300 hours this year. To throw our credibility down the drain… He just wants to promote himself rather than the well-being of the whole parade.”

Turner, Halton’s controversial [Liberal] MP, was told that there’s not enough room for him, for PC MPP Ted Chudleigh or for Regional Chair Gary Carr. Garth’s planned crashing of Milton’s Santa Claus parade will ruin the credibility of parade organizers with the other politicians that they’ve turned down, according to Ricker.

Isn’t this supposed to be for the children?

UPDATE: Garth has sent out this press release:

Garth Turner , MP Constituent Help Centre
Parade Day Open House

For immediate release

Milton – The office staff of Hon. Garth Turner, P.C., MP for Halton will be serving up hot apple cider and holiday greetings from their constituency office along the Milton Santa Parade route.

“Many businesses and services along Main Street have an Open House tradition where they invite family and friends to drop by during the parade. My office, thinks this would be a great way to celebrate the launch of the holiday season.” said Turner.

Parade watchers young and old are invited to drop by Garth Turner’s Help Centre at 86 Main Street East from 2:00 to 3:00 pm on Sunday, November 25th to warm up with a cup of cider.

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In and Out common to all parties say Conservatives

The Hill Times had a cover story today describing an affidavit that the Conservative Party filed in Federal Court one week ago today.

The affidavit details examples of so-called in and out election financing by other parties. The HT story included a quote from Tory MP Tom Lukiwski,

In the affidavit, we listed more than 100 individual candidates from all three parties that did the exact same thing that we did in terms of how they entered into an agreement with their national parties on a regional ad buy. So in effect, regardless of the motion of Ms. Redman, we will now be able to take a look at the affidavits that have been presented and I would be fully prepared to bring forward witnesses and all of these candidates from the various parties and have them come forward and have them explain how they entered into this agreement and ask the question that if all parties were doing the same thing why is it that only the Conservative Party was being singled out?

The motion of Ms. Redman, the Liberal whip, was tabled at the Procedure and House Affairs committee asked the committee to investigate “In and Out” financing during the last election. The Conservatives believe that their affidavit shows that all parties participated in the financing practice which allowed individual candidates, in some cases, to participate in regional ad buys.

In discussions with some Conservatives I have heard that there is generally held belief among officials in the party that Elections Canada has been biased in its withholding of $1.2 million of rebates from the Tories. The Conservatives ask rhetorically what the key difference is between their “in and out” financing versus that of the NDP and Liberals. Some Conservatives believe that it is because of party stripe.

I have obtained a copy of the “Donald Affidavit” which describes examples of “in and out” ad buying by other parties.

Donald Affidavit (PDF)

McKenna in Ottawa

Frank McKenna is in Ottawa today for an informal and intimate dinner at a small Centretown restaurant. He’ll be meeting with political staffers from all four parties, journalists, civil servants, lobbyists and intellectuals, all of which are Atlantic Canadians.

Given SES’s recent poll showing Dion’s Prime Ministerial potential at rock bottom, is McKenna in the first stages of testing the waters for a future bid at Liberal leadership?

The former New Brunswick Premier was smart to sit out for the last contest. But would McKenna steamroll Rae and Ignatieff in the next race?

Insiders say that McKenna would be a strong contender for the Liberal Party if he should ever become leader, however, it has also been said that the former Canadian ambassador to the US would rather be the clear favourite in such a race rather than getting down into the mud to slug it out with others that aspire to lead Trudeau’s party.