Comuzzi expelled from Liberal caucus over budget

[RedHot25]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

Divisions over the federal budget have claimed their first casualty. Former cabinet minister Joe Comuzzi has been expelled from the Liberal caucus for supporting the Conservative fiscal plan.
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said Wednesday that parliamentary tradition requires MPs to toe the party line on important confidence votes such as the budget.
"He's not any more part of the caucus,'' Dion said after a caucus meeting.
"A vote on the budget, like a vote on a throne speech, is a vote of confidence. You cannot vote against the caucus on it.''


....


Comuzzi, a 73-year-old veteran MP for Thunder Bay, said the budget was important for his riding.
"It's for a single issue that's of absolute critical importance to all the people in Thunder Bay and northwestern Ontario, and that's the cancer research centre ... and hopefully it's going to be funded in this budget," he told CTV Newsnet's Mike Duffy Live on Tuesday.
The centre would bring 300 jobs to the struggling city on the shores of Lake Superior. "To vote against it, every citizen in Thunder Bay would be tremendously upset with me," Comuzzi said.


.....

Comuzzi will now sit as an Independent. He had already announced that he won't seek re-election.

[PsYcNeT]

...and we come back to the whole roundabout "Which is more important - the constituency or the party?" argument.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by RedHot25

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

Divisions over the federal budget have claimed their first casualty. Former cabinet minister Joe Comuzzi has been expelled from the Liberal caucus for supporting the Conservative fiscal plan.
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said Wednesday that parliamentary tradition requires MPs to toe the party line on important confidence votes such as the budget.
"He's not any more part of the caucus,'' Dion said after a caucus meeting.
"A vote on the budget, like a vote on a throne speech, is a vote of confidence. You cannot vote against the caucus on it.''


Comuzzi will now sit as an Independent. He had already announced that he won't seek re-election.

I can't see that cunning linguist impressing too many people outside of Quebec.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

I can't see that cunning linguist impressing too many people outside of Quebec.

Thats the very first thing I thought when he won the party leadership...in fact I was very happy being a Conservative, knowing that the leader of the only credible opposition party is some guy who can barely speak english. Its funny....you listen to Dion speak for 20 minutes or so...then go get a tape of an old Chretien speech you used to think sounded bad and watch it.....ol' Chretien never sounded so good ehh....

[Slava]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

I can't see that cunning linguist impressing too many people outside of Quebec.

Thats funny. When it was Preston Manning who was heading the Reform party people in Alberta thought that Quebecers should vote for him because he was the best candidate for the job....

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by Slava

Thats funny. When it was Preston Manning who was heading the Reform party people in Alberta thought that Quebecers should vote for him because he was the best candidate for the job....

And being dictatorial and kicking someone out of caucus makes him the best candidate for the job?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by calculoso

And being dictatorial and kicking someone out of caucus makes him the best candidate for the job?

No, my point was strictly in regards to the language shots on this thread...