Conservative MP quits

[Free Ben Hur!]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I find this interesting, how is it relevant? Are people that are younger than him incapable?

Get off his lawn!

Yeah, experience isn't really that important after all.

[MoneyGuy]

I've typically voted Conservative because those are my leanings. Both my MP and MLA are friends and I don't mind them knowing that this party-in-turmoil BS is causing me to re-evaluate my support. I was a Harper fan until very recently but I can hardly wait until he's our former prime minister. I may vote Liberal federally and wish we had a reasonable option provincially.

I applaud Rathgeber for taking a stand against this tyrannical party. He jumped into the lifeboat before the ship goes down. Good for him and his ethics.

[transplant99]

Im actually really pleased with his actions in this whole thing.

Harper seems to have lost control of his caucus IMO, and for good reasons Rathgeber has detached himself from the whole lot of them.

Beginning of the end of the PC majority without question.

[KelVarnsen]

Originally Posted by SebC

The Economic Action Plan that they were forced into by threat of a non-confidence vote?

I just wanted to point out the beyond annoying Action Plan commercials are.

[Devils'Advocate]

Lose one, gain one:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...g-to-blow.html

Sounds fishy how he got away with this.... but I have to say that drinking and driving seems like a minor offense with what these Tories have been up to over the past few years.

[V]

Originally Posted by RubberDuck

That aside, I think it is great that he is putting his constituents before the party. That is what they all should be doing. The party didn't elect them.

These same constituents are guaranteed to vote Conservative in the next election, no matter what happens to their 'constituent-minded' MP. It's my riding, and this riding doesn't deserve Rathgeber.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by V

These same constituents are guaranteed to vote Conservative in the next election, no matter what happens to their 'constituent-minded' MP. It's my riding, and this riding doesn't deserve Rathgeber.

Someone on twitter said that Stockwell Day would eat his sock if Rathgeber won it as an independent (no idea if that's true). I, for one, hope he accepts the challenge!

[V]

They could run Maggie the Monkey under a Conservative banner and Rathgeber would lose as an Independent in a landslide.

Not that this is unique to this riding in this ridiculous province.

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

I've heard the PMO staff described as a bunch of uneducated twenty-something farm boys by someone familiar with them. I don't know how accurate that description is but given how much power they have if it is true I could see how an MP with his background could feel that way.

I think that is off base.

I have heard that they are young, but well educated.

Either way i dont like it at all.

[killer_carlson]

Before you get too excited about maggie the monkey, i wouldnt call st albert a slam dunk if a credible right wing independant option was presented. St albert elected a red tory provincially.

[Smartcar]

Alberta MP Rona Ambrose, representing Edmonton-Spruce Grove, reiterated the Prime Minister’s Office’s call for Mr. Rathgeber to run in a by-election.
“The people of Edmonton St. Albert did elect a Conservative MP… we do think he should do the right thing by him and his constituents – run in a by-election as an independent,” Ms. Ambrose said.

Sure. Just like David Emerson running in a by-election as a Conservative when elected as a Liberal in 2006.

[killer_carlson]

I think ambrose has a lot to lose here. There is considerable frustration in Edmonton with their MPs, and Ambrose who is supposed to be the minister advocating for the city. If this festers it would not surprise me to see a shuffle where ambrose is demoted and another Edmonton area MP promoted (Hawn, Rajotte).

[flylock shox]

I hope Peter MacKay doesn't end up in charge of that party before the next election.

I'd hate if my alternatives for PM were a poser, a beardy-weirdy, or a turncoat.

I might have to vote Green...

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

I think that is off base.

I have heard that they are young, but well educated.

Either way i dont like it at all.

Government is no place for youth. 'Well educated' people without the requisite experience to supplement their knowledge... Seems like they'd come up with a bunch of ideas that sound great in theory.

[killer_carlson]

I dont like this idea that the people in the PMO office are "smarter" than everyone else.

It is one thing for the PMO to build consensus through communication and information. It is something entirely different when it is done through threat and intimidation "because hey are smarter".

Add in a possible factor that these smart guys may not have ever succeeded in private business and you have a big problem.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

I dont like this idea that the people in the PMO office are "smarter" than everyone else.

It is one thing for the PMO to build consensus through communication and information. It is something entirely different when it is done through threat and intimidation "because hey are smarter".

Add in a possible factor that these smart guys may not have ever succeeded in private business and you have a big problem.

I don't care if they're successful businessmen. In fact, successful businessmen are antithetical to government. Successful business generally can't or won't put people ahead of the bottom line. The government's function is to provide a structure for a society to flourish around. It is not there to turn a profit.

[V]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Before you get too excited about maggie the monkey, i wouldnt call st albert a slam dunk if a credible right wing independant option was presented. St albert elected a red tory provincially.

So you're saying the St. Albert riding isn't brainwashed to vote Conservative because...they voted Conservative provincially?

Gotcha.

[Matty81]

Only met one but the "kids" are a pack of arrogant little ####s. Bunch of hyper partisan poli sci degree grads who have never held a real job in their lives who see politics as a game you win as opposed to trying to actually provide good government.

[Sylvanfan]

I am in this riding and will support him in the next election. I'm happy to see a MP finally step up for what he feels his constituents believe in, rather than tow the company line and feed me BS.

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by V

So you're saying the St. Albert riding isn't brainwashed to vote Conservative because...they voted Conservative provincially?

Gotcha.

No, not at all.

If i had to rank the riding from Sure Thing at one end and Up For Grabs at the other, it would be in the middle. I think that there is a standing minority Liberal vote there that would mobilize if there appeared to be potential for a vote split on the right in a federal election. That element didnt even have to pinch its nose to vote for Stephen Khan provincially last time.

The one NDP federal seat in Edmonton gets a lot more water cooler discussion than Calgarians might think. Add in a popular Edmonton mayor who dominates the media and loves picking at the feds and encouraging people to question whether The capital region would be better served with a few less government seats so that the Feds would have to listen up. There is growing discontent in Edmonton and St Albert just became more interesting, epecially if Rathgerber runs again.

Edmonton East (goldring) is going to have an interesting race as Goldring is modestly more popular than Anders. NDP won two seats provincially in that riding last proincial election. It is up for grabs i suspect.