The obnoxious Garth Turner

Good article.

I don't see any difference in the attitude that the west has for the east. Remember this little revelation:

"There is a dependence in the region that breeds a culture of defeatism," the Opposition leader said Wednesday following question period in the House.

~Stephen Harper on Atlantic Canada, May 29th, 2002.


But more importantly, I believe that the National Post is just trying to twist Garth Turner's words to try to imply that he was saying something negative about the west.

What he said was:

"You might not agree with everything the man says, but you have to admire this about him," Turner wrote. "He stood up once to the self-aggrandizing, hostile, me-first, greedy, macho, selfish and balkanizing separatist losers in Quebec.

"I guess he can do it again in Alberta."

What I took from this is that trying to sell the Green shift plan in Alberta will be as difficult as it was for Dion to sell the Clarity act in quebec. Specifically that the degree of polarization on the issue will be similar. I think this is quite factual, and I think the comparison is a fair one. However I think he could have chosen his words a little better.

Now you can see why the Tories got rid of him.

Actually I was under the impression that the Tories got rid of him because he has an opinion of his own. Harper doesn't like that.

It looks like Dion dosen''t like that either.

Touche.

NO leader likes a "loose cannon" who won't
parrot the party line.
There have been NDP's and Blocheads kicked
out of their caucuses for being verbally rebellious, too.

Well the guy made a mistake and apologized for it. I don't think that Dion is insecure enough to fire the man over a bad choice of words(unlike Harper)and I personally don't see the problem with putting people who don't want to be a part of this country in their place. I really don't understand loyal Canadians defence of the seperatists.

However, Turner's word choice was wrong as it sounded like he was implying that Alberta had the same kind of seperatist issue as Quebec.

He clarified this later and explained that he was referring to the similarities in the challenges that Dion was facing.

Other than his diction, I agree with him 100%.

When did he apologize?

Well maybe more of a retraction than an apology, but still a nice sentiment:

"My attempt to show the Liberal leader has the stones to face down those who think of themselves first, and the country second – no matter where they hail from – succeeded only in making his task more difficult. That was not my intention. Nor do I have anything but respect for my fellow citizens in Quebec and Alberta."

http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2008/07/04/what-i-said/

Not much of an apology if you ask me. I don't see where he has in any way clarified that Albertans aren't bunch of separatist losers.

He indicated that he has nothing but respect for Albeta and Qubec citizens and clarified that he has no respect for people who wish to rip the country apart. The only ones who should really be offended are those who wish to see this country torn apart. I personally don't feel that they deserve an apology.

He definitely clarified his position.

So are you saying Garth himself should be ashamed for playing on regional tensions to score a few brownie points back in Halton?




Ya, clear as mud.