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aesop081
Guest
Brad Sallows said:
Liberal MP Wajid Khan defects to Conservatives
- Thread starter George Wallace
- Start date
ArmyRick
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 2,021
- Points
- 1,010
Bruce, NO. I did not say the same thing when Belinda crossed the floor. Why? Mr Kahn said he had gained new found respect working with the Prime Minister as an advisor on the Afghanistan affair over the last while (weeks or months, i am not too sure). He had time to reflect on his decision. It doesn't seem like it was something done on a whim.
Belinda crossed the line for power, thats it. Any clown can see that.
It was not a simple cheer anything Conservative and jeer the liberals at all times type of respect.
Belinda crossed the line for power, thats it. Any clown can see that.
It was not a simple cheer anything Conservative and jeer the liberals at all times type of respect.
- Reaction score
- 1,304
- Points
- 1,040
The only similarity is that both crossed the floor. Ms. Stronach's motivation was a cabinet position. Full stop.Bruce Monkhouse said:
Mr Khan's position is a bit more muddled. He was asked by Mr. Harper to be the Government's representative on the Middle East and Afghanistan. He asked the then-leader of the Liberal Party, Mr. Graham, and Mr. Graham said "yes". Mr Dion (aka: son of Chretien) comes along and then draws a line in the sand. I believe that Mr. Khan chose the "greater good" rather than just toeing the line. It seems to me that the tone in the Liberal Party is such that Mr. Chretien is pulling the strings, attempting to run his little empire called "Canada" from the shadows.
Personally I find that floor-crossers do more damage to democracy than good. I am not questioning his motives or his commitment to the betterment of the country. I really don't know enough about the guy.
He ran on a liberal campaign, represented himself as being part of that party and was duly elected by a majority of voters. Democracy in action. By crossing the floor he has ignored his constituents wishes and, albeit minor in the big picture, has hurt the democratic process.
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/guide/member_parl-e.asp
Above is a quick link to the duties of an MP. He's failed at properly representing his constituents.
Is he more interested in being an MP with those related duties, or is he more interested in being the PMs advisor? Did an elected official have to be this advisor? Could there not have been a better choice (non-elected) to do this job? If he is the best man for the job, will he keep this position should he not win his seat in the next election?
Now this isn't a party-bias thing for me. Just that the process gets damaged when someone crosses the floor. A disturbing trend that is happening more often than not lately. My soap box rant isn't just about Khan, it's about all floor crossers, Stronach, Emmerson etc etc.
I believe the Harper government is trying to work with all parties, a good thing. But keep in mind that they are a minority government. They really have no choice.
If Mr. Khan's contribution to the country is positive, then good. Hopefully his insight will do some good. Unfortunately the democratic process got damaged a little more in the process.
He ran on a liberal campaign, represented himself as being part of that party and was duly elected by a majority of voters. Democracy in action. By crossing the floor he has ignored his constituents wishes and, albeit minor in the big picture, has hurt the democratic process.
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/guide/member_parl-e.asp
Above is a quick link to the duties of an MP. He's failed at properly representing his constituents.
Is he more interested in being an MP with those related duties, or is he more interested in being the PMs advisor? Did an elected official have to be this advisor? Could there not have been a better choice (non-elected) to do this job? If he is the best man for the job, will he keep this position should he not win his seat in the next election?
Now this isn't a party-bias thing for me. Just that the process gets damaged when someone crosses the floor. A disturbing trend that is happening more often than not lately. My soap box rant isn't just about Khan, it's about all floor crossers, Stronach, Emmerson etc etc.
I believe the Harper government is trying to work with all parties, a good thing. But keep in mind that they are a minority government. They really have no choice.
If Mr. Khan's contribution to the country is positive, then good. Hopefully his insight will do some good. Unfortunately the democratic process got damaged a little more in the process.
A
aesop081
Guest
Crantor said:
If i am not misstaken he has the support of his ridding association President in this course of action so i would not go that far. Wish i had the link to where i read this but i'll look.
- Reaction score
- 1,304
- Points
- 1,040
To further muddy the waters as to how this is "undemocratic", he got a seat with less than 50% of the vote in his riding, though he was first. Also, Mr Chretien....er...sorry, Mr Dion told him to no longer perform his function as advisor on Afghanistan and the Middle East. This in spite of the previous interim leader of that same party who encouraged him to do so.
"Democracy", where the leadership of a party is won through back door shenanigans and sheeple voting how they are told to vote rather than the true choice of the people.
"Democracy", where the leadership of a party is won through back door shenanigans and sheeple voting how they are told to vote rather than the true choice of the people.
cdnaviator said:
Yep.
In an interview with the CBC following the defection, riding association president Khalid Sagheer said Khan "is my friend, I support him and I will continue to support him."
Asked whether backing Khan would mean switching party memberships himself, Sagheer said "that decision will come in due course."
"I agree with him and my own personal opinion is that the Liberal party has been taking us for granted — immigrants that have worked and supported the party so much, it's been so far only a one-way street," Sagheer said.
The friend part worries me. And what sort of consultation was done? A poll? We all know the value of polls on this site. The riding president is still one man.
I would prefer that a member of parliament resign and run in a by-election for a true estimation of the riding's wishes. There should be a better process for MPs wishing to switch sides.
- Reaction score
- 63
- Points
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This sort of thing happens from time to time I wouldnt make a big deal about it. Eventually he will face the voters and he will either be re-elected or he wont, he knows what he is doing. The bottom line is he is supporting Harpers party much like the other members of his coalition.
- Reaction score
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- Points
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To call someone friend means more than just toeing the line. It means that you have made a character judgement about said person.
As for "personal opinion", what other kind of opinions do people have? What is your opinion? Does it damn your argument? Methinks not.
Remember, he was forced into this decision by that most-recent winner of Liberal-Survivor, who made back room deals to win the immunity idol.
As for "personal opinion", what other kind of opinions do people have? What is your opinion? Does it damn your argument? Methinks not.
Remember, he was forced into this decision by that most-recent winner of Liberal-Survivor, who made back room deals to win the immunity idol.
- Reaction score
- 3
- Points
- 430
Hauptmann Scharlachrot said:
I am one of Mr.Khan's constituents and I am p***ed. This riding is strong Liberal. Mr.Kahn is Muslim and he faced a strong CPC candidate in the last election who is also Muslim, but the voters chose Khan the Liberal. An important ingredient is the large Muslim population in this riding. What will happen to Mr.Khan in the next election?
Many of your points are well taken, in the GTA Khan often speaks for the Muslim population and he also speaks too Muslims defending the federal perspective. You could marshal an argument defending his actions as a way to advance the Muslim voice at the federal level.
Ref Graham, he was a temporary leader in the House, Dion is the elected leader about to go into an election. But I do like your "Mr. Chretien is pulling the strings, attempting to run his little empire called "Canada" from the shadows. "
tomahawk6 said:
Of course. The democratic process will come full circuit. And yes, in the big picture it's no big deal. But how can a voter trust the system if a person will just switch sides? I vted conservative last election. I'd be pretty peeved if he switched and voted along the liberal party line, against the wishes of the majority.
- Reaction score
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I dare say Cretin has his hand up Dijon's ass, just like a puppeteer. Dijon didn't tell Khan to walk............Cretin did. The street hoods have changed, but the moustache Petes of the Liebrano mob are still in control, running the game from the kitchen of the bistro. Just my hohum Lieberal thought for the day
- Reaction score
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- Points
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But this guy didn't just jump ship for personal gain. He was in a position of helping people that he is intimately knowledgeable on, then Cretin Jr. pulled the rug out from under him. What was the burning need for that? If anything, having an inside Liberal guy would have been a better strategy, rather than getting into a hissy fit. The man was told to choose: partisanism or service. He chose service. It is the Liberal parties own fault they are minus a seat.
Hauptmann Scharlachrot said:
Sorry HS, I guess I should have been clearer about my point. It was in relation to the argument that since the riding association president supported the decision the it was ok. By his own admission of being his friend, and stating his own personal opinion (not the riding's opinion) then his support of the move cannnot be credible in the sense that it represents the riding's wishes.
- Reaction score
- 1,304
- Points
- 1,040
Whether Interim leader, temporary leader or just leader du jour, Bill Graham was leader, Mr. Khan recognised that and prior to acting in the role of advisor on the Middle East and Afghanistan for the government, he sought for and received permission, and probably encouragement. If for nothing else, but to work in the interests of Canada. Mr Dion brought forth the politics card and in this case, Mr Khan felt that the needs of the country to have a credible voice in government re: Afghanistan and the Middle East were more important that following Mr Dion.
As ZC points out,Chretien Dion could have gone to the voters and said "Look, we had to advise the governement of 'Steve' Harper on Afghanistan" or "We worked with the government. Look, Mr Khan advised them..." But no, he took the tack of "Liberal first, Canadian second".
Your other points, Crantor, re his opinion rather than the opinion of the association are well taken.
As ZC points out,
Your other points, Crantor, re his opinion rather than the opinion of the association are well taken.
- Reaction score
- 5,128
- Points
- 1,060
Graham gave him the OK with past PM Martin's blessing. Cretin was out in the snow. Well, guess who's back in the warmth. This has got the 'petite gangster de Shawinigan' all over it. 'Meet the new boss, same as the ol............sorry, IT IS the old boss'.
A
aesop081
Guest
Crantor said:
I never said that the Ridding assc.president's opinion represented that of the entire ridding. What i would consider though is that, freind or not, if he is not willing to chastize the MP for switching sides, i would say that the ridding association itself is not that concerned. Part of being someone's friend is telling them when they have screwed up so i dont think his relationship with the MP is necesarily a source of Bias.
