Controversial conservative, Craig Chandler, says he is quitting the provincial party.
His decision comes after a meeting with the premier, and 40 other senior party members, on Saturday.
Stelmach obviously could read the tea leaves just fine:
Ed Stelmach came out of the meeting and said endorsing Chandler’s nomination in Calgary-Egmont was not in the best interests of the party.
This past week has not exactly been a high point in Chandler's public career. Not only did the Alberta Human Rights Commission rule against CCC in the matter of the Boissoin letter, but also his grip on the riding association in Calgary Egmont started to unravel, and a hard-fought nomination campaign (there is no doubt that Chandler worked hard to get that nomination) has just been rendered moot. Ouch - that's gotta hurt.
[Update 17:15]
The Globe and Mail has picked up the story - the reader comments are hysterically funny at times...
Also, the Calgary Herald has their story up with it a few choice quotes from the ever so tactful Chandler:
But Chandler vowed to remain a player in the riding in the upcoming election, suggesting he may run as a candidate either independently or for another party.
"I am not going away," Chandler said.
He accused the party of intolerance towards "people of faith" and predicted a mass exodus of social conservatives from the party.
"This will split the party," he predicted.
The next election campaign in Egmont will undoubtedly be interesting political theater...especially if Chandler chooses to run either as an independent or under another party's banner.
[/Update]
[Update Dec 2]:
I see that Rick Bell has a few more choice tidbits.
He says the provincial Tories are now intolerant to people of faith and against free speech and, when the Tory grassroots review the premier's leadership, "they're going to eat him alive."
"I'm going to use my network within the Conservative party to cause duress to Mr. Stelmach. Ed Stelmach is done. There is no room for social conservatives. You've got Liberal and Liberal Lite. Liberal, Tory, same old story." ...
The man with the Tory boot on his backside figures some Tory higher-ups are "Christophobic" and compares their questioning of him to the communist-hunting hearings of Sen. Joe McCarthy in the U.S. of the '50s.
"Are you a right winger? Are you a social conservative? Do you believe in Jesus Christ? That's kind of what I went through. They've just split the party in half."
Chandler will consider running as an independent. "I got kicked in the teeth. At 37, I'll outlive half that room," says Chandler.
"I've wept over this in the past week but I'm not exactly a person that's going to take this lying down."
All threats and malice as soon as things go against him. Doesn't exactly make the man look like anyone who is ready to play a role of statesmanship - or even politician for that matter. I'd like to think we can expect our politicians (or prospective politicians) to be gracious in defeat or victory.
[/Update]
6 comments:
GOOD ON YOU.. STEADIE EDDIE -Nice to see you take a stand against bullying...
And as for you, Craig.. you and your Wild RoseBud (missing)Link Byfield will make a great team forever bound together in your bogotry. I hope you both run in the next election so show the world what Alberta's Reich Wing extremeism is all about.
And, after you get your asses kicked, pack up and head south.
Fred Phelps needs your support in Kansas.
Ya gotta admit Chandler was right about one thing - "THE PC PARTY NEEDS TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH AND CLEAN HOUSE."
And MISTER ED has just made a good start.
Now, how about Ted??
No, he DIDN'T leave, he GOT LEFT. Small distinction that.
I just watched Chandler on the TV news, playing the "poor victim".
As expected, he wasn't man enough to apologize for his involvement in this homophobic gay-bashing scandal.
I doubt that he will ever take responsibility for his actions or the harm that these hate messages have caused to a very vulnerable group in Red Neck Alberta.
SORRY CRAIG... YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN ANY REASON FOR SYMPATHY FOR YOU OR YOUR KIND. Your CCC is just as repugnant as the KKK.
And, as Dorothy said in the Wizzard of Oz, WE'RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE!
Matthew 5: 6: In fairness to Mr. Chandler, there is no direct association between him and the Wildrose Party at this time. I suspect you are correct in assuming that he would find more ideological compatibility there.
Anonymous @ 6:26PM: To be absolutely clear, Chandler resigned his involvement in CCC this past spring. However, that does not absolve him of responsibility for what happened on his watch.
And this morning on CBC we heard quite a long sound-byte of Chandler crying about how mean the Conservatives were, and even suggesting that since Mr. Ed didn't actually cast his vote that he didn't have a spine. It was all of the others in the room.
He was also quite critical of the way that they announced it to him - handing him a slip of paper.
Of course, this was all buried in a lot of whining about how unfair life really was.
You can't help but feel a bit of pity for the man, after all he is clearly disabled. He can't see reality two feet in front of his face, and there are no corrective lenses for that.
Perhaps some day he will wake up and realize just how much of a favour he has just done all of the opposition parties. Thanks Chandler! Glad to have you getting votes for our team!
Yes, threats and more threats. Although I must admit the "I'll be back" quote sounds much better coming from Schwarzenegger's characters... and a lot more believable too.
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