Garth Turner's 100-to-1 advertising campaign
Garth Turner keeps insisting that local funds out of existing budgets are covering the mass mail campaign preceding his Lost Tory Tour. But the more I read about the issue of MP-originated mail, the more I discover that this is a significant controversy with a big impact on costs, costs that are paid for by the taxpayer. Now I've learned that it is the difference between spending $1 to send a bunch of flyers, and spending $100 to send the same flyers.
It looks like Garth Turner and his friends chose the $100 option.
Fiscal responsibility would require, at the very least, being up front about the difference in cost.
As Garth Turner continues his western Lost Tory Tour, he is preceded by a mail campaign. Garth Turner flyers are being delivered into people's homes, but not as cheap bulk mail. Instead, a team of 15 Liberal MPs are using their franking privileges to individually mail the Garth Turner flyers by individually addressed envelopes to specific households.
Garth Turner insists that sending a generic flyer in a first-class envelope using an MP's franking privileges doesn't cost the taxpayer anything:
John McCalum [sic] was one of 15 MPs from across the country who diverted local riding communications to support my tour effort. This was done so costs would be contained within existing MP budgets, with no new money spent letting people in these four provinces know of the Town Halls.
Time to put that notion to rest once and for all.
In November 2005, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs gave this issue of franked mail and cost to the taxpayer a great deal of consideration. Here are some excerpts:
Hon. Karen Redman (Kitchener Centre, Lib.): All parties have significantly increased their output of ten percenters. They've also adopted a centralized strategy for distribution. Specifically, these seem to focus on redistribution in unheld ridings. But rather than focusing on members' own parliamentary initiatives or those of their parties, these ten percenters have been used for negative and often personal attacks. We've seen the deplorable examples of blatant abuse of the House of Commons privileges.
It's neither appropriate nor valuable, I feel, for members of Parliament to circulate material of this nature. Clearly, what we do with our party funds under the banner of partisan politics supported by those who choose to support the parties is a totally different matter. This is something to do with the use of taxpayers' dollars and our role as members of Parliament.
Something to do with taxpayers' dollars? And yet we've been told that as taxpayers we don't need to be concerned.
Redman continues:
Throughout this minority Parliament, we've seen a significant increase, as I've said, in the ten percenters in unheld ridings. Ten percenters, as everyone around this table realizes, are unlimited, and a continued increase in the distribution of ten percenters in unheld ridings will become--and I would say have become--a significant expense to the House budget.
The House budget? And yet we've been told this is being handled out of local riding budgets.
Redman contiues:
Canadians have a right to see responsible use of their taxpayer dollars. Political parties do have resources to support the communication of their political message. Partisan propaganda is not an appropriate expenditure of public funds, and its distribution reflects poorly on all of us as parliamentarians--and I believe it to be disrespectful of the institution that we serve.
What? Pay this out of the party budget?
MP Jay Hill takes up the discussion, and in particular, the question of even more expensive franked mail:
Mr. Jay Hill (Prince George—Peace River, CPC): The other issue I want to put on the table is that this whole issue of ten percenters and the abuse of it, which she wants to address with this motion, doesn't deal at all with franked mail. We know this for a fact, and I know that one of my colleagues wants to raise this issue as well.
There have been a number of occasions when Liberal government members have presumably used a database that they somehow collected, or they have simply used the Canada list of electors, to send franked mail at a horrendous cost. It costs far more than a ten percenter would cost, which would maybe be 10¢ or something, to send a piece of literature to a Canadian in a different riding. This is what she wants to prevent with this motion, yet her own colleagues have been sending out franked mail in addressed envelopes, with something similar to a ten percenter inside the envelopes, at ten times the cost.
At an earlier meeting of the same committee, In June 2005, we learn about some of the costs of ten percenters and franked mail:
Ms. Pauline Picard (Drummond, BQ): The problem with franking is that it is costly for taxpayers. If, instead of using letter mail, you opt for franked unaddressed mailings, that costs 82¢ a kilo. But when it is franked, it actually costs 50¢ [per letter]. [ed, These numbers were subsequently confired by Louis Bard, the Chief Information Officer of the House of Commons] I think we really have to look at this, because it's starting to be costly for taxpayers.
Costly for taxpayers? But we've been told this is not costly for taxpayers.
And more about the cost to taxpayers:
Mr. John Reynolds (West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, CPC): I agree, and I think we have to look at it. I also think the committee should look at whether we should continue to allow franked ten percenters to be mass-mailed out, because it's a great cost to the taxpayer. I would recommend the committee look also at some form of statement on it as to who is printing it.
[It] is expensive and the committee should look at it and make recommendations to the board. It's a tough job for the officials. But my party does not do ten percenters in envelopes with addresses; they're all done in an open distributed way.
So what is the cost difference? Again, from the specialists at the House of Commons:
Mr. Michel Roy (Executive General Manager, Printing Services, House of Commons): An average ten percenter would be around 4,000 copies. At 82¢ a kilogram, it would average around $20 to distribute those 4,000 ten percenters.
Mr. Bill Casey (Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, CPC): If those same householders were sent by franked mail, in envelopes, it would be $2,000. So $20 versus $2,000, plus the cost of the envelopes. Amazing.
Wow, two orders of magnitude difference. One hundred times more expensive!
I'm not alleging that Garth Turner and his secret team of Liberal MPs broke any rules. The meetings of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs found it difficult to agree on any set of rules with regards to ten percenters and franked mail. But what is clear is that these MPs from all parties agreed that the use of these mailings constituted a major a cost for the taxpayer. They also agreed that the choice of mailing method was up to the MP, and that the choice could increase the cost to the taxpayer by one-hundred-fold.
Frankly, I was susprised by that difference in cost. I thought it was a ten-fold difference.
So Garth Turner can insist that these mailings came out of local budgets and made no difference to the taxpayer. If Garth Turner is right, then this Standing Committee has been wasting its time worrying about this. Or you can choose to believe what you've read here, and then wonder just how many envelopes were sent out stuffed with a cheap Garth Turner flyer, and just how much of public money was spent that way.
And how much less money could have been spent.
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Comments
Tooo ironic isn't it. Garth is roaming the countryside using taxpayer provided resources instead of Liberal party funds blasting the Conservative Government on FINANCIAL matters!!!
Question: Would YOU take financial advice from this man? Should Dion?
Garth Turner is the guy who advised people to take out mortgages, etc. to invest in BRE-X!!!!!
And he was investigated by the Securities Commission for giving financial advice without a licence.
I will admit - Garth Turner's degrees in English Literature have given him the gift of a wicked way with words and an equally wicked poison pen. Most con artists ARE glib and convincing with words.
And some get cult like followers like David Orchard's. Even Tooker Gomberg here in Edmonton got himself elected as an alderman. That was before he ran for Mayor of Toronto.
There are just those amongst us who has visions of their own personal grandeur and , like Garth, truly believe THEY must lead us all out of our ignorance and darkness. Hench Garth justifies WHATEVER is may cost for HIM in person to meet with his adoring fans.
My MP in Edmonton is quite busy with his own 120,000 or so contituents. National adulation does not seem to be needed to feed his ego.
Posted by: Lorraine at September 9, 2007 12:33 PM
What is done is done, but what needs to be uncovered is which 15 Liberal MPs donated to Garths western tour. That is all that is at issue now.
Posted by: Observer at September 9, 2007 12:59 PM
Steve--thanks for all the work you are doing on this file. I find it so obvious that Liberals, including Turner, think that the money they use and abuse is somehow just there--it is found money--they do not seem to connect the money to us overtaxed, over regulated citizens. Remember Volpe's $200. pizzas? Same thing--they think their spin can justify their spending--they are entitled to their entitlements. And we are entitled to keep paying.
This is sickening to say the least. But as accountability is not in the picture I guess it is not surprising?
I hope that people in Western Canada get the chance to question Turner on his 'money tree' tour.
Posted by: George at September 9, 2007 05:16 PM
Garth has never done anything on the cheap at all. Everything he seems to do during his term as MP and even before that is spend money. As long as its not his money...he'll spend it. And god forbid HE have to encure any expenses without having it immediately reimbursed.
Garth lives what he thinks is the gold plated life. So much for his being the hero of the middle class. Garth hasnt released where he stayed on his tour. Methinks it wasnt the "no tell motel" He wouldnt lower himself to sleeping where its affordable.
Reading his blog, he seems to be enjoying his time out west. A message from some Halton residents would be ... "Please...stay there!"
Posted by: Cheap? at September 10, 2007 08:03 AM
Harper's Adscam
17 sitting MPs participated in Tory ad scheme
Commons committee to discuss possible inquiry into dispute - Ottawa Citizen
Government Whip Jay Hill sits on a Commons committee that is to begin hearings on the disputed Tory election ad expenses.
Elections Canada has listed 17 sitting MPs among Conservative candidates who participated in a contentious scheme to channel $1.2 million through riding campaigns to pay for blanket regional television and radio advertising during the 2006 election, court documents show.
One of the Conservative MPs, cabinet minister and Government Whip Jay Hill, sits on a committee the opposition has forced to meet today to begin probing a series of "in and out" transactions the Liberals claim may have been used by the Conservative party to skirt campaign spending limits.
Internal Elections Canada records the agency filed in a Federal Court action list a total of 67 Conservative candidates who took part in the transfer scheme.
The party transferred tens of thousands of dollars each to the candidate campaigns, which simply turned the money around by using bank transfers to pay the party for the ads. The candidates later claimed election expense rebates for 60 per cent of the ad expenses, but Elections Canada rejected the claims.
Other than the 17 who won their seats, including 10 Quebec MPs who were long shots at the outset of the campaign, the vast majority of the candidates who received the money lost their election bids and had little or no chance from the start. In most cases, their donation levels were low and for some, the party ad payment took up most of their expenses.
The Commons procedure and House affairs committee is scheduled to meet today to discuss an inquiry into "allegations made against the Conservative Party of Canada's systematic attempt to defraud Elections Canada, as well as the Canadian taxpayer, in relation to the 2006 federal election."
The confrontational wording of the agenda was set by a letter from Liberal and Bloc Québécois MPs that forced the meeting under House of Commons rules. The NDP has also said it wants an inquiry.
But Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc says Mr. Hill should consider recusing himself from the hearing because his own election campaign return might be scrutinized.
"Mr. Hill should ask himself whether it doesn't taint the committee proceedings to have somebody who may have participated directly in this scheme asking questions of Elections Canada witnesses, for example," Mr. LeBlanc said.
"I think it gives rise to the perception of impropriety."
The Elections Canada list shows Mr. Hill receiving a transfer of $14,999.97 from the Conservative party and recording a payment in the same amount for radio and TV advertising.
Copies of eight of the television ads obtained by the Citizen from Elections Canada show they are replicas of national TV ads the party unveiled during the campaign, including a separate national series for Quebec. Elections Canada has ruled advertising by candidates must oppose or support individual candidates to be eligible as a candidate expense. The electoral agency also argues in letters filed at Federal Court that the candidates have been unable to provide contracts with a media placement company to prove they incurred the advertising costs.
The committee meeting today promises to be explosive, but the government could head off further hearings if Prime Minister Stephen Harper asks Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean to end the current session of Parliament before the end of the week.
The prime minister has said he intends to ask the Governor General to prorogue Parliament before its scheduled resumption next Monday. An official with Government House Leader Peter Van Loan said last week that wouldn't likely occur until shortly before the House was scheduled to return, in case an emergency forces the recall of Parliament before Monday.
The Liberal party says the Conservatives may have used the transfers to spend more on their national campaign than the $18.3-million ceiling set by election law. The Conservatives reported an expenditure of $9.1 million on national advertising.
The Tories contend the advertising expenses were legal because the ads carried small-print taglines listing candidates or ridings whose official agents the ads said authorized and paid for them. The Conservatives last week also argued that the ads are an issue of free speech.
The Liberals have likened the transfers to a money-laundering scheme.
In April, chief electoral officer Marc Mayrand referred the transfers to Elections Commissioner William Corbett for an investigation. The following month, official agents for 34 Conservative candidates took Mr. Mayrand to Federal Court over his refusal to reimburse the campaigns.
According to the court documents filed by Elections Canada, the list of other MPs who participated in what the party called a "regional media buy" include Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, Heritage Minister Josée Verner and Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon.
The other MPs are: Quebec MPs Sylvie Boucher, Daniel Petit, Steven Blaney, Jacques Gourde, Luc Harvey, and Christian Paradis; B.C. MPs Ron Cannan, Dick Harris, Jim Abbott and Colin Mayes; Ontario MP Patricia Davidson; and Saskatchewan MP David Anderson.
Mr. LeBlanc says he expects the committee will want to probe who orchestrated the transfers and advertising buys, including senior party officials and leadership.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2007
Posted by: not Garth Turner at September 10, 2007 12:27 PM
For that wonderful piece of information. What you are claiming is simply allegations made, no proof and no ones gone to jail.
Liberal Sponsorship scandal...oh YA...PEOPLE WENT TO JAIL over that.
Garth is quite possibly breaking HOC rules, if not legally than the spirit of the law is definately out the window.
They better come up with something better than THAT!
Posted by: Thanks Esther at September 10, 2007 12:33 PM
"not Garth Turner" sure sounds like him to me. Even if it's not Garth posting it, I'd bet Garth wrote it and had one of his cronies post it (he's done that before).
Posted by: paul m at September 10, 2007 12:56 PM
I am smelling something rotten in Denmark and it is not Alfonso.I questioned Garth about the other costs of his "no-cost" tour. He replied that transportation,venues,etc. were all donated. Now,I may be wrong,but are MP's allowed to travel across the country accepting free gifts? He is appearing in Calgary at the Epcor centre,which I think(not sure) is a City of Calgary facility. Does this mean that our mayor ,Bronconnier,a former liberal candidate,will be recieving a reciept for our largesse? Is this not a political donation to the Liberal Party,which is the only party to oppose the change to income trusts? Is Garth claiming any of his freebies as political donations? Inquiring minds want to know.
Posted by: GruntledPostie at September 10, 2007 01:18 PM
" "not Garth Turner" sure sounds like him to me."
Maybe it should sound like the Ottawa Citizen since that's where it comes from:
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=c448b040-6b35-4df7-8ded-847bf80b13ab&p=2
Funny Mr Janke, how Harper's adscam makes the national media but Garth's supposed postal two step doesn't get out of your blog.
Posted by: not Garth Turner at September 10, 2007 01:34 PM
Thats definately something she would say. Covers blown. LMAO
Funny way to serve the needs of Haltons residents by residing on someones blog defending your boss....
HAHAHAHA
Posted by: Its gotta be Esther at September 10, 2007 01:46 PM
I stand by my comments!
Posted by: paul m (REALLY not Garth Turner) at September 10, 2007 02:27 PM
I used to post over at Turner's blog, but I have since been apparently censored.
The blog entry that never made it had to do with the propriety of using his unused MP travel budget for uses that it was not intended.
As he was in Vancouver at the time, I suggested that he check with some locals concernig a similar situation that had occured in the Vancouver City Council meetings back in the 90's. This was when Gordon Campbell (currently BC Premier) was mayor and current NDP MP Libby Davies was an alderperson.
As I recall, Alderman Gordon Price was scheduled to attend an approved meeting in eastern Canada (Toronto or Montreal I believe). He found out what the cost of the trip would be by regular airfare, and then used this number as a "budget" to book a series of economy flights hopskipping across the US, visiting associates, and seeing how other cities conduct urban planning, according to him. Like Turner, he argued it was not costing the taxpayer any more money, so in his mind, this was ok. He could travel as he damn well pleased.
It seems to me that Ms. Davies was quite critical of Mr. Price's revised itinerary and personal travel plans, suggesting it was not approved, and therefore an improper use of taxpayer money.
Mr. Price didn't get it. Neither apparently does Mr. Turner.
And I guess, since my blog comment never got posted on Turner's blogsite, no one was able to ask him about the parallels at his townhall meetings or BBQs or whatever while he was still in Vancouver.
Posted by: Old Enough To Remember at September 10, 2007 02:29 PM
Why not ignore the insignificant Prig? He and the Liberals deserve each other. The Libs know every trick in the book but they eventually get caught. With such a shortage of cash and people just not donating to them, they'll be getting very inventive.
Not much talk about Dion's summer trek across the country, guess we'll say it wasn't much to talk about.
Posted by: Libby at September 10, 2007 02:45 PM
I went to Turner's public meeting yesterday in Abbotsford and it was very poorly attended (a lot of elderly Sikh men that probably didn't understand him and the executive. It's only a slide show of newspaper articles (quite a few American at that) and cartoons (very fitting as the tour is a joke). I guess he forms his policies according to what's in the newspapers. He was on CKNW's Bill Good show this morning, again spewing more lies. So I called in and asked him why he felt he could use taxpayers' money for his Liberal Propaganda Tour and about cetain lies he told in Abbotsford. Once I voiced my questions, my microphone was turned off so I couldn't rebutt his answer which was about how legal his mailing was and people like me have an agenda and he has his. I suspect insignificant Turner was invited on the show because another talk show host on this station is Christy Clark whose husband his Stéphane Dion's campaign manager for the "coming" election! Do you think it is just a coincidence? After all, they probably wouldn't even have Harper on if he was in Vancouver. After the commercials, when it was time to get back to the talk show, it was announced that Turner had to leave suddently and catch a flight (no doubt at taxpayers' money.
Posted by: Louise at September 10, 2007 03:50 PM
I didnt get the parallel but it really seems interesting that hes attending all these liberal fundraisers / events while coincidentally being in the area.
So therefore hes using his budget to go on partisan junkits to other ridings....and his town hall meetings which are being promoted by 15 liberal MP's that he doesnt know who they are...
WOW...the more you dig the dirtier it gets.
Posted by: Thats very interesting at September 10, 2007 03:50 PM
Hmmm, Steve - while I salute your loyalty to the good ole Tory brand I'm sure you can recall many times over the past few years receiving wonderful pieces in the mail from Conservative/Reform or Alliance MP's under the Parliamentary Franking privelage about the wonderfulness of leaders like Manning/Day and Harper. Some of these were event the subject of Points of Privelage in the House - I'm sure a good researcher like yourself can find evidence of these products being sent out by the Canadian taxpayer to promote the Conservative cause.
Glass houses
Posted by: anon at September 10, 2007 03:53 PM
Anon - I'm sure we have ALL received flyers from other parties using the 10 percenters. That is unadressed bulk mail delivered to every household in a certain targetted postal code.
If you read Janke's article you will see the costs of those.
However, Garth's were ADDRESSED mail which cost 100 times more than 10 percenters. I received one of these and I have no idea how Garth got MY mailing address.
I am a member of the conservative Party. Did he use an old Conservative mailing list?
Another point - as a member of the Conservative Party we do from time to time receive ADDRESSED mail from the Party. In ALL cases there is a STAMP on this mail. The PARTY pays the postage for this po.itical mail NOT THE TAXPAYER.
arth's mailing to me was addressed, in his House of Commons envelope and had no stamp. The taxpayer paid the mailing costs, ehte envelope costs AND the stuffing and colating costs. This for a POLITICAL event not in any way related to his own riding of Halton and I am not HIS constituent.
Do you see the difference?
Posted by: Lorraine at September 10, 2007 04:03 PM
Lorraine:
I have received 10% mailings from Conservative MPs with the Conservative logo on it. This was done using the frank.
I fully understand the situation and think my glass houses comment is accurate.
Posted by: anon at September 10, 2007 04:54 PM
Anon - was your mailing from the Conservatives personally ADDRESSED TO YOU????
Unaddressed flyers with government program information and political messages within the approved parameters of the House (there are rules of content) are absolutely common. YOUR MP most likely sends them regularily in YOUR riding.
There are a certain number of these allowed per MP - in many cases they will target other ridings where they do not have a party MP. I get Jack Layton flyers quite often sponsored by any number of NDP MPs.
They cannot do this during an election - the party has to pay. Our contention is that Garth Turner used the expensive addressed mail to send a generic political flyer about a personal political event. Garth has admitted that Dion did not know what he was talking about and had to ask him.
So it was not party approved because nowhere is there a Liberal logo. However he laundered the significant costs through 15 other Liberal MPs. Maybe within the rules but unethical as heck. The whole escapade reeks to me.
Posted by: Lorraine at September 10, 2007 05:08 PM
Funny how today's entry on Turner's blog is titled "Hogs for Democracy" - how fitting since he's pigging out at the trough! He is a bitter little man.
Posted by: at September 10, 2007 05:32 PM
So that's what's under that shitty beard, a snout, oink, oink.
Posted by: Libby at September 10, 2007 05:54 PM
I went to Turner's public meeting yesterday in Abbotsford and it was very poorly attended (a lot of elderly Sikh men that probably didn't understand him and the executive.
Louise, Turner must have read your entry here. I notice he updated his blog just recently (originally post was over 24 hrs ago) to include a picture and this comment at the bottom to be consistent with your observations:
The Town Hall Sunday afternoon in Abbotsford, BC. A large contingent of Indo-Canadians actively participated. Topics covered included the environment vs the oilsands, the SPP, the role of MPs, civil rights, the economy and the coming election.
What a guy. What a wanker.
Posted by: Old Enough To Remember at September 10, 2007 10:25 PM
Garth is providing Dion with a service in exchange for being accepted into the Liberal party, and by Dion himself according to Garth. However, Garth was desperate when he was an independent MP, and openly admitted that he stood little chance of getting reelected as an independent.
Being accepted by Dion into the Liberal party has breathed new life into Garth's political career no doubt, but it also saved his vaunted MPtv enterprise that he operates in the halls of Parliament. If Garth were to have lost his Halton MP position, that would have most likely ended MPtv as well.
Garth joined the Liberal party to not only extend his political career, but also save his MPtv business as well. The guy is a scumbag.
Posted by: Observer at September 10, 2007 10:29 PM
Anon, If you're going to play at being a partisan hack, you should really get your information straight.
Posted by: Paul M at September 10, 2007 10:29 PM
Whats under the beard is some turkey gobble gobble like chin and the receipt from Shoppers Drug Mart for all the Just for Men hair colour he uses to hide his grey.
For all the yapping he does about Maxime Bernier and his "image" hes sure one to talk. Garth, let the grey show....its good for the ego. It might knock you down to slightly less than your god complex.
Posted by: Whats Under the beard at September 10, 2007 10:42 PM
LOUISE- I was listening to the show when you called in to ask him in person about this mailing debacle.It was too funny to hear him get all indignent and bluster about how you must have some kind of agenda and then run out of the studio before inquiring minds could follow up on your lead.What a sniveling little weasel.As far as Christy Clarke's involvment,who knows? One thing for sure though, her show is a snooze fest. Nothing but puffy feely crap that noone cares about.
Posted by: robert at September 10, 2007 11:16 PM
btw Louise, you two do have your own agendas. Yours is to get at the truth and his is get out town.
Posted by: robert at September 10, 2007 11:22 PM
Louise
I would love to hear the Garthacles response. What time were you on?
Syncro
Posted by: syncrodox at September 11, 2007 12:41 AM
So what else would you expect from a liberal?
Like all crooks, when money gets tight (and it IS tight for the libs) they resort to what they know best-stealing!!
Horny Toad
Posted by: Horny Toad at September 11, 2007 12:46 AM
Steve and Louise
First, well done Louise, articulate and to the point. Secondly, I noticed something that Garth said that is very telling. I loosely quote:
Garth:.....I asked a number of my colleagues to lend me some of their communications budget to mail out notices.....blah blah blah.
Now correct me if I'm wrong but did not Garth state he had no idea who the 15 MP's who were supporting his tour were?
Cronologically speaking it seems that Garth found 15 buddies then forgot who they were and finally states that he asked the fabled 15 to help him out from the onset.
I know that I'm a little hard of understanding but can somebody please help me out here?
Syncro
p.s. The Garth has left the building apology from CKNW journalist John Mc Comb brought tears of laughter to my eyes.
p.s.s. Cknw audio vault Monday Sept 10 starting at 11 am with Louise's contribution coming up around 11:27.
Posted by: syncrodox at September 11, 2007 03:47 AM
Garth has made it his standard MO for leaving a radio interview if challenged by callers. Hes done it on Roy Green show in Hamilon AM 900 CHML, hes done in on CFRB when Bill Carrol challenged him on floor crossing and I also believe hes hung up on Lesley Roberts, also from CFRB when challenged on a major issue.
Garth feels that the media should accept his view as the way it is and thats that. Hes a coward. When surrounded by a big team, hes a big big man. On his own and standing on his own merits, hes a lilly livered coward.
He will have to face Halton voters in the next election for his stunts, his floor crossing, this cross country tour and the questionable spending on the mailing. We can only hope that voters see through his veil of machismo and see the true Garth...total HOG at the trough....right where he belongs.
Because hes entitled to his entitlements.
Posted by: Garth is a creature of habit at September 11, 2007 07:05 AM
Well, the arrogant little a**hole is not helping the Liberals, he's using them in this opportunistic Ego feeding tour to build his profile for a run at the leadership. It has all the appearances of a VIP tour, wife in tow, flying from venue to venue. The only thing missing is the VIP!
Puffin Iggy should soon twig on the fact he's not wanted and head back to Bean Town and academia, he can't be that stupid or desperate to stay in that snake pit.
Posted by: Libby at September 11, 2007 08:21 AM
I wonder who paid for the newspaper ads. Yesterday I was sitting the in the Fort St. John (north eastern BC for those not in the know) waiting for a flight back to Cowtown and I picked up an Edmonton Sun. Low and behold there was an ad for Garthapalooza '07. So it got me thinking:
1. Were ads taken out in all the dailies for every city/region Garth was visiting?
2. How much does an ad of this sort cost (I'm going to scan it and send the details like size, page # etc to Steve)?
3. Did Garth pay for the ads out of his pocket, out of his constituency budget, or did a 3rd party pay for them?
4. If they were paid for out of his constituency budget how do the people of Halton feel about Garth spending money for representing Halton in Edmonton and elsewhere?
5. If they were paid for by a 3rd party how exactly do those sorts of "donations in kind" get recorded and reported to ensure donation limits & rules aren't violated?
Posted by: Reid at September 11, 2007 09:17 AM
Good questions Reid. Maybe this will lead to a 2nd adscam scandal! ?By the way, at the Abbotsford meeting, Turner informed us that as an independent he realized he wouldn't be able to do much so he approached Dion and asked him (Dion) to work with him (Turner) and apparently Dion was very happy to oblige. What an arrogant little man (he does have the little man syndrome).
Posted by: Louise at September 11, 2007 10:14 AM
Good questions Reid. Maybe this will lead to a 2nd adscam scandal!? By the way, at the Abbotsford meeting, Turner informed us that as an independent he realized he wouldn't be able to do much so he approached Dion and asked him (Dion) to work with him (Turner) and apparently Dion was very happy to oblige. What an arrogant little man (he does have the little man syndrome).
Posted by: Louise at September 11, 2007 10:16 AM
Correction: I need to make a correction on one of my previous comments about Garth's financial advisor past.
I found out it was NOT BRE-X he was advising people to mortgage their homes and borrow to buy. It was NORTEL.
My apologies to Garth for the inaccurate information.
Posted by: Lorraine at September 11, 2007 10:24 AM
I asked Garth about his other expenses,on his blog on the 9th at 12:14 a.m. He responded that "All venue rentals are being paid for by local ORGANIZERS,CITIZENS OR RIDING ASSOCIATIONS".Now I know that we are not in an election but there has to be rules about roaming the country accepting gifts from people as a mp promoting your party.I think the ethics comissioner should be getting a few queries on this matter.The venue in Calgary goes for about $2,000 for an afternoon.Nice freebie.
Posted by: GruntledPostie at September 11, 2007 03:35 PM
In my opinion if thereis a full accounting and full disclosure of who Garth's "supporters" are you may find that he is actually acting as a front for CAITI and other disgruntled Income Trust stock brokers and their friends.
In other words, posing just as "citizens" they dontate and fund a large portion of Garth's excursion, we the taxpayers fund a bunch, and who else? The Liberal Party?
So what if I am right. Is Garth Turner, an elected official accepting freebies from a special interest lobby group?
Posted by: Lorraine at September 11, 2007 04:10 PM
Certainly looks like rules are being ignored/broken. In Garth's ongoing push for fame, he's getting closer to infamy and oblivion.
Why should anyone be paying for a nondescript backbench floater to fly about the country flogging a dead horse unless it's the owners of the horse?
Posted by: Libby at September 12, 2007 06:16 AM
Lorraine, check this out: "The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday it has filed civil charges against four more former financial executives at Nortel Networks Corp. for allegedly participating in an accounting fraud in 2002 and 2003." Do you think Garth was involved considering how hard he was flogging the stock.
Posted by: Louise at September 12, 2007 02:26 PM
 
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