The Chartrand Affair: Reports of more NDP resignations in Quebec
When Francis Chartrand was forced out as an NDP candidate, it seemed to be an interesting story of NDP spin doctoring. Chartrand had posted an angry open letter on his blog, calling Jack Layton and the NDP undemocratic. We learned later that NDP officials twisted his arm and compelled him to replace that post with another one that spoke highly of the NDP, and claimed that Chartrand had himself decided to step aside as a candidate.
Well, the whole story came out, and now everyone knows that Chartrand was forced out as the candidate for Riviere-des-Mille-Iles, and that the NDP tried to cover it up. My friend in Quebec is telling me that the Quebec media is now calling this "L'Affaire Chartrand", and that the list of NDP candidates and campaign staffers resigning continues to grow.
You can read all about the strange story of Francis Chartrand on this blog. In a nutshell, Francis Chartrand was the NDP candidate for Riviere-des-Mille-Iles in Quebec. The NDP decided he would not make a good candidate (allegedly because of his hardline views on "reasonable accommodations" for minorities in Quebec) and removed him as candidate. Chartrand says he only learned of the decision through the news, and angrily denounced Jack Layton and the NDP on his blog. The NDP compelled Chartrand to remove that post and replace it with one that sang the praises of the NDP.
The hijinks were revealed on this blog, and made it to the Quebec media. Chartrand was confronted with the two very different posts, and he came clean. He reverted back to denouncing Jack Layton and the NDP and alleged that the party was trying to keep a lid on dissent.
According to my friend, the NDP is starting to come apart in Quebec over this. He tells me that a long list of names was read out on the 5pm news on TQS last night. These are NDP candidates and campaign staffers who have resigned in support of Francois Chartrand: Diane Lafrance (nominee for Argenteuil-Papineau-Mirabel), Anne Humphreys (nominee for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin), Jeannie Hamel (nomnee for Montcalm), Mario Langlois (nominee for Laval), Christian Barrette (nominee for Alfred-Pellan), Jean Rousseau (nominee for Compton-Stanstead), Cynthia Corsilli (nominee for Saint-Jean), Dominic Lemieux (nominee for Verchères-Les-Patriotes), Dounia Natacha Shikhhani, Alexandre Laberge, Iba Bouramine, and Alain Sénécal.
Rumours are that 16 or more NDP candidates are resigning or threatening to do so.
I can't confirm this myself. But if it is true, the Jack Layton might have a problem on his hands. He is hoping for an NDP breakthrough in Quebec. Instead, he might have to count himself lucky if he succeeds only to get as many votes as last time.
Update: I can't confirm most of these names, and the TQS report that was quote to me doesn't seem to exist. There has been some fallout from Francis Chartrand's dismissal as a candidate, but it appears that the story has grown in the telling. I'll keep looking for more solid information.
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