Angry in the Great White North

Green Party leader Elizabeth May is considering running in a by-election in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, and already being subjected to criticism:

Conservative MP Larry Miller says it would be a poor decision for Green party leader Elizabeth May to run in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, as most area voters prefer someone local to represent them in Ottawa.

Local Liberal riding association president John Close had plenty of criticism to dish out when told yesterday about May's consideration of Bruce-Grey- Owen Sound for the next election.

"As a member of the constituency, I feel quite offended by parachute candidates. I think we should all be concerned," he said.

I have to wonder why John Close would say that.  I understand why Larry Miller would have such a narrow view of who could best represent Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound.  He's just a Conservative, and probably doesn't read much.

But John Close is a Liberal.  Doesn't he know that having see Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound from the outside doesn't make Elizabeth May any less suited to represent Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound than someone who has lived there for, say, 34 years?

On an unrelated topic, Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff thinks that spending 34 years outside of Canada and telling people he's an American should not be a cause of concern for people:

The fact that he has "seen Canada from the outside," as a writer, teacher, and reporter does not make him less of a Canadian, Ignatieff told members of the Labourers' International Union of North America and other representatives of the construction industry.

Hey, maybe it's not so unrelated after all.  I wonder if John Close can explain why people in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound would be offended by Elizabeth May and not be offended by Michael Ignatieff.