Saturday, August 30, 2008

Blair Wilson to join the Greens?

On the news this morning there was a report that West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country MP Blair Wilson will be joining the Greens. If this really is the case, he then becomes the first Green MP.

I would personally caution the Greens against accepting him because he does come with some taint. He was asked to leave the Liberal caucus because of some financial dealings and issues that were raised. He asked to be readmitted, but the Liberals would not take him back, this says something.

I can see the allure to the Greens of accpeting him because this would mean they are a 'major' party because they have an MP and Elizabeth May should them be allowed to be in the debate. But there are some major down sides to this.

1) the debate does not matter - no one in Canada cares about the debate and no one changes their mind because of it.

2) Having your first MP for a few weeks and then losing him in the general election does not look good.

3) You got to wonder what is wrong with the guy if the Liberals will not take - this is the party of the sponsorship scandal and a long tradition about being veryyyyy flexible when it comes to accepting questionable people into the party. They do not want him. They will take Garth Turner, but not him.

4) He was not elected as a Green and therefore has no mandate to be a Green MP.

5) This just looks like usual politics and I thought that is something the Greens were trying to get beyond.

I will be seeing Elizabeth May this evening here in Victoria and I will be suggesting to her that she not accept him.

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