Top Tory dissidents to watch

[PoliticsWatch Posted 5:30 p.m. March 24, 2006]

Conservative MP Myron Thompson

OTTAWA - If a recently leaked e-mail is any indication, Prime Minister Stephen Harper appears committed to keeping his government on the same page and message in this minority Parliament.  

While such a strategy is effective in the corporate world, this is politics and most veteran politicos doubt it can be sustained. 

Parliament Hill is a land of ego, gossip, alliances and grudges. The truth is the most important institution in Canada also has all the drama and some of the same characteristics of a small town high school. 

As it was with the Emerson and Fortier appointments, as Harper moves the party to the centre and probably makes controversial decisions, inevitably some disaffected MPs will speak out and openly counter their own PM. 

Next week, the Tories hold their first caucus meetings on Parliament Hill since the week the Emerson and Fortier appointments were first announced. At that time, reporters could see in the facial expressions and body language of many of the MPs their unhappiness with the whole controversy. 

The following 10 Tory MPs have all the right ingredients and motives to become the new dissidents on Parliament Hill. Some have already spoken out against Harper's controversial appointments. Others haven't but may have been snubbed or have issues down the road that could bring them to openly oppose the government. The list of dissidents is not ideological as it includes MPs from both the PC and Reform wings of the party. Expect these MPs to be the first ones reporters approach as they come out of the Tory caucus room in this Parliament. 

1. Myron Thompson

Age - 69
Years in Parliament - 13
First Elected As - Reform
Current Position - MP Wild Rose (Alberta)

Thompson is one of 12 Conservative MPs who had been on the opposition benches since first being elected with Preston Manning as Reformers back in 1993.  As a backbencher, Thompson appears like he will remain committed to the old Reform principles and is none too happy with the defection of David Emerson and the appointment of Michael Fortier to the Senate. Thompson was one of the few Tory MPs to openly question Emerson's defection to the Conservatives just two weeks after being elected as a Liberal. When asked if Emerson should resign his seat and run in a byelection, Thompson said: "Without the legislation in place to force it, I wouldn't suggest that has to be the case. I would say if he did it it would be the honourable thing to do." Thompson was among 38 current Tory MPs in November to vote in favour of Bill C-251, an NDP motion that would restrict floor crossing moves such as Emerson's. Thompson will likely be a sounding board for reporters in this Parliament who want to know what the party's conservative base thinks of the latest Harper decisions. 

Conservative MP Garth Turner

2. Garth Turner

Age - 57
Years in Parliament - 5
First Elected As - Progressive Conservative
Current Position - MP Halton (Ontario)

"This one MP came face-to-face with the party machine in a series of unhappy meetings including one tonight with the prime minister," Turner wrote on his Weblog on February 9."I think it is now safe to say my career options within the Conservative caucus are seriously limited. If you would like a course on how not to be popular in Ottawa, then take a seat." Turner made headlines earlier this year when he became the most outspoken Tory MP opposed to Emerson's defection, scrumming with reporters and granting numerous television interviews. He's been described as a "maverick," a "renegade," and even a "Harper thorn." For those unfamiliar with Turner, think Carolyn Parrish with a blog and podcasting capabilities. Turner presents a problem for a PMO that appears focused on keeping everyone singing from the same songbook and even limiting media access to cabinet ministers. Turner is committed not to be a clapping seal on the backbench and uses his journalism and communication talents to great effect, sometimes openly describing in vivid detail his disenchantment and run-ins with higher ups on his blog. He made headlines again this week when he issued a news release to announce he had completed an unsolicited budget consultation for Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, which recommends "shelving at least one" of the party's election promises. Which promises are they? Stay tuned. Turner won't reveal that information until next week when reporters are around when the Conservatives hold their national caucus meeting on Parliament Hill. Consider Turner the canary in the coal mine for all potential Tory dissidents.  

Conservative MP Bill Casey

3. Bill Casey

Age - 61
Years in Parliament - 14
First Elected As - Progressive Conservative
Current Position - Cumberland--Colchester
--Musquodoboit Valley (Nova Scotia)

Despite 14 years on Parliament Hill, dating back to the Mulroney era, Casey was not among the three Atlantic MPs named to Harper's cabinet. The party's deputy whip in opposition was not even handed a parliamentary secretary's position. Casey was among a handful of MPs to publicly criticize the Emerson appointment to cabinet. The Canadian Press reported Casey said he was annoyed with Emerson being in charge of the softwood lumber file because of how he had handled it while industry minister with the Liberals.
"I'm not very happy about that, no," he told a Nova Scotia radio station. Also a factor in the friction between Casey and Harper could be his decision in 2004 to be the first MP to publicly support Harper's primary leadership challenger, Belinda Stronach. 

4. James Rajotte

Age - 35
Years in Parliament - 4
First Elected As - Canadian Alliance
Current Position - MP Edmonton - Leduc (Alberta.)

Just three years ago, Rajotte was among a handful of Canadian Alliance MPs who were considered part of the conservative movement's bright future. However, once in government Rajotte was not included as a minister or a parliamentary secretary. To add insult to injury, as the party's industry critic in opposition Rajotte used to tangle daily in question period with Emerson about the Technology Partnerships Canada program and lobbying contingency fees. The exchanges were so heated that at one point Emerson accused Rajotte and other MPs of engaging in "guttersnipes." Just a few months later and Rajotte is now on the outside looking in as Emerson sits at the cabinet table with his boss and colleagues. Rajotte is one of 38 Tory MPs to vote in favour of the NDP motion restricting floor crossing. 

5. Diane Ablonczy

Age - 56
Years in Parliament - 13
First Elected As - Reform
Current Position - Parliamentary Secretary Finance 

Unlike most of the potential dissidents, Albonczy remains a bit of a player in the Harper government despite not being in cabinet. She was appointed parliamentary secretary for Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. Ablonczy's exclusion from cabinet was a major surprise given her past performance, parliamentary experience and gender. So far Ablonczy has been diplomatic about being left out of cabinet, citing geographic factors.  

6. Bob Mills

Age - 64
Years in Parliament - 13
First Elected As - Reform
Current Position - MP Red Deer (Alberta)

Mills served as the environment critic for the Alliance and the Conservatives for five years, but when the Tories came to power his name was not included for cabinet or for a parliamentary secretary's role. As environment critic, Mills was opposed to the Kyoto protocol, at one point comparing it to the gun registry. “If Canadians thought the ill-conceived gun-registry program, now approaching $2-billion, was a blatant waste of taxpayer dollars – just wait. Kyoto spending will become the biggest black hole in Canadian history,” Mills said last March. But now the Conservative's environment minister is Rona Ambrose, who recently said Canada will not opt out of the Kyoto accord.  

7. Maurice Vellacott

Age - 50
Years in Parliament - 9
First Elected As - Reform
Current Position - Saskatoon--Wanuskewin (Saskatchewan)

Vellacott is a social conservative whose views will be sought out as Harper attempts to move the Conservatives to the middle. Vellacott was also one of the few MPs to openly criticize the Emerson and Fortier appointments to cabinet. "I understand well the pragmatics of it in terms of having a good representative from the Vancouver area," he said about Emerson. "But if you want me to be honest, I've got a bit of an uncomfortable feel about it." Vellacott also supported the motion banning floor crossing. 

8. Rob Merrifield

Age - 52
Years in Parliament - 6
First Elected As  - Canadian Alliance
Current Position - MP Yellowhead (Alberta)

Merrifield was demoted after the 2004 election after comments he made to a Globe and Mail reporter about counselling for women who wanted an abortion were torqued into a scary front-page headline. Merrifield's comments were similar to those then prime minister Paul Martin made a few days earlier on the campaign trail, but somehow became part of the hidden agenda campaign successfully used against the Tories by the media and the Liberals. After the election, Merrifield was not included in Harper's shadow cabinet. He had previously been the party's health critic. Recently, Merrifield expressed his displeasure with Harper's decision to pick Emerson when he told his local paper, "I have very little respect for that. Mr. Emerson has to do some answering to his people."

9. Norman Doyle

Age - 60
Years in Parliament - 9
First Elected As - Progressive Conservative
Current Position - MP St. John's East (Newfoundland-Labrador)

Doyle was the party's national caucus chair, but now finds himself without a role after the Conservatives appointed -- not elected -- popular MP Rahim Jaffer to Doyle's old job. 

10. James Moore

Age - 29
Years in Parliament - 6
First Elected As  - Canadian Alliance
Current Position - Parliamentary Secretary Public Works

Moore was on everyone's list to be in cabinet, but when Harper unveiled his picks he was shut out. Yet he finds himself in the centre of the whole Emerson-Fortier fiasco, as many believe Emerson has his B.C. seat at the cabinet table and he will have to field questions for Fortier in the House of Commons as his parliamentary secretary while the minister is down the hall in the Senate. Making things more interesting for Moore in fielding questions for an unelected senator is his documented support for an elected Senate. "I believe in free elections for the Senate, free votes for the House, open nomination contests in parties, empowering Canadians with ballot initiatives, curbing the power of cabinet to stifle free speech and free votes," he said during a debate on proportional representation in 2003. The speech is still on Moore's Web site. He also proposed a private member's bill that would make it impermissible for the prime minister to appoint senators for provinces that have Senate election laws. 

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