I suspect that the Prime Minister was aware of the controversy at the local level and the effect it would have in future elections when he removed her from caucus. Between her husband's unregistered "lobbying" and the growing unpopularity of the Guergis brand in Simcoe, it would not be wise to run her under the Tory banner. Good call Mr Prime Minister, always looking several moves down the chess board.
"Tony Guergis received a letter from Helena Guergis, his cousin, touting a green technology company to Simcoe County officials while her husband, Rahim Jaffer, and businessman Nazim Gillani were involved in a plan to take the firm public in a $1 billion deal.
Meanwhile, David Guergis became famous for wanting to dissolve the Nottawasaga Conservation Authority. He drew criticism when it emerged that his wife owned potential development property on a local flood plain."
The controversy from the opposition and media that lasted for four months would have an impact.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how the media and opposition have tried to shift the blame for the PM's decision to remove the MP from cabinet and ultimately the party.
Tony was mired in a land deal controversy that involved his wife the Helena thing didn't have anything top do with his defeat.
ReplyDeleteIceman, just to clarify for those who don't live in Ontario: Simcoe "County" includes the City of Barrie, north of Toronto and Grey-Simcoe Riding where Helena Guergis is the MP.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when the word "county" is missing, it is the Town of Simcoe, a town in southern Ontario near Port Dover and the riding of Haldimand Norfolk where Cons Diane Finlay is the MP.
Why is the north of Toronto riding called Simcoe-Grey? Because it is near Lake Simcoe!
Seems to me that the Town of Simcoe should have precedent, but no one asked me. LOL
Anyway, as Simeon (Sam) says, there were other issues going on in the municipal election that won't have a direct bearing on the federal one to come.
But, hey, its a good analysis anyway!
Sandy, Lake Simcoe and Simcoe County are named after the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada (1791-1796) John Graves Simcoe. I assume the town of Simcoe near lake Erie also bears his namesake.
ReplyDeleteI am from Simcoe County and for the record the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority issue is much deeper then the alleged conflict of interest with the property owned by the Gurgis' in the town of Angus ON.
The NVCA has become a bloated bureaucracy charging people ridiculous assessment fees of up to $500 to put a deck or shed in the 50 year flood plane. They are even charging ridiculous fees to townships for areas already regulated by other Conservation Authorities.
But to your point, I am hoping that Helena who will be having a baby soon, will choose not to run as an independent in Simcoe-Grey to avoid the splitting the vote (as as happened before) and Simcoe-Grey going to the Liberals. Also we currently are in the process of selecting a new Conservative member for Simcoe-Grey.
O/T Iceman. My thanks to Rural and Right and some Trivia for history buffs.
ReplyDeleteLt. Governor Simcoe was a remarkable man. We frequently have John Graves Simcoe re-enactments here in Niagara-on-the-Lake -- originally the capital of Upper Canada and called Newark then.
Of course, Simcoe eventually changed the capital to York -- Toronto -- because of the threat of the American military just across the river.
Mind you, York was eventually attacked and burned. However, in response, the British burned Washington, Buffalo, Lewiston and Black Rock.
And, of course, Simcoe didn't abolish slavery but he did make it illegal. He also expanded settlements and started building a road systems, including Yonge Street in Toronto.
We sometimes think that what is going on at Queen's Park or the House of Commons will not impact future generations. Yet it does, sometimes even the most seemingly uninteresting event.
For example, not far from where I am sitting at this computer, there is Parliament Oak School. Apparently, there used to be a huge oak tree on that property and is precisely where the first parliament met -- under that tree -- because it was too hot to meet in a building.
Anyway, like so many other places named after Simcoe, there is a Simcoe Street in NOTL. ;)
However, I agree that if Guergis runs again as an Independent, she is not likely to win, mainly because she has become either pitied or divisive.