Nova Scotia Liberal Party LEADERSHIP NEWS

As the federal race kicks into high gear and heads for a dramatic, intense and absolutely captivating and riveting finish in Montréal in December, Nova Scotia's Liberal Party prepares to begin another leadership race.

So far, there are many intriguing rumors as to who will run, and some big names are emerging.

Michael Savage, the Darthmouth-Cole Harbour MP and son of former Nova Scotia Liberal Premier John Savage, is seriously considering going provincial to follow in his father's footsteps.

www.mikesavage.ca

Metro MLA Diana Whalen is also considering as are Halifax West MP Geoff Regan (another Grit Premier's son), West Nova MP Robert Thibault, and Interim Leader Michel Samson.

Annapolis MLA Stephen McNeil is also considering entering the race.

AND, as a Nova Scotia based blog, Atlantic Grit will be on the ground and on the inside delivering YOU all the inside information and developments as Nova Scotia's Provincial Party prepares to select the next Premier of the province.

ATLANTIC GRIT IS YOUR LIBERAL SOURCE FOR THE LATEST NEWS ON THE NOVA SCOTIA LIBERAL LEADERSHIP RACE.

Garth Turner Should Become a Liberal

New independent MP Garth Turner, who was banished from the Tories for standing up for his consituents and doing the job an MP is supposed to do, is considering joining the Green Party and thus becomming Canada's first Green Member of Parliament.

First of all, I am aware of the closeness between Green Leader Elizabeth May and Mr. Turner, but the Green Party is not the right fit for Garth Turner's views.

When it comes to the economy, the environment and foreign affairs, Garth Turner fits nicely in the Liberal Party.

I strongly encourage Garth Turner to join the Liberal Party and urge all Liberals to contact him and urge him to do so.

The old Progressive Tories don't belong in Harper's party, they don't have a home anymore. It's time to join the Liberals as Stronach, Brison and Orchard have already done. Let's add Turner to that list, by doing so, we can errode some of Harper's support and make our party the voice of all progressive Canadians.

Paul Summerville Ditches NDP for the Liberals

Leading Economist and former NDP candidate in St. Paul's, Paul Summerville has left the NDP for the Liberal Party and leaves with a stinging attack on Jack Layton at the NDP Convention in Québec.

I am very pleased that Mr. Summerville has decided to join the Liberal Party. The goal of Liberals must be to render the NDP an irrelevent and useless entity so that we can own the centre-left vote. A split among progressives only helps Stephen Harper.

Read Paul Summerville's Blog


Story from The Globe and Mail

Economist Paul Summerville, who ran for the NDP in the Toronto riding of
St. Paul's, said he was leaving the party because the leadership would not
counter the strong "anti-market rhetoric" from the grassroots. Mr. Summerville
said he hopes to attend the Liberal leadership convention in Montreal as a
supporter of Bob Rae, the former NDP premier of Ontario.

Mr. Summerville, a former chief economist for RBC Dominion Securities, said
the party's economic resolutions led him to leave the NDP.
"I think the
leadership of the party needs to make a statement that the market economy is not
a necessary evil," he said in an interview. "The anti-market rhetoric makes it a
place where I would not be comfortable."

CANADIANS ARE DYING FOR NOTHING

Our men and women fighting in Afghanistan are coming home in body bags and flag-draped coffins for what? The answer is what many feared - nothing.

Let me point out these quotes from an Afghani Member of Parliament, Malalai Joya. She said at the NDP Convention in Québec that Canadian soldiers are fighting to sustain a government that includes murderers, rapists, drug-dealers and warlords.

Joya, the youngest member of the Afghan national parliament says the new government is just as repressive as the Taliban and is even more dangerous because it has powerful international support (Bush's America, Blair's Britain and Harper's Canada).

"They are like brothers of the Taliban and this is the main reason why the security situation in Afghanistan is getting worse and worse," Joya said in an interview.

She says she has survived four assassination attempts for denouncing the warlords, and has been heckled in parliament with cries of, "Rape her," and with shouted threats that she would be stabbed to death at lunchtime.

She earned a standing ovation from NDP delegates when she said in a speech that "no nation can donate liberation to another nation. . .Contrary to the propaganda in certain Western media, Afghan women and men are not 'liberated' at all."

Read the full article at Maclean's

Also, let me point out that Afghan President Hamid Karzai has re-instated the Taliban-era government department known as the "Ministry of Morality" - the one responsible for the opression of women and children, forcing men to wear beards, banning TV and radio, organizing and promoting the rape of women.

This is what Canadian men and women are dying for. It is time for Canada to Support the Troops - and pull them out of Afghanistan. Hopefully the Liberal Party can stop being divided on this issue and take a strong anti-war stance and hold the Harper government to account.

And if you still don't believe this mission must be ended, in a shocking admission, Conservative Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor (a staunch right-wing war hawk and former General) says that the Taliban cannot be defeated militarily and will never be eliminated.

Imagine if it was your son or daughter, brother or sister, mother or father who died in Afghanistan - what are Canadians dying for? Is it worth it? Ask yourselves the tough questions.

Support Our Troops - Bring them Home in one piece, before they come home in a body bag.


Take a Stand Liberal Party, oppose this war, oppose Stephen Harper and George Bush.

Condolences

Bloc Quebecois MP Benoit Sauvageau has been killed in a tragic car accident in his Montreal-area riding.

Condolences to his family and friends in this time of great mourning.

Benoit Sauvageau was only 42 and was first elected in 1993.

Full Details from CTV.ca

Straight Talk Politics

The Hill Times, an online political newspaper has an exclusive interview with Liberal Leadership candidate Scott Brison.

Every time I listen to Brison or read about him, I am impressed. If any of the candidates have the ability to grow in terms of support before December, it is Brison.

One of the things that impresses me about Brison is his straight talk. He tells it like it is, doesn't mince words and is confident in what he is saying. He reminds of Frank McKenna in that respect.

Frank McKenna Donates to Brison

The former heir to Paul Martin, former New Brunswick Premier and Ambassador to the United States Frank McKenna has donated a whopping $3,000 to Scott Brison's Liberal Leadership campaign.

Recently, Brison attended an event with McKenna and former U.S. President Bill Clinton. The event is an annual one and Brison has been a guest there for the last two times.

If money talks, then McKenna backs Brison.

Brison Ready to Take On Harper and Layton

Federal Liberal Leadership candidate Scott Brison is ready to go toe to toe with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and NDP Leader Jack Layton in an election - if he becomes the next leader of the Liberal Party.

You can read the article here.

I have to say, that throughout this campaign, Scott Brison has been the only candidate that I has grown on me and that has consistently impressed me. Scott Brison just might be the next big thing for Liberals...

Two Excellent Articles Everyone Should Read

In The Chronicle-Herald, Harry Bruce refutes Harper's recent partisan attacks against the Liberal Party and leadership frontrunner Michael Ignatieff with this witty, well-informed and scathing article - An article every Liberal should read

And in the Toronto Star, Alexandre Trudeau (son of Pierre) has an eloquent, touching and beautiful article about Fidel Castro. Love Castro or despise him, this article by Trudeau is a must read

Reisman and Schwartz Bolt to Tories

By now, most Liberals are aware that two prominent Liberals and lifeling party backers, Heather Reisman (Chapters/Indigo) and Gerry Schwartz (Onex Corp.) have defected to the Conservatives for only one reason: Harper's unwavering support Israel's campaign in Lebanon.

This has created quite a stir among Liberals, myself included. The defection of Reisman and Schwartz is a huge blow to our party and it comes at an inoportune time.

In my opinion, Reisman and Schwartz are opportunists who must have other reasons for making the switch and are using Israel as a likely excuse. Perhaps their views are better represented by Harper's Neocons or maybe they believe that the tides are turning in Canada and that the Liberal Party is finished.

Whatever their reasons are, they are wrong. Leaving a party over one issue is simply preposterous.

The Liberal Party is not anti-Israel. The Liberal party is not neutral between Israel and Hezbollah, the Liberal Party supports Israel's right to exist and right to defend itself 100% as everyone should.

However, we must call for a ceasefire, to end this conflict before more innocent lives are lost. Israel is only endangering its security by annihilating Lebanon. That is what the Liberal Party stands for.

Reisman and Schwartz have shown themselves to be pure, political opportunists and quite frankly the Liberal Party is better off without them.

I urge all Jewish Liberals to remain in the Liberal Party and all Jewish people in Canada to continue their support for the party.

All Liberals support Israel, all Liberals support the innocent Lebanese people and all Liberals stand for peace.