Dion defends Beatty appointment

Dion defends Beatty appointment
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 9, 2008 | 11:40 AM CT
CBC News

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion is trying to diffuse the controversy over his direct appointment of Joan Beatty as a candidate in a northern Saskatchewan riding.

"It's always difficult for me to decide to appoint someone," Dion said. "I need to have good reasons. And I had very good reasons in the case of Joan Beatty."

Two other people were interested in representing the Liberals in the upcoming Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River byelection, including organic farmer David Orchard and educator John Dorion. If the normal procedure had continued, there would have been a vote at a nomination meeting.

But last week, Dion short-circuited the process by nominating Beatty, a New Democrat MLA and a minister in former premier Lorne Calvert's cabinet.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2008/01/09/beatty.html

Well at lest Martha doesn't have to worry, at least right now.

Kennedy may want to watch out. Seems like the old guard is in control. At least until they have only two seats in Parliament. May take awhile. But there will be other parties to rise to the occasion.

Because of David Orchard, I voted for Dion in the run-up to the leadership, even though I live in Gerard Kennedy's old riding. And Dion has the leadership at least partly because of the something like 150 delegates Orchard obtained for him. I put it to Mr Dion in an email that I expected him to show some gratitude for this, by allowing Orchard to at least seek the nomination democratically. I also asked him whether my vote for him had been misplaced, and if so, whether I should vote for the NDP incumbent in Parkdale-High Park instead.

Oh well, I suppose supporters of David Orchard are by now pretty much used to David's getting stabbed in the back.

I don't care for this move by Dion, either.

Wouldn't be there if not for David. Kennedy would have been the man up the middle.

Dion now is left with Martha and Kennedy. They must know by now that they can not rely on his backing. He will not stand up to the old guard.

What will now most likely happen is the Chretien/Martin groups will battle to be the winners and throw wrenches into Dion's path. He will now find very few willing to support him.