Monday, August 01, 2011

Craig Chandler Supports the Liberals

This week's sign of the apocalypse - an e-mail sent out today by Craig Chandler to all PGIB members:

From: "PGIB Head Office"
Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2011 11:33:02 -0600
To: Craig Chandler

ReplyTo: "PGIB Head Office"
Subject: A Serious Leadership Message For Albertans! - This Email Is URGENT In Nature - NOW

PLEASE VOTE IN THE ALBERTA LIBERAL LEADERSHIP RACE
Seriously! This Is NOT A Joke!

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Dear Friends,

I know when you read the words above you almost had a heart attack and were scared, been there, done that. I actually threw up about the whole situation. Folks, you know me and I am as solidly small 'c' conservative as they come, thus, I am asking for your trust. After the initial shock of seeing a Progressive Group for Independent Business (PGIB) logo promoting that you take part in a Liberal leadership race and actually read this letter, you will understand.

[...]

However, the main reason for our letter to you is because we think we need to hedge our bets. With the Alberta Progressive Conservative and the Wildrose Alliance Parties splitting each others vote, this forces us to have a well thought out strategy for the upcoming election. If the wrong person becomes leader of the Alberta Liberal Party and the party manages to crawl up the middle and form government, we are in serious, serious trouble as a province!

That is why we are asking you to register to support Bill Harvey who is seeking to become leader of the Alberta Liberal Party. I know what you are thinking, but, keep reading as this is really, really important for the future of this province. You do not have to be a member of the Alberta Liberal Party to vote so this is a real opportunity for the movement.

Bill Harvey is a long time PGIB member and his views are Classical Liberal in flavour or as what we refer to in the modern day as small 'c' conservative. Bill Harvey's policies of less government, lower taxes and political accountability are of the fiscally responsible Laurence Decore era. His view on eliminating Section 3 of the Alberta Human Rights Commission show that he values freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Bill Harvey's policies on putting Alberta first with an Alberta Provincial Police force, controlling our own immigration to his promotion of a Triple E Senate and defense of our oil & gas industry show that he will be a defender of the west.

What is also refreshing about Bill Harvey is that he is NOT a federa l Liberal! How anyone could be supporter of a party that is the enemy of this province is beyond me?


For those not familiar with Alberta politics, Craig Chandler is a colourful fellow who does things like organize fundraisers where you can shoot your gun at Liberal logos. In 2007, he was stripped of his PC nomination in Calgary Egmont in response to comments where he basically said Albertans should either "adapt" and vote Conservative, or leave the province. You can read a good recap of that saga here. These days, Craig runs the PGIB - the Progressive Group of Independent Business who are basically against everything progressive.

Well, it appears Craig himself has adapted, and is now supporting the Liberals and urging PGIB members to do likewise, in a bid to elect Bill Harvey ALP leader.

We'll find out in September how effective they've been, but this will make for an excellent case study in the impact of the primary system. As you'll recall, the ALP opened their doors to all Albertans in May, switching to a system where you didn't need a party membership to vote for the leader, or nominate candidates.

Many federal Liberals have been musing about this idea, and it seems likely the question will come to a vote at the January convention. I'm a huge proponent of open primaries, but detractors almost all point to the potential for takeover from right wing groups as the downside. If Harvey wins in Alberta or comes close, that would pretty much kill the idea of a primary system federally. However, if an organizationally weak Alberta Liberal Party can withstand the PGIB assault in Conservative heartland, it would be a clear sign that the federal Liberals have nothing to fear from opening their doors to all Canadians.

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12 Comments:

  • Beat you by a good ten minutes!

    A HArvey win would also kill the Alta Libs, I would think.

    By Blogger bigcitylib, at 3:44 p.m.  

  • Actually, Stelmach's and the party executives' decision to toast Chandler as a candidate had little (nothing) to do with the comments about changing your political views if you wanted to live here and much (everything) to do with the issue of what went on when he was heading the Concerned Christians of Canada (or whatever it was called).

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:04 p.m.  

  • This Chandler character reminds me of Howard Stern trying to get all his listeners to vote for the worst singer on American Idol. Stern's hope was to discredit that show. I think Chandler wants to discredit the Alberta Liberal Party by suggesting that the least liberal person lead the party.

    By Blogger Skinny Dipper, at 5:14 p.m.  

  • In the 2003 PC leadership race, Chandler registered something like 1% of the vote. And this was a moribund party with a tiny membership base, that should have been easy to hijack (Orchard was able to make himself kingmaker, for instance).

    An open primary race will increase the power of certain interest over the Alberta Liberal party. But these will be groups able to mobilize large numbers of people, not small ones like the PGIB.

    By Anonymous hosertohoosier, at 11:27 a.m.  

  • When Chandler ran for the 2003 PC leadership race he never even was on the ballot in the end. Craig withdrew.

    Chandler never ran to win, but, to make a point and it was made. In only 24 hours PGIB members wired $250,000 to Chandler and his mission was accomplished.

    PGIB has alot of clout in Alberta and over 6,000 members. hosertohoosier has no idea who the group is or what it is capable of.

    By Anonymous Jen Mahy, at 5:17 p.m.  

  • Awesome, Jen (if that's your real name). Nice to see that PGIB continues its policy of posting vaguely threating comments on blogs. I've seen what you're capable of and frankly, I'm more afraid of my three year old because he occasionally kicks me in the nuts. Craig and his minions have all the intimidation factor of of an arthritic bunny rabbit.

    By Anonymous Colour me unimpressed, at 5:49 p.m.  

  • The only thing Craig Chandler has ever supported is Craig Chandler.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:47 p.m.  

  • All I have done and or PGIB has done is help promote good policies and get good people elected.

    It would be nice to see the left debate me on the merits of the policies we espouse instead of constantly resorting to the rusty artillery of abuse.

    It is fine to disagree with someone, it would just be nice to have it done in a mature manner.

    By Anonymous Craig B. Chandler, at 6:53 p.m.  

  • Aw, poor Craig. Persecuted and misunderstood. Just like Christ. Do you think telling people to think like you or leave is a good policy? It's not just the left who rejects you and your policies, Craig. It was the PCs in December 2007, and it was the Wildrose in December 2007 (when you ran a slate at their founding meeting) and again in 2009 when your boy was annihilated by Danielle. You just don't get it and neither does your little crew. Alberta is, thank God, a tolerant and diverse society. So you can espouse your nonsense and we can just shake our heads and go about our business.

    I like the "rusty artillery of abuse" line though. Very nice turn of phrase.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:11 p.m.  

  • Just about all I've carried out as well as or even PGIB has been doing is actually assist market great guidelines and obtain great individuals chosen.

    It might be good to determine the actual remaining discussion me personally about the value from the guidelines all of us espouse rather than continuously turning towards the rustic artillery associated with misuse.


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