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Former Canadian Forces general Andrew Leslie will carry the Liberal banner in Ottawa-Orléans in next year’s federal election, but his nomination Saturday was marred by a chaotic and divisive scene in which police had to break up a noisy scuffle.
Leslie, an advisor to Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, was acclaimed by Liberals in the riding as their candidate for the election.
But the event turned into a political embarrassment for Leslie when his only rival, Ottawa lawyer David Bertschi, showed up with some angry supporters to complain that the party had acted undemocratically last month in disqualifying him from seeking the nomination.
“Shame, shame, shame,” some of those Liberals chanted as it became clear that Leslie was about to be acclaimed without a fight from his rival.
Leslie, in a speech to the tension-filled hall, urged the Liberals to put aside their differences and work together to defeat the local Conservative MP, Royal Galipeau, and the governing Tories.
“I understand that emotions are running high,” he said.
“I extend a hand of friendship to every citizen of Orléans, especially to all members of the Liberal family.”
Leslie offered to meet with anyone in the room to discuss their concerns and how he hopes to represent them.
The new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, picks a torn Liberal membership card thrown on stage by disgruntled member, Judith Holtzhauer, at his acclamation during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014..
Judith Holtzhauer, an angry member of the Liberal party, tears up her membership card as the the new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, speaks at his acclamation during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014.
The new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, speaks at his acclamation during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014.
David Bertschi, right, watches as the the new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, speaks at his acclamation during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014. Bertschi was not allowed to run against Leslie.
The new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, speaks at his acclamation during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014.
A woman waves a Canada flag in protest to the acclamation of the new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, as he speaks during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014.
“Today, we are a team, we are a family. Yes, there has been some tensions in the family. This is natural. It’s actually healthy. It shows that there is passion, there is fire.”
Leslie’s remarks were cheered by many Liberals who gave him a standing ovation, while others angrily sat in their seats.
Bertschi ran for the Liberals in the riding in 2011, losing to Galipeau, and also made a long-shot bid in the leadership contest won by Trudeau in 2013.
Last week, he filed an appeal with an internal Liberal Party appeal committee, challenging the party’s decision to revoke his candidacy.
Bertschi had originally been approved to seek the nomination by the Liberal “green light” committee. But campaign co-chairs Katie Telford and Dan Gagnier last month wrote to him to say his approval had been revoked.
Their letter referred to unpaid campaign debts that Bertschi had run up in his leadership campaign and a defamation lawsuit he had launched against a U.S. gossip website.
Under party rules, the campaign chairs have final say on who can run. Bertschi called the decision “back-room, strong-arm politics” and filed an appeal. He said that his debts were being paid down in accordance with Elections Canada rules and noted that the libel action had been abandoned.
Bertschi’s supporters were clearly unhappy about the party’s actions and shouted at the moderator of the meeting Saturday, trying to disrupt the proceedings.
“That’s what we call an open and fair nomination,” shouted one woman in ridicule of the event.
During the meeting, Bertschi stood at the side of the hall but ran into a melee in the middle of the room to help assist a police officer break up two angry people who scuffled over a Canadian flag.
Bertschi told the Citizen the event was anti-democratic and that although he is a long-time Liberal, he is now “leaving my options open” on whether to support the party because Trudeau has informed him in a letter that he is not prepared to let him run in any riding.
“This is not the Liberal party I have been part of my whole life and I’m disappointed,” said Bertschi. “I’m numb. I believe in democracy.”
Judith Holtzhauer, who said she has voted Liberal for the past 40 years, ripped up her Liberal party membership card and threw it at Leslie’s feet as he left the stage after delivering his speech.
“This is unbelievably undemocratic,” she told the Citizen.
“There are many of us who perhaps would have voted for him if we had a democratic process. But to have somebody parachuted in, it’s just not a possibility.”
In his speech, Leslie spoke of the need to defeat Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government and also provide strong representation to the voters of Orléans.
“Why don’t you live here,” someone from the crowd fired back.
“Go back to Rockcliffe,” shouted another.
Leslie acknowledged to the crowd that he doesn’t live in the riding, but said he is an “Ottawa East boy”.
“I’ve been around the world a couple of times. I’ve fought for my country. I believe in public service and Orléans is where I belong.”
Leslie was led out of the hall accompanied by supporters and as uniformed police officers kept watch on the adjoining hallways.
At a news conference after the event, he said nominations can sometimes get emotional and that about just 10 per cent of those in the hall had expressed their “displeasure.”
He said his main task now is to reach out and bring people together into “one cohesive group.”
Leslie said he lives about three kilometres outside the riding he hopes to represent as an MP— a home he moved to after leaving the Canadian Forces — but that he is certainly “open” to someday moving directly into the riding.
He said he believes he could have beaten Bertschi had there been a contest, and that he still believes it was an open nomination because everyone had to go through the green light committee.
“I have faith in the Liberal party and the mechanisms they have in place to process the nomination candidates.
“It turned out in the end that I was the only one that had all the conditions for the green light process.”
Trudeau named Leslie to his panel of foreign affairs advisers last year. In February, Leslie, 56, said he had been courted by several parties to run for office, though he wouldn’t say which ones.
He is now considered a star candidate for the Liberals, who want to present Canadian voters with a strong “team” in next year’s election that can easily be turned into a credible cabinet if Trudeau becomes prime minister.
mkennedy@ottawacitizen.com
Twitter.com/Mark_Kennedy_
查看原文...
Leslie, an advisor to Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, was acclaimed by Liberals in the riding as their candidate for the election.
But the event turned into a political embarrassment for Leslie when his only rival, Ottawa lawyer David Bertschi, showed up with some angry supporters to complain that the party had acted undemocratically last month in disqualifying him from seeking the nomination.
“Shame, shame, shame,” some of those Liberals chanted as it became clear that Leslie was about to be acclaimed without a fight from his rival.
Leslie, in a speech to the tension-filled hall, urged the Liberals to put aside their differences and work together to defeat the local Conservative MP, Royal Galipeau, and the governing Tories.
“I understand that emotions are running high,” he said.
“I extend a hand of friendship to every citizen of Orléans, especially to all members of the Liberal family.”
Leslie offered to meet with anyone in the room to discuss their concerns and how he hopes to represent them.
The new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, picks a torn Liberal membership card thrown on stage by disgruntled member, Judith Holtzhauer, at his acclamation during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014..
Judith Holtzhauer, an angry member of the Liberal party, tears up her membership card as the the new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, speaks at his acclamation during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014.
The new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, speaks at his acclamation during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014.
David Bertschi, right, watches as the the new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, speaks at his acclamation during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014. Bertschi was not allowed to run against Leslie.
The new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, speaks at his acclamation during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014.
A woman waves a Canada flag in protest to the acclamation of the new Liberal candidate for Ottawa-Orleans, Andrew Leslie, as he speaks during a Liberal nomination meeting in Orleans Saturday, December 6, 2014.
“Today, we are a team, we are a family. Yes, there has been some tensions in the family. This is natural. It’s actually healthy. It shows that there is passion, there is fire.”
Leslie’s remarks were cheered by many Liberals who gave him a standing ovation, while others angrily sat in their seats.
Bertschi ran for the Liberals in the riding in 2011, losing to Galipeau, and also made a long-shot bid in the leadership contest won by Trudeau in 2013.
Last week, he filed an appeal with an internal Liberal Party appeal committee, challenging the party’s decision to revoke his candidacy.
Bertschi had originally been approved to seek the nomination by the Liberal “green light” committee. But campaign co-chairs Katie Telford and Dan Gagnier last month wrote to him to say his approval had been revoked.
Their letter referred to unpaid campaign debts that Bertschi had run up in his leadership campaign and a defamation lawsuit he had launched against a U.S. gossip website.
Under party rules, the campaign chairs have final say on who can run. Bertschi called the decision “back-room, strong-arm politics” and filed an appeal. He said that his debts were being paid down in accordance with Elections Canada rules and noted that the libel action had been abandoned.
Bertschi’s supporters were clearly unhappy about the party’s actions and shouted at the moderator of the meeting Saturday, trying to disrupt the proceedings.
“That’s what we call an open and fair nomination,” shouted one woman in ridicule of the event.
During the meeting, Bertschi stood at the side of the hall but ran into a melee in the middle of the room to help assist a police officer break up two angry people who scuffled over a Canadian flag.
Bertschi told the Citizen the event was anti-democratic and that although he is a long-time Liberal, he is now “leaving my options open” on whether to support the party because Trudeau has informed him in a letter that he is not prepared to let him run in any riding.
“This is not the Liberal party I have been part of my whole life and I’m disappointed,” said Bertschi. “I’m numb. I believe in democracy.”
Judith Holtzhauer, who said she has voted Liberal for the past 40 years, ripped up her Liberal party membership card and threw it at Leslie’s feet as he left the stage after delivering his speech.
“This is unbelievably undemocratic,” she told the Citizen.
“There are many of us who perhaps would have voted for him if we had a democratic process. But to have somebody parachuted in, it’s just not a possibility.”
In his speech, Leslie spoke of the need to defeat Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government and also provide strong representation to the voters of Orléans.
“Why don’t you live here,” someone from the crowd fired back.
“Go back to Rockcliffe,” shouted another.
Leslie acknowledged to the crowd that he doesn’t live in the riding, but said he is an “Ottawa East boy”.
“I’ve been around the world a couple of times. I’ve fought for my country. I believe in public service and Orléans is where I belong.”
Leslie was led out of the hall accompanied by supporters and as uniformed police officers kept watch on the adjoining hallways.
At a news conference after the event, he said nominations can sometimes get emotional and that about just 10 per cent of those in the hall had expressed their “displeasure.”
He said his main task now is to reach out and bring people together into “one cohesive group.”
Leslie said he lives about three kilometres outside the riding he hopes to represent as an MP— a home he moved to after leaving the Canadian Forces — but that he is certainly “open” to someday moving directly into the riding.
He said he believes he could have beaten Bertschi had there been a contest, and that he still believes it was an open nomination because everyone had to go through the green light committee.
“I have faith in the Liberal party and the mechanisms they have in place to process the nomination candidates.
“It turned out in the end that I was the only one that had all the conditions for the green light process.”
Trudeau named Leslie to his panel of foreign affairs advisers last year. In February, Leslie, 56, said he had been courted by several parties to run for office, though he wouldn’t say which ones.
He is now considered a star candidate for the Liberals, who want to present Canadian voters with a strong “team” in next year’s election that can easily be turned into a credible cabinet if Trudeau becomes prime minister.
mkennedy@ottawacitizen.com
Twitter.com/Mark_Kennedy_
查看原文...
