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Wajid Khan to Cross Floor?

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posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 04:04 PM
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Stephen Taylor, one of the best political bloggers in Canada, has posted that Wajid Khan, Liberal MP for the riding of Missisauga-Streetsville, will be crossing the floor tomorrow to join the Conservative Party. Wajid Khan is Stephen Harper's Special Advisor to the Middle East and Afghanistan and is reported to be be joining as a backbencher to avoid bad press.



Khan is expected to make a formal announcement tomorrow and will likely describe that he is switching parties because of the "values" that the Prime Minister represents.

www.stephentaylor.ca...


This would make Khan the second Liberal MP to cross the floor since the election. Good thing that no-floor crossing law the Conservatives wanted before the election didn't pass.

Do you think our elected politicians should be allowed to cross the floor or should they be required to sit as Independants until the next election?



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 05:04 PM
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Originally posted by Duzey
Do you think our elected politicians should be allowed to cross the floor or should they be required to sit as Independants until the next election?


Well, as problematic as our system already is, I believe this only adds to it. A major hurdle in our political system, is the fundamental make up of it. Do I vote for the party? Do I vote for the individual? Sometimes we find ourselves voting for the party, rather than the individual. If this is the case, I see a major problem here. I don't agree with MP's crossing over. If you wish to exit the party you are currently affiliated with, the party you have been voted in for, then you should remain as an independent until the next election.

What of the people to whom he represents? They voted in a Liberal MP. What they are receiving is a Conservative MP.

I know if my Member of Parliament stood up and crossed, I would be spitting fire. I consider the future of the Liberal party to be a bright one. If I voted for you as a Liberal, then you better damn represent me and my fellow voters, as a Liberal.

What are your thoughts Duzey?



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 05:51 PM
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I'm with you on this one.

I think that if an MP does not wish to sit with the party that they were elected under, they should resign from the party and sit as an Independant. It's not fair to the people who voted for them. The MP could still make his intentions for the next election known and say 'Next time, I'm with the other guys', but until that election, they should stay with the party or sit alone.

I would welcome legislation to prevent floor-crossing.

Even my beloved Belinda S. should have sat as an Independant, instead of joining the Liberals.


To fulfill my cliche quota for the week - You dance with the one that brung you. Sadly, that only seems to apply to the people who donated money to you, not the ones who actually voted you in.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 05:55 PM
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Originally posted by Duzey
You dance with the one that brung you.


That quote alone should fulfill your quota for the week.


With the juggling of cabinet today, our Political heads have been all over the radio. I've heard a few reports that we could see a Spring election.

The forum will be quite busy.




[edit on 4-1-2007 by chissler]



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 06:26 PM
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Originally posted by chissler
The forum will be quite busy.

That would be nice.
And so would an election.

I tried to make a post about the cabinet shuffle, but I kept confusing myself. I went with the political rumour instead.


We'll find out tomorrow if Stephen Taylor is as tuned into all things Conservative as I think he is. He's one of the bloggers that broke the Income Trust scandal.



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 09:34 PM
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Time will tell.

Either way, I think this is going to hurt Khan in the long run. Even if he were a Conservative who jumped to the Liberal ship, could you truly trust him? If he turned his back on a party in the past, who is to say he won't do it again in the future? His ties obviously did not run too deep, and the guy capable of being persuaded.

However, his last two election wins were quite decisive to say the least. Winning by over 20%, and over 10%, in each election. But in the same breath it appears he had supported Joltin' Joe Volpe early on in the Liberal Leadership Race.

Is it common for a non party member to be appointed a special advisor to the Prime Minister?

[edit on 4-1-2007 by chissler]



posted on Jan, 4 2007 @ 10:07 PM
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It's not common. It's usually senators, past politicians of the same stripe, federal employees and businessmen. Khan is the first opposition MP that was given an appointment as Special Advisor, to the best of my knowledge.

In a way, Khan's move wipes out the goodness that came from his appointment. By being a Liberal MP and a Special Advisor to Harper at the same time, he made it look like Harper could put partisan politics aside and look at experience and credentials. It would have been a nice selling point for an election and it was a smart move for Harper to appoint him.

Khan could be peeved over the fact that he had to resign from the Liberal caucus over his appointment, but I think that was a reasonable request from his party.

Belinda got re-elected after crossing the floor, so I'm not sure how much it will hurt him, if this even happens. I'm just a shameless Belinda fan, however.



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 06:48 AM
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Dion has told Khan that he can't be a Special Advisor to Harper and be a Liberal MP at the same time.



Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion says he won't allow Mississauga MP Wajid Khan to keep serving as a "special adviser" to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Calling it "bizarre" for a Liberal MP to be advising a Conservative prime minister, Dion said it's time for Khan to choose his political team.

...snip...

"You can't have a foot in the government and a foot in the opposition," Dion told reporters yesterday.

"He needs to choose. I hope he will stay with us,"

www.thestar.com...

If he has been given an ultimatum, I think it is more than likely we should hear an announcement in the next few hours that Wajid Khan has become a Conservative MP. Lord knows, I don't react well to ultimatums and I don't expect Khan will either.

If there was an ultimatum at all. This could just be the Liberals trying to put a good face on a defection.

Edited to add this little ditty by Little Texas:



Take your time and watch your step
You'd better get it right
Or you'll get left behind
The way you're dancin' I can tell
That someone else is on your mind

You'd better dance with the one that brung ya
You'd better hold on to the one that loves you
You'd better turn around before we're through
And dance with the one that brung ya
You'd better dance

And that sparkle in your wanderin' eye
Has struck you blind as far as I can see
Take one step back and look again
You're gonna leave with him
Or stay with me

www.cowboylyrics.com...




[edit on 5-1-2007 by Duzey]



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 08:20 AM
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Originally posted by Duzey
If there was an ultimatum at all. This could just be the Liberals trying to put a good face on a defection.


That is some creative thinking. I think you may have something here, I mean, for Dion to give a public ultimatum, it just seems odd. This would work for all parties involved. Liberals make a strong stance and parted ways with their MP on public terms that seem logical, Khan comes off as less of a traitor, and the Conservatives obviously reap the benefits of another MP. Not an ideal solution, but far greater than the alternative.


chissler fights the urge to sing some Little Texas

......Sometimes you gotta Kick Alittle!



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 09:14 AM
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Well, thank you.
I suspect that what I posted is a little closer to the truth than what we got from The Star, but that's just me.

Harper has called a news conference for later today, which leads me to believe that the Conservative Party has a new MP they would like to show off.



posted on Jan, 5 2007 @ 09:22 AM
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And just that fast, it's a done deal.



Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative minority government has received a boost thanks to the defection of Toronto-area Liberal Wajid Khan.

Khan, who has been serving as Harper’s special adviser on the Middle East and Afghanistan since last summer, is crossing the floor to the Tory government benches, shifting the delicate balance of power in the 308-seat House of Commons.

Khan’s defection brings the minority government ranks to 125 MPs, meaning the Conservatives need only the co-operation of the 29-member NDP caucus to pass legislation.

cnews.canoe.ca...

The Conservatives dealing with the NDP to stay in power. This should be fun.


I suppose it's preferable than having to depend on the Bloc.




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