Monday, April 25, 2011

Liberal candidate praises Layton and says Ignatieff is questionable.

This past Thursday evening at a local all candidates forum Mike Butler, the Liberal candidate for Edmonton-Millwoods-Beaumont, had some interesting things to say not only about his own leader but also about NDP leader Jack Layton as well.

Here is what Mike Butler had to say:

On Layton: "I love Jack Layton. I think he is a good guy, I think he is a solid guy."

On the Liberal Party and its leader: "The people are good, Michael Ignatieff is questionable sometimes",  before telling an interesting story about how Ignatieff wanted an election much earlier while we were still in a recession, "Michael Ignatieff wanted an election but our party knew it was the wrong thing to do and that is why we didn't call an election."

Not sure what to make of that last part about the Liberal Party stopping Ignatieff from forcing an election during the height of the recession, but from Mr. Butler's other comments it appears that he is not a big supporter or fan of the appointed leader of his party. A posting found on Facebook also seems to confirm this: "... our jaw dropped when Mike Butler came to our table and during conversation he stated he doesn't like or support Iggy as leader of liberal party, that he is to American with his ideas!!! Our table was floored!!! Lol"

It seems the the Liberal Party are not more united than they have been for a generation after all.


Was this a one off from a rogue Liberal candidate or the first of many more to come? My guess is that it is the latter but only time will tell; it is going to be an interesting final week of the 2011 campaign.

19 comments:

Bec said...

Is he trying to swing the vote to the NDP? That's what it sounds like but then I always find Libs in AB seem to distance themselves from the Feds. Some of that, perhaps?

Regardless, there are certainly signs, day after day that these guys are in bed with each other and all of them would screw their home province. What a disgusting group!

maryT said...

Anyone surprised at this, I think the plan has been in the works since 2008, and whoever is losing will support the other in a non compete deal. Coalition is alive and well, the surprise being that Jack is winning, not iggy.

fernstalbert said...

Is a Liberal MP more powerful in an NDP led Coalition or in a Liberal led leftist alliance? Head scratcher. When the dust settles after the election, there will be many Liberals switching sides - not all will migrate to the NDP. Its the final circle of political swamp draining. Cheers.

Jen said...

Bec, Coalition in the works has been and will continue until they get it.

MarYT, the coalition of medias and the coalition parties ARE taking us for a fool.
This sudden surge for Socialist Layton without understand the circumtances behind it can be very dangerous.
Look what is happening in the USA after the craze behind OBAMA-the sudden surge and the rush to vote for him in the Advanced Polls, the USA is in the tank. Obama's committment to the unions is far greater than the adverage joe.
Same here. And if we are not carefull, we might and easily fall into that same problem.

What will the likes of Mike Butler tell his constituents when it comes to past. which no doubt will happen.

Ardvark said...

The NDP candidate was not at the Thursday forum, she did send her campaign manager in her place, and also missed another forum as well.

Also interesting: Mike Butler filled in for the Liberal candidate in a forum Edmonton Strathcona (Duncan/Hastman riding. From what I hear it was an embarrassing display.

Mike Butler said...

Hey wake up! My picture on my Facebook page is with Michael Ignatieff. My mobile sign has his picture and so do all of my flyers. I support him 110%. If you want to be brain washed by biased hearsay, that is your choice.

Maybe when you quote me, you should ask me directly.

Voters need to understand that we need a Liberal government to have our tax money spent on people.

If voters want to give their tax dollars to big businesses, that is their choice but I thought it was supposed to be the other way around where the company pays the worker.

To address this talk of the NDP, all people have to do is look at the streets where there is a sea of orange and blue signs littering our roads. I have committed to only having lawn sings on private property and believe in meeting people face to face by door knocking and through local events.
Mill Woods is Liberal and will be Liberal once again with the support I have been receiving in our campaign.

I welcome all voters that have voted for other parties in the past; Conservative, NDP, Green, or other. This election is about principle; the principle of where you want your tax dollars invested.

Ardvark said...

Brain washed?

OK Mike I will ask you this: Are you denying that you praised Layton and called Ignatieff suspect?

Since you know that you did say those things I might suggest that denying it will only make things worse. BTW I used quotation marks for a reason.

And the idea that Millwoods is Liberal is a bit far fetched. Even when it was, it was only that way because David Kilgore switched parties from the PC's to the Libs.

Ardvark said...

Take it somewhere else "Norma"

Anonymous said...

Butler had a lot of positive things to say about Layton when he ran for the NDP in 2008.

Ardvark said...

FTR: I emailed Mike Butler and asked him on the record if he made the comments that I posted on the blog.

I have received no response and honestly don't expect him to do as he KNOWS that the quotes are accurate.

Amy said...

Amy-
I support Mike Butler 100 percent. He has principles that he actually stands behind and is always honest- that's fact. Unlike your out of context quotes- he is proud of the liberal party and it's national leader everyday. The difference between fact and fiction.

Amy said...

I support Mike Butler and I know fora fact he supports his national party leader100 percent and of coarse he respects all the other parties and their leaders, he is honorable.

Ardvark said...

Well Amy just ask Mike if he did say those words and in what context they were made then go from there.

BTW if he has principle like you say why doesn't he come back here, or reply to the email I sent him, and deny he said those words?

He can't because he did say them and he knows it. Fact!

Thanks for playing.

Anonymous said...

He's probably not answering because he's door knocking. It's election time, remember? :p

I normally don't comment on blogs but...

I've met Jack Layton before and agree he is a good guy. I've also met Mike Butler before and think he's a good guy as well. We actually talked about the attack ads on Iggy (they came out around the time I met him) and he had nothing but positive things to say about Iggy. Then we talked about Iggy's international background and Mike said it was ridiculous the attack ads were trying to scare Canadians into thinking Iggy was too pro-American.

Perhaps the person he alledgedly made the comments to misconstrued what Mike was trying to say? It's possible, isn't it? Unless you have the comments on tape or on video? Why are you so persistent in bringing Mike down? Two blog posts about him in as many days. Poor guy's been through enough having his wife murdered by his schizophrenic brother. He's just trying to make his community a safer and better place.

I'm just glad I'm able to base my decision on a one-on-one interaction with the candidate than to base it on heresay. That's the beauty of Canadian politics. And yes, I am in the Mill Woods - Beaumont riding and yes, I did vote NDP last time but will vote Liberal this time.

Well, that's my two cents. Have a good one!

Ardvark said...

You are right he is a good guy but he would be better served be running for city or provincial politics where his ideas, which belong to those jurisdictions and are not federal responsibilities, might do some good.

BTW he won't respond and deny saying those words because he DID say them. He knows it and my guess is that he figures it best for damage control not to reply and hope it goes away.

will said...

Im voting mike butler

Anonymous said...

What's with the hate. I'm writing on this blog to show Mike Butler some love and also to say I will be voting for Mike based in the fact that you are dedicating a lot of hate to this young charasmatic politician an it seems like your getting paid for it. Thank you so much.

Havana

Ardvark said...

Getting paid for it; Scott is that you?

Hate? I write the words he spoke and that somehow equals hate? Do you think for 1 minute that if I made those quotes up that Mike wouldn't be all over me for a retraction, and perhaps sic the lawyers on me?

There is good reason why none of that has happened. The quotes are real, they are in context, and I stand by them 100%

Anonymous said...

I'm voting for Mike Butler. I can't support PC or WildRose. PC is corrupt and long overdue for replacemetn and Wildrose is just old-school conservatives with a pretty and nice new frontwoman.