As Unionist repeatedly warned about Thomas Mulcair, I'd advise the Greens to keep an eye on Ittinuar if he actually managed to get elected. You might not have him for long.

[ 06 October 2007: Message edited by: Ken Burch ]

In 1986 he was convicted of assaulting his wife.

He tried to win an NDP nomination in 1993 but was rejected by leader Audrey Mclaughlin.

He also recently attempted to win the Green Party nomination in Brant and was defeated (he now lives in Ontario and hasn't lived in the north for some time).

Ittinuar 'seriously considering' Green Party run

Cooltobekind, given that Ittinuar has been *rejected* as a candidate by the Liberals in 1984 and by the NDP in 1993 and even by the Greens in Ontario what significance do you expect us to put in the two month old story?

Are we supposed to be impressed that politicians with criminal records who have been rejected by several different parties are finding a home with the Greens?

[ 06 October 2007: Message edited by: aka Mycroft ]

2. It seems the Green Party can't even get its story straight about its own candidates:

http://cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2007/08/01/nu-ittinuar.html

quote:

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Green party Leader Elizabeth May recently told southern media that Ittinuar would be one of her star candidates in the next federal election.

"Certainly I'm not a star, and I'm not a candidate yet," Ittinuar said Tuesday in an interview with CBC Radio.

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3. Ittinuar crossed from the NDP to the Liberals in 1982. He at the time said "he does not intend to run in the next federal election because he feels there are prospective candidates more capable than he in representing northern issues." While the record shows that voters agreed with this, Ittinuar changed his tune and subsequently lost the Liberal nomination (rare for a sitting MP). He then ran as an independent against both of his former parties and lost. Years later, he tried to run again for the NDP and was refused. He recently even managed to somehow lose an Ontario Green party nomination in the place where he actually lives. So he has been rejected by 3 different parties (plus losing as an independent even though he was the sitting MP), which must be some kind of record in Canadian politics.

4. He has criminal convictions for spousal assault and cocaine possession.

5. He's still Elizabeth May's idea of a "star" or at least he would be if he decides to actually run.

quote:

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In 1993, Ittinuar tried to regain the NDP nomination in Nunatsiaq, but then-party leader Audrey McLaughlin refused to endorse it because of his earlier defection to the Liberals.

Most recently, Ittinuar sought and lost the Green party's nomination in the southern Ontario riding of Brant. But though he now lives in Ontario, Ittinuar said he still feels connected to Nunavut and follows what's going on there.

As for his possible return to politics, Ittinuar acknowledged several criminal convictions may become an issue should he make a comeback. In 1986, he was convicted of assaulting his wife and fined. As well, he was convicted in 1979 for possessing a small amount of cocaine.

He said that while those run-ins with the law happened a long time ago, he realizes they could come back to haunt him. In fact, he said it's one reason he is hesitating in his decision to run.
...
Green party press secretary Camille Labchuk told CBC News that "having a criminal record doesn't necessarily entail not being able to run for the Green party."

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[ 06 October 2007: Message edited by: Paul Gross ]

After May became leader didn't she boast that several current MPs and Senators would soon be joining the Green Party? We're still waiting for the first.

[ 06 October 2007: Message edited by: aka Mycroft ]

Toss out a name, any name, and she'll claim she wants that person as a candidate.

quote:

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Originally posted by Ken Burch:
And hey, Colin Thatcher's probably got some free time these days.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Caissa:
Barbara Amiel

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Let's have a factory owner run as a Green.