Isn't Metis politics wonderful?
Anonymous said ...
Clare,
You might want to get on this - Denis Rocan has filed a lawsuit against the PCs for denying him his nomination. This could be a blockbuster, not only in terms of provincial politics (there are weird rumours he might run as an independent or even the NDP) but also in terms of Metis power politics. If there's any story this year that proves to be of equal interest to the non-Metis as well as Metis political communities, this will surely be it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Denis Rocan In Happier Times!
Rocan Turfed From Causus
By Mia Rabson
The Winnipeg Free Press
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Page A5
CARMAN MLA Denis Rocan was turfed from the Tory caucus Wednesday and is now considering running in the next election as an independent candidate against Tory Leader Hugh McFadyen.
Rocan surprised the Tories on Tuesday when he lashed out against his caucus colleagues in his budget reaction speech, calling them untrustworthy and praising the NDP government. He also voted in favour of the NDP budget and against the Tory amendments to it.
McFadyen said after that it was impossible to keep Rocan in the Tory caucus.
"I do't know why he'd be surprised at all by the decision," said McFadyen," adding Rocan should have quit the party himself.
Rocan says he wasn't expecting to be turfed, however, and said he discovered he'd been given the boot early Wednesday morning when his assistant arrived at work to find the locks had already been changed on Rocan's office.
The Tories delivered a letter to Rocan's Winnipeg home late Tuesday night but Rocan says he didn't see it until late afternoon Wednesday.
"I really didn't think this was going to happen," said Rocan.
He has been assigned a new office in the legislature already. Building maintenance staff emptied an office that had been used as a storage closet for rocan and also were able to get into Rocan's old office to move his personal effects from there.
He also was given a new seat in the legislature, away from the Tories.
Rocan and the Tories have long been at odds dispite Rocan representing the party in Carman since 1986. But the bad blood between them hit the pinnacle last November when Rocan lost his nomination in Carman.
He feels party brass worked behind the scenes to make him lose, and has also said the nomination process was unfair. He says the other candidate didn't properly file his papers in time, something the candidate - Elm Creek farmer Blaine Pedersen - has denied.
Before the end of the week Rocan will take the Tories to court and ask a judge to overturn the nomination based on the rules of the Tory party constitution.
Rocan's ousting makes him the first independent member in the Manitoba legislature since 1981. He is the first Manitoba MLA to be turfed from his caucus since 1980.
Because of the strength of Canada's political party system, it is very hard to get elected as an independent candidate. The last time an independent was elected in Manitoba was 1969.
But Rocan is going to give it a shot anyway. He said there are a lot of people in Carman who are encouraging him to run there as an independent but hs said he thinks maybe he's done all he can for the people in Carman.
He said a group of "socccer moms and hockey dads" in the Fort Whyte riding where McFadyen is the MLA, have approached him asking him to run for them. He said they want him to push the government to build a new high school in the riding.
"If I'm going to wind down my career maybe I should work in this Fort Whyte," said Rocan.
Fort Whyte is the southwest Winnipeg seat now held by McFadyen. Rocan owns a home in Linden Woods, one of the three major communities in Fort Whyte.
Rocan is holding a news conference this morning to announce his intentions.
McFadyen said he doesn't think this disagreement with Rocan will hurt his party so close to an election. Premier Gary Doer could drop the writ to start the campaign as early as tomorrow, but McFadyen said Rocan's behaviour is just an example of Rocan being a sore loser.
His "crime"
The now-former Tory MLA for Carmen voted for the NDP budget and called caucus colleagues untrustworthy
His punishment
Rocan was kicked out of the Tory causus.
His Future
Rocan is considering running as an independent against Tory Leader Hugh McFadyen
mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
Note: This is the same Denis Rocan who, along with four other sitting Tory MLAs, took the unprecedented action of publicly endorsing David Chartrand's candidacy as President just before last year's Manitoba Metis Federation election. If he likes Mr. Chartrand's leadership style so much perhaps he should stay out of provincial politics and take a run at being Head of the MMF next time around.
First encountered Mr. Rocan (1987-88) while working at the Legislature when he was House Speaker for the Gary Filmon administration - remember the Liberal's Director of Research Sir? Suffice it to say Denis Rocan was indeed a very interesting fellow!
Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
Clare,
You might want to get on this - Denis Rocan has filed a lawsuit against the PCs for denying him his nomination. This could be a blockbuster, not only in terms of provincial politics (there are weird rumours he might run as an independent or even the NDP) but also in terms of Metis power politics. If there's any story this year that proves to be of equal interest to the non-Metis as well as Metis political communities, this will surely be it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Denis Rocan In Happier Times!
Rocan Turfed From Causus
By Mia Rabson
The Winnipeg Free Press
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Page A5
CARMAN MLA Denis Rocan was turfed from the Tory caucus Wednesday and is now considering running in the next election as an independent candidate against Tory Leader Hugh McFadyen.
Rocan surprised the Tories on Tuesday when he lashed out against his caucus colleagues in his budget reaction speech, calling them untrustworthy and praising the NDP government. He also voted in favour of the NDP budget and against the Tory amendments to it.
McFadyen said after that it was impossible to keep Rocan in the Tory caucus.
"I do't know why he'd be surprised at all by the decision," said McFadyen," adding Rocan should have quit the party himself.
Rocan says he wasn't expecting to be turfed, however, and said he discovered he'd been given the boot early Wednesday morning when his assistant arrived at work to find the locks had already been changed on Rocan's office.
The Tories delivered a letter to Rocan's Winnipeg home late Tuesday night but Rocan says he didn't see it until late afternoon Wednesday.
"I really didn't think this was going to happen," said Rocan.
He has been assigned a new office in the legislature already. Building maintenance staff emptied an office that had been used as a storage closet for rocan and also were able to get into Rocan's old office to move his personal effects from there.
He also was given a new seat in the legislature, away from the Tories.
Rocan and the Tories have long been at odds dispite Rocan representing the party in Carman since 1986. But the bad blood between them hit the pinnacle last November when Rocan lost his nomination in Carman.
He feels party brass worked behind the scenes to make him lose, and has also said the nomination process was unfair. He says the other candidate didn't properly file his papers in time, something the candidate - Elm Creek farmer Blaine Pedersen - has denied.
Before the end of the week Rocan will take the Tories to court and ask a judge to overturn the nomination based on the rules of the Tory party constitution.
Rocan's ousting makes him the first independent member in the Manitoba legislature since 1981. He is the first Manitoba MLA to be turfed from his caucus since 1980.
Because of the strength of Canada's political party system, it is very hard to get elected as an independent candidate. The last time an independent was elected in Manitoba was 1969.
But Rocan is going to give it a shot anyway. He said there are a lot of people in Carman who are encouraging him to run there as an independent but hs said he thinks maybe he's done all he can for the people in Carman.
He said a group of "socccer moms and hockey dads" in the Fort Whyte riding where McFadyen is the MLA, have approached him asking him to run for them. He said they want him to push the government to build a new high school in the riding.
"If I'm going to wind down my career maybe I should work in this Fort Whyte," said Rocan.
Fort Whyte is the southwest Winnipeg seat now held by McFadyen. Rocan owns a home in Linden Woods, one of the three major communities in Fort Whyte.
Rocan is holding a news conference this morning to announce his intentions.
McFadyen said he doesn't think this disagreement with Rocan will hurt his party so close to an election. Premier Gary Doer could drop the writ to start the campaign as early as tomorrow, but McFadyen said Rocan's behaviour is just an example of Rocan being a sore loser.
His "crime"
The now-former Tory MLA for Carmen voted for the NDP budget and called caucus colleagues untrustworthy
His punishment
Rocan was kicked out of the Tory causus.
His Future
Rocan is considering running as an independent against Tory Leader Hugh McFadyen
mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
Note: This is the same Denis Rocan who, along with four other sitting Tory MLAs, took the unprecedented action of publicly endorsing David Chartrand's candidacy as President just before last year's Manitoba Metis Federation election. If he likes Mr. Chartrand's leadership style so much perhaps he should stay out of provincial politics and take a run at being Head of the MMF next time around.
First encountered Mr. Rocan (1987-88) while working at the Legislature when he was House Speaker for the Gary Filmon administration - remember the Liberal's Director of Research Sir? Suffice it to say Denis Rocan was indeed a very interesting fellow!
Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
posted by Clare L. Pieuk at 8:18 AM
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