Just in time for a Federal Election, Craig Chandler has decided that it was a good time to set sail for Ontario by blazing his way into Conservative MP Helena Guergis' riding of Simcoe-Grey to do some anti-Mayoral campaigning in the Town of Collingwood (something that I can only imagine Guergis is ecstatic about -- read: sarcasm).
A right-wing talk radio host and Executive Director of the Calgary-based Progressive Group for Independent Business, Chandler fell into the national spotlight a year ago when he was dumped as the Conservative candidate in Calgary-Egmont after writing a controversial rant against new Albertans on an online webboard and getting into trouble with the Alberta Human Rights Commission. Known for his less than mainstream views, Chandler has previously run for the Reform Party in Hamilton-Mountain in 1993 and for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003.
Now in Ontario, Chandler and PGIB affiliate David Crutcher are running a media smear campaign and mass phone attack against Collingwood Mayor Chris Carrier. According to the Collingwood Enterprise-Bulletin, PGIB has accused Carrier of being "anti-business" following the Town's decision to fine two companies who were dumping more waste into the local sewage system than local bylaws permitted. One of the two companies, Collingwood Ethanol, is connected to Chandler's father, Bruce Chandler. Ontario's Ministry of Environment has also laid 17 charges against the company.
PGIBs accusations against Mayor Carrier have confused Collingwood blogger and businessman Rick Crouch, who offered these comments:
“You must ask yourself, is it realistic or sensible for any of us to believe that a Mayor or any politician for that matter would have an “anti-business” mandate. Hardly and that’s where the hilarity in PGIB’s accusations begin and end.”Radio Free Collingwood has also been following the story and offers a couple of posts detailing PGIBs activities in the Ontario town.
Though I'm not sure what effect, if any, Chandler's campaign could have on the Conservative campaign in the Simcoe region, I'm sure that even the thought Chandler being within 100 kilometers of battleground Ontario could make even the most seasoned Conservative veteran organizer a bit nervous.
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Having gone to university with him and gotten to know him, I actually like Craig personally. But even I'm beginning to wonder if he has lost his grip.
From the Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin:
He said that he hadn’t been aware until Friday morning of the PGIB news conference, which was held in front of the town hall.
Craig Chandler and Crutcher were met by a group of east end residents, many of them from Blue Shores, who repeatedly heckled the PGIB representatives. As they spoke, calls of “go back to Calgary” were heard, along with shouts of “you obviously don’t know what’s going on here.”
Chandler responded angrily to the interruptions. He told the spectators he and Crutcher were there to speak to the media only.
“I’m not the nice Chandler here,” he told the spectators.
Ha.
Don't forget that Chandler is a supporter of Stephen Harper and Rob Anders.
Bizarre. Besides the family connection who deputized some guy from Calgary as responsible to keep the elected government of Collingwood accountable?
Albertans like Chandler detest it when Ontarians tell Albertans what to do, so maybe Chandler should take his own advice and leave.
This guy is nuts.
With Thomas Steen running in Elmwood, we'll see how exactly "safe" that seat really is.
Chandler lost his deposit when he finished third, behind a Liberal, in Calgary-Egmont.
Surprised any of you are confused?
Family comes first folks.
I thought you said you'd do this for any PGIB customer. Anyway, I think the more effective method would be to campaign for the mayor and bless him with your losing touch.
Also, please learn when to use a question mark.
We would do it for any member, but family still does come first. I guess you Liberals will never get that.
As for coming third as an Independent? Well my team wanted to run and I honoured them in doing so. Principle is also something you lack in LIEberal circles.
We ran hard for the nomination because we knew whoever won that wins the seat and Independents do not place well.
Honourable campaign! What a joke. How about all of those "anonymous" letters? I got one and I know who was behind it. So do you!
Oh, you dishonest sack of discarded direct mail, you and I both know that you thought you would win even after the Tories left you hanging.
Good restraint on the question marks.
Geez, Craig, I thought you were done with posting on blogs? At least that's what you told all your conservative friends over at Project Alberta when their questions became too uncomfortable for you to answer. Please stay in Ontario. What is the old saying? "Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in." In your case, I'm sure that's exactly the way your family feels.
Chandler is the rightful MLA in Calgary-Egmont.
That might be the most idiotic thing I have ever read on this blog. Chandler ran in the general election and got his ass kicked, and I think that would have happened if the Conservatives had let him run under their banner, too. Albertans have way too much common sense to elect that tool.
Ass Kicked?
For an Independent to do as well as Craig Chandler did is quite stunning.
I think the guy is an ass, but, at least I can acknowledge his political skill.
If we had anyone with even a shred of his organizational abilities in our Liberal party we would be doing well.
We need to learn from guys like Chandler and Anders, not just bitch about them.
Craig is almost certainly posting anonymously. He's always banging on about what a great organizer he is. There is not a single Liberal in the world who admires him.
He should be embarassed that he couldn't keep his mouth shut and that the party had to cut him loose after letting him hang for awhile.
Yeah, ass kicked. That organizational genius couldn't finish ahead of the Liberal, despite incredible name recognition, eight months of campaigning, spending a ton of Daddy's money and an electorate that is right of Attila. As for Liberals needing people LIKE Chandler and Anders, you're welcome to the genuine articles.
Like most people I encounter who express anti gay sentiments, I strongly suspect that Craig is in fact a gay in denial!
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