Ousted Halton MP Garth Turner resigns membership from Conservative party

November 14, 2006

Halton MP Garth Turner accounced at a news conference that he has resigned his membership from the Conservative party, a month after he was suspended from the Tory caucus due to his own posting on his blog.

Turner said Tuesday that he would continue as an Independent. Elizabeth May, Green Party Leader, asked him to join the Green party last month. Turner would be the first member of the party to serve in this capacity. Turner will be in May's London, Ontario riding to campaign with her on Wednesday.

"Party politics, and not just specifically this party, is the problem," said outspoken MP Turner. "People may end up sending MPs to Ottawa who are party supporters through and through, or they may end up sending people who, like me, are a pain in the ass."

His riding association has been told he won't be allowed to run as a Conservative in the next election.

"We have to break this tedious cycle of electing politicians who sell us on change and deliver same old same old," Turner said. "This raises more questions about the role of the average Canadian in the political process and their ability to choose their own representative."

Turner says he will bring in a private member's bill to give independents more opportunity in the House of Commons and allow them to give tax receipts for political contributions.

Turner is known for his outspoken remarks on his popular blog that include criticism of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Tory policies.