Garth Faces Mecca

The most pressing reason for electing a Conservative majority government is not so that more thoroughgoing reform can be carried out, but that its survival not be dependent upon Garth Turner's vote:

Conservative MP Garth Turner defended comments he made on his blog this week where he wrote that some of the 17 people charged in connection with the alleged Toronto terror plot may be less dangerous than street racers who have taken lives.

Turner wrote the comments in his blog shortly after he had a meeting with 20 people at a mosque in his Ontario riding of Halton. The entry was called "In the Mosque" (PDF)

Five the 17 people facing terrorism-related charges are young offenders under the age of 18.

The MP concluded his posting about that meeting by writing, "left unsaid was a simple request that transcended the meeting. Forgive our sons."

In his comments section, one reader took exception to Turner's "forgive our sons" line, writing "I realize teens can get caught up and go too far, but my tolerance gets stretched much beyond shoplifting. Garth, what are YOUR thoughts on this?"

Writing in italics, Turner replied adding he heard things while at the mosque that he "would never get from the MSM (mainstream media)" and concluded: "I believe the authorities were 100% correct in what they did, but there's also a very good chance many of these young 'terrorists' were less dangerous than the punk street racers who have actually already taken lives."

After question period, Turner clarified his comments to PoliticsWatch.

"The simple point I was trying to make was that they're accused terrorists and they need their day in court," he said.

If the Conservative Party had a majority, Garth Turner could be appointed to some sinecure where he could shoot his mouth off to no avail and no harm, without risking the whole government in the subsequent by-election.

In any event, he can rave all he likes on his blog because his influence on Stephen Harper is less than zero.

May he soon go back to doing his infomercials.

Source: PoliticsWatch