Former Harper cabinet member and veteran Conservative Monte Solberg is riding to the defence of federal Tourism Minister Diane Ablonczy, saying she is being unfairly “hung out to dry” for giving $400,000 in stimulus cash to a gay pride event in Toronto.
Ms. Ablonczy was stripped of responsibility for disbursing a $100-million tourism stimulus fund after her June 15 grant for Toronto’s gay pride week prompted a backlash from Conservative Party supporters.
Mr. Solberg, a former Tory MP first elected as a Reformer in 1993 along with Ms. Ablonczy, warned in a posting on his Internet journal that an internal fight over gay issues is a “complete loser for the party.” The Conservatives are trying to present a moderate image on social issues in Ontario and Quebec, where they need more seats in their continuing quest for a majority government.
However, sources say the Harper government, whose base includes social conservatives, was vexed by the manner in which Ms. Ablonczy unveiled the cash for the late June pride event and its centrepiece Toronto parade.
The Tourism Minister appeared in Toronto with Pride Week officials in front of a rainbow banner that advertised the event and read “You belong.” She was surrounded by a colourful cast of Pride Week supporters and the event earned significant TV coverage in Southern Ontario.
“It [was] the picture. I think that’s the problem,” a Conservative Party source said.
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Updates:
8:03 am EDT, July 10th, 2009 — Trost backpeddles
12:16 pm EDT, July 10th, 2009 — Harvie: Keeping it Real” with Monte Solberg..
Notes:
I totally agree with Rob Harvie’s comments.
The CPC needs to get this message out “Half the Conservative caucus has a libertarian bent and the other half comes from the more conservative side,” Mr. Solberg wrote on his blog.”
In addition to the comment “Tory Senator Nancy Ruth, gay herself, yesterday called the cash as a worthwhile move.” … there are a couple of Conservative cabinet ministers who are gay and they should come out of the closet, maybe they will, just before the election, to de-fang the Conservative bashers who try to create the illusion that the party is all white male Christian fundies. In fact the CPC is far more diverse than the Liberals.
Solberg said the Tories have two choices: They can end aid for all parades or finance all that qualify and focus on more important issues.
“You can either scrap all grants for all parades, or you can fund the thing like you always have and devote your efforts to fixing the three or four other things that really do make a difference, none of which involves parades, costumes and nudity.”
But there is also a 3rd choice. Conservatives can shrink Ottawa, stop bleeding billions from Ontario for the “equalizing” Ponzi game to Quebec to subsidize their extreme socialism. By leaving the money here in Toronto then we can decide how we want our money spent … e.g. if we want Gay Pride Parades and/or Scottish Pride Parades which I am trying to organize and have asked Mayor Miller if he will sit on my float of Scottish guys in short kilts playing bag pipes … :>)
I don’t see why the taxpayer should fund each and every parade, and the Toronto Gay Parade has degenerated over the years into a pornographic, lewd affair and, riddled with political anti-American, anti=Israel statements. It’s deeply insulting to gays and lesbians who don’t live their lives within a riot of pornography.
Just as I wish Muslims would stand up and say that Islamic fascism and jihadism doesn’t represent them and their faith – well,
I wish that gays and lesbians would stand up and say that the Toronto Gay Parade doesn’t represent them.
More good news for the Canadian looney left politicians. Does the federal tory government have a ‘secret death wish?’
Its not like the Conservative Government has a majority where they can ride out ‘most political storms.’
Its a sad day when failing to support degenerative public pornography is viewed as a secret death wish politically.
It certainly will be. In the meantime we are talking about the gay pride parade.