Veterans affairs minister resigns
p2pnet news view | Politics:- Effective immediately, New Brunswick Southwest MP Greg Thompson New Brunswick Southwest MP has resigned from the Harper cabinet as minister of veterans affairs.
“He will remain as the Member of Parliament for New Brunswick Southwest until the next federal election, at which time he will not re-offer,” says the Telegraph-Journal.
Is his abrupt departure linked to prime minister Stephen Harper’s closure of parliament, described by The Economist as a move made in ” naked self-interest” ?
Not according to the report.
Thompson, 62, told theTelegraph-Journal he’s leaving “because he feels he has achieved a great deal, he’s tired and he doesn’t want to overstay his welcome”.
“I’m one of the few members of Parliament who never had to take back a statement, who never had to apologize, and who never insulted individuals or groups in this country,” he says in the story.
“I’ve always played by the rules that I believe elected politicians should play by, and I have been always very respectful of the political process.”
Thompson said it’s also a good time for him to leave “now that Parliament has been prorogued until March”. His successor “will have plenty of time to get up to speed on the portfolio before a new session beginsm” says the post, adding his resignation will “trigger a small cabinet shuffle within the next few days”.
..… and identi.ca
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Telegraph-Journal – Departure of Greg Thompson will trigger a small cabinet shuffle within week, January 16, 2010
closure of parliament – Stephen Harper, MbS (Master of Bullshit), January 16, 2010
The Economist – Halted in mid-debate, January 7, 2010
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January 17th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Am I reading this right? An honest politician who quit because they couldn’t handle the deceit?
The former surprises me. The latter does not.
January 17th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
@ above — Am I reading this right?
You are not. It says “Thompson, 62, told theTelegraph-Journal he’s leaving “because he feels he has achieved a great deal, he’s tired and he doesn’t want to overstay his welcome.”