Cecil Clarke. Wrong Friends. Wrong Candidate.

Joe Ward Follow Me

Posted this 2016-03-27 9:24 PM ADT (updated 2016-08-12 4:40 PM ADT)

There's nothing wrong with being conservative in terms of your values. But strategically, there is certainly very bad timing. The upcoming mayoral election in Cape Breton is one of those cases.

Stephen Harper took the Conservative Party of Canada in a very bad direction. And when we went to the polls, we, as a country united, decided that we had enough. The results speak to the level of immense discontent he created for most Canadians.

Make no mistake. Cecil Clarke is a Harper man.

Even if he could escape his poor performance as Cape Breton mayor; his settling on the side of the province on our equalization payments; the Archibald's Wharf fiasco he created; his tunnel vision with the automated container port strategy; or his increased level of secrecy and info withholding from our elected council...

Well... even if he could escape all that... he is still going to be Cecil Phillip Clarke, Conservative Party of Canada. He is still going to be the man who failed in his bid to take our current Liberal MP Mark Eyking's job.

"If not the port, then what?" - Mayor Cecil Clarke

When new Federal funds start to flow through Liberal MP Mark Eyking or Provincial funds start to flow through Liberal MLA Geoff MacLellan, those funds will flow more enthusiastically to a mayor with Liberal backing.

That's just the nature of politics. We could even think of it as unfair. But strategically now, the best thing for Cape Breton is to replace Cecil Clarke with a man or woman who can better get the job done. Someone who hasn't burned any bridges with our current government. Someone who will pursue opportunities for Cape Breton beyond the tunnel vision Mayor Clarke has developed with the automated container port strategy.

It didn't take any of our 30%+ kids out of poverty. It didn't secure jobs for our Western workers facing layoffs with bottoming out oil prices. It didn't help recruit new doctors for families and aging seniors. It didn't have an answer when Saputo closed their doors and shed 100 good jobs for hardworking Cape Breton men and women.

All of that aside, it's a very bad time to consider re-electing Cecil Clarke. He has the wrong friends. He's the wrong candidate. He's a Conservative remnant from the Harper government drifting in a sea of Liberal provincial and federal control - and the funding that comes with it. Four more years of Cecil Clarke could be devastating for Cape Breton. We can't take that risk.

As his supporter in the video suggests, we need someone on the right side of our government. And it isn't Cecil Phillip Clarke. By both his record and his Harper allegiance, it's time for him to move on.

Sources:
https://youtu.be/Fam2RsYf0dY
https://youtu.be/Xvdiw6alK0U
https://youtu.be/NYGLDLmN1dA
https://youtu.be/oBg0eXcEjf8
https://youtu.be/JOt2Qp0H9G8

Posted by Joe Ward
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With the changeover to a Liberal government with an expanded budget for infrastructure spending, Conservative Cecil Clarke is a very poor choice for mayor.

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Wayne O'Toole Follow Me 2016-03-28 8:54 AM ADT Reply 0 0 Cecil P Clark has made a political career out of false promises and taking care of conservative buddies while shafting the peopke he is suppose to work for, us the citizens. As MLA we chased him out like an angry mob and he headed to what he though was save griund...Harpers wing when the Liberals were on the way out....but Eyking creamee him. He snuck back in to become mayor. Is the some Game of Thrones CBRM style? If not the port then what he says...no cheap shots from the cheap seats either (which is the CBRM citizens). Add the famous "cecil special non disclosures" which allows him to give our tax money to whomever he wants and nobody can see tge deal. Its time our mayor and 90% of counsil are voted out!
Richard Collis Follow Me 2016-03-28 10:19 AM ADT Reply 0 0 Don,t be surprised if he doesn't,t run for the Liberals somewhere in the future. He would jump the fence in a blink. Whatever it would take to get him to Ottawa. It's all about him and his political survival. ABC Wayne O'Toole Follow Me 2016-03-28 11:30 AM ADT Reply 0 0 He wouldn't have a chance. The liberals know he is washed up and he would lose the only support he has if by some chance he made it through a liberal selection process. He is and always has been a tory. Plus Eyking isn't giving up his seat so unless he loses, Cecil would have to wait and even if Eyking loses he'd have almost 8 years before having any opportunity to be a liberal contender. If Trudeau were to get in trouble in the next 4 years (which is unlikely by his opening 5 months) Cecil could run against Eyking but with his history I don't know if could take Eyking out even then. His only base is conservative right wing seniors and as long as youth continue to vote like they did to remove Harper then Cecil is cooked. If we get him out as mayor he is a 3 time loser and nobody will run him. Joe Ward My Post Follow Me 2016-03-28 8:52 PM ADT Reply 0 0 Politically he's in a very tough position. I would expect he'll do everything he can to achieve 4 more years as CBRM mayor, where he'll be hopeful that the tide changes for the Liberals - or he can aggressively court their favor. But if he does that, I believe it will come at great expense to Cape Breton.
Dan Yakimchuk Follow Me 2016-03-28 11:45 AM ADT Reply 2 0 I like the "ABC" slogan, but we also need to emphasize our distrust for the councilors that remain silent or complacent. In our case, it might be easier to support the few that are vocal against what is happening. We can call them our MVP's or "Most Vocal Politicians". Perhaps in our case it could mean "Most Valuable Paruch". So, the slogan is "ABC but keep the MVP". madeline yakimchuk Follow Me 2016-03-28 12:27 PM ADT Reply 1 0 I add Eldon MacDonald to the MVP list, although his noise is more in his community work than in being a renegade. If he was in my district I would certainly keep him too. I haven' been impressed my any of the others, although some of them have very big and beautiful hearts. Certainly any of them who are on the Port Board need special ABC status.
Joan O'Connor Follow Me 2016-03-28 1:27 PM ADT Reply 2 0 Haha, this is great Joe. However if you look at who made campaign contributions for his mayoralty campaign, there are a lot of Liberals...mostly Liberals. I have heard a rumour that he's going to jump sides too. The same Liberals might support him federally, as he is a good talker and folks are desperate for a representative they think will deliver for them. If some of the other things I've heard are true, he is as corrupt as some of the Quebec politicians and is much more interested in himself than in representing this area and its' people. madeline yakimchuk Follow Me 2016-03-28 1:30 PM ADT Reply 1 0 I heard that about the Liberal support last time too, but I also heard they are running their own candidate this time, so he is toast. They are keeping the name very close to their chest. I can't wait to hear. Wayne O'Toole Follow Me 2016-03-28 1:48 PM ADT Reply 1 0 Why would the liberal consider him? Is it wise to support a Tory lifer who is washed up? Was defeated in his federal run to a liberal when liberals were least popular and lost and went to 3rd party status? I doubt he will be accepted by them they just used him as mayor. If they plant a well liked liberal in next election would theynot continue supporting that person if he gains acceptance? madeline yakimchuk Follow Me 2016-03-28 1:52 PM ADT Reply 0 0 the word is they supported him in the last election. they didn't have anyone of their own running. when it comes to party politics, that is enough for them. As for supporting him in future elections, it is all a game wayne, and they would do it if it was the best hand they had. Wayne O'Toole Follow Me 2016-03-28 2:17 PM ADT Reply 0 0 This is true however if he is their "best hand" they better fold. He will be passed over with any new shining liberal...and we have a younger, newer provicial liberal who likely would beat him in a federal run for nomination.If Cecil runs liberal it may be good for NDP though lol Joe Ward My Post Follow Me 2016-03-28 8:46 PM ADT Reply 0 0 They may have considered it a good way to keep him in storage until the change in Federal government. Joe Ward My Post Follow Me 2016-03-28 8:49 PM ADT Reply 0 0 I'm not sure why the would want him. He doesn't seem to have much of a resume for getting anything done. Perhaps another lobbying position with ACOA?
[comment deleted] Posted 2016-03-29 10:47 AM ADT madeline yakimchuk Follow Me 2016-03-29 11:16 AM ADT Reply 1 0 We have a fine Progressive Conservative tradition here in NS, so you are right to make this comment, but Cecil is more like the far right evangelical extremists that Harper represents, and for that affiliation, I do think it is time to go. Lillian Dolomont Follow Me 2016-03-29 4:13 PM ADT Reply 0 0 Madeline, I wish Harper had resigned about 2 years ago. The writing was on the wall even within the party. I was disappointed with him in the campaign, there were many times he should have attacked Justin, but there didn't seem to be any fight left in him. I have wondered since if he really wanted to win or not. As I say this, I am angry he gave the country to the libs. Joe Ward My Post Follow Me 2016-03-29 8:15 PM ADT Reply 0 0 This is a very important point. There are a range of values in life. There's nothing wrong with having conservative values. I personally consider myself a non-partisan, issues voter. While I would have a strong tendency to vote Liberal, and prefer Trudeau among the options we were presented with (by a long shot), I did not vote for Eyking. My personal values align with various positions among all four parties. Of course, the parties themselves shift over time. Just look at the Tory equivalent of the Republicans in the United States who are imploding right now. The big win by the Liberals this past election was a reflection of where Harper took the party. However, as I wrote above, it's a very bad time to have a Conservative mayor right now. Perhaps in 4 years, things may change. We'll find out then. Until that time, we have to start thinking about the best interests of Cape Breton. Cecil Clarke, regardless of his political stripes (which just so happen to be Tory blue) has not delivered as our mayor. If he was Liberal it would put us in a very challenging dilemma. Because even as a Liberal, based on his track record, he should not be reelected.