Hargrove eyes political run.

Hargrove might as well run for the Tories. Maybe after he has had a run for the Liberals first. He might as well try out all three! He has been turning to the right so he just has to go a bit further. Maybe since he is retired he chose the Liberals so he could sit on his hands all day and let Conservative legislation pass.



Friday » July 11 » 2008

Hargrove eyes political run

Juliet O'Neill
Canwest News Service
Thursday, July 10, 2008
OTTAWA - Buzz Hargrove says he will consider running for the federal Liberals after his successor is in place in early September. A campaign as an Independent MP is an alternative possibility.
Hargrove, who is retiring from the presidency of the Canadian Auto Workers union, said Thursday he thinks Liberal Leader Stephane Dion is "on the right track." Once a power broker in the New Democratic Party who considered a run at that party's leadership, Hargrove threw his support behind the Liberals in the 2006 federal election when Paul Martin was leader.
In an interview with Canwest News Service, Hargrove, 64, said his relations with the NDP are still sour and his possible candidacy "won't be Tory, you can bet on that."
Dion called to congratulate Hargrove on his retirement from the union this week and the two agreed to talk again. Hargrove said Dion did not specify what he wants to talk about, though "I assumed it might be" about running. Hargrove said he wants to talk policy.
The environment and the economy are entwined, he said, and people are concerned about both.
"I think people are past the stage where they want governments to use that (the economy) as an excuse to do nothing about the environment," Hargrove said. "I think Dion's on the right track and I believe expressing it better than he was a few months ago publicly."
Hargrove pointed to a poll last week that showed the Liberals tied with the Conservatives at 31 per cent approval.
"Once people start to focus on an election on what the real issues are and what their concerns are for the future, I think the Liberals will do really well."
Asked whether he'd run for office in the heart of Canada's auto industry, southern Ontario, or elsewhere, Hargrove said he'd think about that after the CAW leadership convention. It is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 6.
© Ottawa Citizen 2008

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