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The defection of NDP MP Glenn Thibeault to the Ontario Liberals is raising some questions about Thomas Mulcair's prospects in a federal election that's now less than 10 months away.

And an interview Thibeault gave to CBC's Power & Politics Tuesday likely won't dissuade those convinced the MP now wants to run in a provincial byelection in Sudbury because things don't look bright for the federal NDP.

Thibeault, a former caucus chair and critic for consumer affairs, small business and tourism, backed Mulcair for NDP leader in 2012. And when Thibeault was nominated in September to run again federally, Mulcair was by his side.

However, the Toronto Star reported this week that relations between the two have been strained for months.

Thibeault told host CBC Evan Solomon that he hasn't been "seeing eye-to-eye" on a lot of things happening in the federal NDP, but wouldn't share specifics because of caucus confidentiality.

He did make reference to Mulcair's recent comments about reviving the long-gun registry, a divisive issue for many MPs in northern and rural communities.

"Some might say that you're looking ahead and realizing maybe the NDP's electoral fortunes don't look good on a federal level. You didn't go provincially for the NDP but you may hop into cabinet with Kathleen Wynne," Solomon said. "Was it about power expediency or was it about a sense that the NDP wasn't on a path that you thought would end up in power?"

Thibeault denied he was thinking about cabinet, saying he needs to win the byelection first. He did not, however, share thoughts on the electoral prospects of the federal NDP.

That's when Solomon asked a particularly interesting question about the 2015 election.

"The Ontario Liberals will support the federal Liberals in the next election, as you know. Kathleen Wynne is open about her support for Justin Trudeau," Solomon said. "Would you now want to see Justin Trudeau win the next election instead of Tom Mulcair?"

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NDP Defector Glenn Thibeault Won't Say If He Wants Mulcair Or Trudeau To Win In 2015

Published: December 17, 2014

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, centre left, smiles while attending a ceremony at the Khalsa Diwan Society Sikh Temple before the Vaisakhi parade in Vancouver, B.C., on Saturday April 12, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

LARISSA CAHUTEVANCOUVER DESI

A large group of Sikhs in B.C. who have threatened to abandon Justin Trudeaus Liberals say their political protest is reaching Sikh communities across the country.

Its not (only) people going to the Ross Street Temple, or people living in the Vancouver area its people living across Canada, said Raj Bhela, general secretary of Vancouvers Ross Street Temple.

The Sikhs complaint is that the partys open riding nomination process is flawed.

According to Bhela, Sikhs from across B.C. and Canada have held meeting after meeting to discuss which party to support, and expect to announce their choice by the end of the week.

We are not Liberals, thats for sure, Bhela said.

The protest was sparked last week over the nomination of retired Canadian Army officer Harjit Singh Sajjan as the Liberals Vancouver South candidate, after prominent businessman Barj Dhahan withdrew from the nomination race.

At the time Dhahan withdrew he had signed up 4,000 voting members to support him in the race, while Sajjan had 1,000, said Kashmir Dhaliwal, past president of Vancouvers Khalsa Diwan Society.

Originally posted here:
'We are not Liberals, that's for sure': Sikhs across Canada to jump Trudeau ship starting right here in Vancouver

The Obama Christmas Song for Liberals
So very true..hehehe.

By: The Patriot

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The Obama Christmas Song for Liberals - Video

An NDP Member of Parliament is defecting to the Ontario Liberals to run in an upcoming provincial by-election in Sudbury, dealing a blow to the federal New Democrats less than a year before the next election.

Glenn Thibeault announced Tuesday he will switch parties and levels of government, contending he can do more for his city in Premier Kathleen Wynnes caucus than sitting in federal opposition with Thomas Mulcair.

I have spoken to Premier Kathleen Wynne about her plan to create greater opportunity and security for all Ontarians and her plan is exactly what Sudbury needs, Mr. Thibeault said in a statement. I believe I can make an even greater difference for the constituents of Sudbury as a member of this Ontario Liberal government.

His statement said his time at the federal level has come to an end, but it was not immediately clear when he would resign his seat in the House of Commons.

No date has yet been set for the by-election, which must be called by next spring.

In Ottawa, New Democrats were shaken and angered by the move, stating Mr. Thibeault only advised Mr. Mulcair after his defection was made public in the media. The pair had had a number of discussions in recent days, namely after Mr. Thibeault quit as chair of the NDP caucus by invoking a need to be closer to his family.

This move will anger many NDP volunteers who trusted Glenn and worked hard for him, said NDP MP Charlie Angus, who represents the northern Ontario riding of Timmins-James Bay. Im sorry he did this but the NDP base in Sudbury is strong and they wont like being taken for granted.

The new chair of the NDP caucus, London-Fanshawe MP Irene Mathyssen, said the lure of a cabinet position unfortunately appeared to be irresistible for Mr. Thibeault.

That is what the Liberals do, they throw out candy, she said. Its very hard to understand why he would regard the Wynne government as the place to go because the real progressives in Ontario are Andrea Horwaths New Democrats.

Ms. Mathyssen expressed her confidence in Mr. Mulcairs leadership and the NDP platform heading into next years federal election, while acknowledging the threat posed by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau.

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New Democrat MP defecting to Ontario Liberals for Sudbury by-election

The Liberal Party's grasp on majority government in Tasmania strengthened early in the count on Saturday night.

The Liberals were set to take at least 13 of the 25 House of Assembly seats - a result also predicted by an exit poll for Southern Cross TV, reinforcing polls during the campaign.

The Liberals were last in power for two years in minority backed by the Greens from 1996 to 1998, and this time party leader Will Hodgman warned against a repetition of any power-sharing arrangement.

''The thought of another Labor-Green government with a tinge of Palmer United thrown in is a frightening prospect as far as I'm concerned,'' Mr Hodgman said after he voted in central Hobart.

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Tasmanians elect five members from each of five seats, and Labor was in trouble in the northern electorates of Bass and Braddon, but holding its own in southern Denison and Franklin, according to the exit poll. The fifth seat, rural Lyons, was going the Liberals' way.

The change would end four successive terms of Labor-led government, a stretch that Premier Lara Giddings said had left her with mixed emotions.

''It's difficult when you've been in power for 16 years to capture the imagination, and you must work off your record,'' Ms Giddings said.

Observers said the election was set to return the Liberals on an ''it's time'' factor, after Mr Hodgman failed to take power in 2010 when Labor went into a power-sharing government with the Greens.

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Liberals victorious in Tasmania