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Sorbara sells Liberal memberships while McGuinty calls for end to uncertainty

Canadian Press Article online since December 2nd 2008, 0:00
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TORONTO - Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty stayed above partisan politics Tuesday in his first public reaction to the unfolding crisis in Ottawa, but at the same time his former second-in-command was selling federal Liberal party memberships and condemning Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
The political uncertainty in Ottawa, with opposition parties forming a coalition to try to topple the minority Conservative government, "is not helpful" amid the current economic crisis, McGuinty said as he urged federal politicians from all parties to quickly end the fighting.
The premier said Ontario's top concern remains working out an aid package for the struggling auto industry with the government of Canada, regardless of its political stripe.
"Whatever happens on the Hill, I hope it happens sooner rather than later," McGuinty said.
"Let's see what we can do together to support the auto sector, not just for the good of Ontario but for the good of the country as a whole."
McGuinty wouldn't say if he wants federal Liberal Leader Stephane Dion to become prime minister, but said he has warned Dion not to look for support from the Ontario government for his coalition with the NDP.
"My office has already contacted Mr. Dion's office just to make it perfectly clear that if you want to talk to us, it's all about auto," he said.
While McGuinty was trying to stay neutral, his former finance minister - and former Ontario Liberal party president - Greg Sorbara accused Harper of an "ideologically driven high-wire act of political vengeance" in a newspaper editorial.
Sorbara also said Canadians could vote directly for the next prime minister if the Liberal-NDP coalition defeats the minority Conservative government, but only if they buy a Liberal party membership so they can take part in next May's leadership vote.
"It's an opportunity for literally millions of Canadians to participate directly in the choice of the next prime minister," he said.
Sorbara, who is supporting former Ontario NDP premier Bob Rae in the leadership race against Michael Ignatieff and Dominic LeBlanc, said he wants the contest to help raise interest in politics the same way Barack Obama's candidacy did south of the border.
"Yes, I hope the majority of those that register will vote for Bob, but more importantly look at the kind of Obama opportunity we have here for Canadians who have never been a member of a political party to say, 'I want to participate in that decision."'
Ontario NDP Leader Howard Hampton, who served in Rae's cabinet in the early 1990s, said federal party leader Jack Layton has to be on guard against a merger with the Liberals.
"Bob Rae has always wanted to fold the NDP into the Liberal party, and I think Jack Layton has to be aware of that," Hampton warned.
Ontario Opposition Leader Bob Runciman accused the federal Liberals of playing a dangerous power game with the country's future.
"I think the most alarming element is the fact that Mr. Dion is getting into bed with the separatists, his arch-enemies who (once) accused him of being responsible for his own father's suicide," Runciman said.
McGuinty declined to say which federal party should bear the blame for the political upheaval in Ottawa, and said Ontario voters want him to keep working on protecting 400,000 jobs in the province's auto sector.
"I won't be waylaid in some kind of gut-level response to what is taking place on Parliament Hill," he said.
McGuinty also defended the situation on Parliament Hill as one of the messier aspects of democracy, and said as far as he could tell, it's perfectly legal and constitutional.
"I respect the process," he said. "I just hope they come to an end sooner rather than later."
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