Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Maverick MP and one-time cabinet minister David Kilgour says he's ashamed to have ever been part of Paul Martin's Liberal team.
"I'm appalled by the way the Liberal campaign (is going) and the way Martin and (top aide Scott) Reid and so many of them are conducting themselves,'' Kilgour said in an interview Tuesday.
"Actually, I'm ashamed to have a been a part of them.''
Kilgour quit the Liberals to sit as an independent last April, saying he was disgusted by the sponsorship scandal and the government's failure to provide what he deemed sufficient aid to war-torn Sudan. He is not seeking re-election.
The Edmonton MP started his political career in 1979 as a Progressive Conservative but was kicked out of Brian Mulroney's caucus in 1990 after he voted against the GST. He joined the Liberals in 1991 under Jean Chretien, who later made Kilgour a secretary of state responsible for Latin America and Africa and, eventually, for Asia Pacific.
When Martin took over from Chretien, he did not keep Kilgour in cabinet, even though he held one of only two Alberta Liberal seats.
Kilgour has not endorsed any other party in the Jan. 23 election but he said he is endorsing two Conservative candidates on their individual merits - Winnipeg MP Steven Fletcher and Montreal candidate Temzin Dargyal.
In his own riding of Edmonton-Beaumont, Kilgour predicted Conservative candidate Mike Lake will win handily "because people overwhelmingly want a change in government.'' He has not endorsed Lake but said he tells anyone who asks that they should not vote Liberal.
Kilgour said Reid's weekend gaffe, in which he said parents will "blow'' a proposed Conservative child care allowance on "popcorn and beer,'' is symptomatic of Liberal arrogance. And he denounced Martin as "a prime minister who has no scruples at all. He's prepared to say anything, anything.''
In particular, Kilgour derided Martin for spending billions on "any bridge he thinks will bring him a few votes,'' while refusing to honour Canada's longstanding commitment to devote 0.7 per cent of GDP to foreign aid.
Given the separatist Bloc Quebecois' massive lead in Quebec, Kilgour also said it's "particularly imprudent'' for Martin to be casting the campaign in that province as a ''referendum'' on secession
Moreover, Kilgour said Martin has little credibility in promising to ban all handguns, weapons which "to all intents and purposes are already banned.''
"In terms of taking a tough stand on crime, that's an area where the Liberals are particularly vulnerable,'' Kilgour said.
OTTAWA — Maverick MP and one-time cabinet minister David Kilgour says he's ashamed to have ever been part of Paul Martin's Liberal team.
"I'm appalled by the way the Liberal campaign (is going) and the way Martin and (top aide Scott) Reid and so many of them are conducting themselves,'' Kilgour said in an interview Tuesday.
"Actually, I'm ashamed to have a been a part of them.''
Kilgour quit the Liberals to sit as an independent last April, saying he was disgusted by the sponsorship scandal and the government's failure to provide what he deemed sufficient aid to war-torn Sudan. He is not seeking re-election.
The Edmonton MP started his political career in 1979 as a Progressive Conservative but was kicked out of Brian Mulroney's caucus in 1990 after he voted against the GST. He joined the Liberals in 1991 under Jean Chretien, who later made Kilgour a secretary of state responsible for Latin America and Africa and, eventually, for Asia Pacific.
When Martin took over from Chretien, he did not keep Kilgour in cabinet, even though he held one of only two Alberta Liberal seats.
Kilgour has not endorsed any other party in the Jan. 23 election but he said he is endorsing two Conservative candidates on their individual merits - Winnipeg MP Steven Fletcher and Montreal candidate Temzin Dargyal.
In his own riding of Edmonton-Beaumont, Kilgour predicted Conservative candidate Mike Lake will win handily "because people overwhelmingly want a change in government.'' He has not endorsed Lake but said he tells anyone who asks that they should not vote Liberal.
Kilgour said Reid's weekend gaffe, in which he said parents will "blow'' a proposed Conservative child care allowance on "popcorn and beer,'' is symptomatic of Liberal arrogance. And he denounced Martin as "a prime minister who has no scruples at all. He's prepared to say anything, anything.''
In particular, Kilgour derided Martin for spending billions on "any bridge he thinks will bring him a few votes,'' while refusing to honour Canada's longstanding commitment to devote 0.7 per cent of GDP to foreign aid.
Given the separatist Bloc Quebecois' massive lead in Quebec, Kilgour also said it's "particularly imprudent'' for Martin to be casting the campaign in that province as a ''referendum'' on secession
Moreover, Kilgour said Martin has little credibility in promising to ban all handguns, weapons which "to all intents and purposes are already banned.''
"In terms of taking a tough stand on crime, that's an area where the Liberals are particularly vulnerable,'' Kilgour said.
