David Orchard sets out to save Canada. Again.

[CHIMO]

If you’re ever on one of those TV reality shows in which success depends on the determination to persevere in the face of betrayals, setbacks, failures, dirty tricks and the unreliability of others, they guy you want on your side is David Orchard.

The Saskatchewan farmer -- who can’t possibly have much time for farming with all his other activities -- never gives up. Ever. He has been cheated by one party, ejected from a second and blindsided by a third, yet continues to beaver away on the various causes he holds dear, ignoring the overwhelming evidence that Canadian politics just isn’t set up to accommodate somebody like him.

Mr. Orchard’s latest venture is to seek the Liberal nomination in the riding of Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River. If you think you’ve heard this before, it’s because you have. Mr. Orchard campaigned to run as the Liberal candidate in the March 17 byelection in the same riding, only to get the back of the hand from Liberal leader Stéphane Dion and Saskatchewan Liberal heavyweight Ralph Goodale. Mr. Dion thought Mr. Orchard was the greatest guy on earth when Mr. Orchard pledged his support during Mr. Dion’s bid for the party leadership. There weren’t a lot of people crowding onto the Dion bandwagon at the time, so Mr. Orchard’s arrival was more than welcome. But when byelection time rolled around Mr. Dion decided he needed a female candidate for the riding and handpicked Joan Beatty, even though Mr. Orchard had already started campaigning. Liberal headquarters ignored his entreaties for a vote on the issue, or his claims he’d been promised a fair fight. So much for Mr. Dion’s fealty.

Ms. Beatty promptly lost the riding to the Tories, opening the door for Mr. Orchard’s second try at the nomination.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2008/05/23/david-orchard-sets-out-to-save-canada-again.aspx

Missed this one yesterday. Maybe Goodale has learned his lesson?

[Spazito]

1. I hope they have learned a lesson from their failure...

I would like to see David Orchard have a fair chance to run against the Tories in the riding. I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for it, sadly.

[IntravenousDemilo]

2. Well, somebody has to.

Might as well be my friend David. I wish more people would read his book The Fight for Canada, and get properly riled up about how things are.

[CHIMO]

3. Started

The book awhile ago but had to put it down. I found it depressing. It seems that the gods are just stacked against us.