Anybody but Tony!

Sheila Copps is standing by her men, as long as they don't go by the name of Tony.

Copps the former Deputy Prime Minister in the Jean Chretien government, has offered assistance to the Conservative candidate in her former riding of Hamilton East-Stony Creek, providing Frank Rukavina and his campaign with advice on how to get out the vote. Interestingly enough though, she's urging residents of the riding to throw their support towards the NDP candidate Wayne Marston.

In fact, it seems that anyone running in the riding is in the running for Copps assistance, as long as they aren't a Liberal or named Tony Valeri. Neither Mr. Marston nor Mr. Rukavina however should expect a long term relationship, comittment may be something not to be taken to seriously for Ms. Copps, her blog site for Copps and Associates has not been updated since March of 2005, when she advised she was about to address a meeting of Green Party members. Have a party, Sheila will travel!

Copps and Valeri had a bitter dispute prior to the last general election, when Valeri effectively booted her not only out of her own riding but out of the government of Paul Martin. Two years later it's apparently payback time for Sheila.

Valeri who only won the riding last time by 972 votes is apparently not concerned about the Copps advisory roles. And he probably hopes she continues to help out both sides of the political road in the campaign. If she convinces enough voters to split their vote, the old Liberal tradition of coming up the middle could work out quite nicely for Valeri.