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The Brampton Guardian
Longtime MP departs with no regrets
Friday September 5 2008
ROGER BELGRAVE
Longtime Brampton MP Colleen Beaumier is preparing to leave the House of Commons with no regrets about the last 15 years.

The Brampton West MP confirmed she informed the Liberal Party of Canada Aug. 28 that she would not be seeking re-election in the next federal election. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was expected to call an election this weekend.

“Absolutely not one regret. A little sad to leave the hoopla, but part of me is quite happy to leave the hoopla too,” she said in an interview with The Guardian.

Beaumier was first elected in 1993 and re-elected for five consecutive terms in the House of Commons. She admits she will miss working for constituents, but not the political gamesmanship that occurs behind the scenes.

“I don’t like the plots and the power grabbing and the back stabbing,” she said of politicking.
In some corners of the Liberal Party machine, the 63-year-old was considered a bit of wild card. But Beaumier never saw herself that way. Some would simply describe her as a straight talker who was not afraid to march to the beat of her own drummer.

”I have worked for this party for 40 years and I have never done or said anything to indicate that I would ever do anything to hurt the party,” she said. “I would probably sit down and eat a pile of manure if it was good for the party. However, I wouldn’t stand up and say that it tastes good.”

Her departure from the House of Commons will give Beaumier more time to spend with and provide some comfort to her ailing mother.

Beaumier said most within local political circles already assumed this was her last term, but she waited until the eve of an election call to make it official. According to Beaumier, the last minute announcement was a conscious effort to avoid a long, drawn out nomination process that can often be divisive for a party.

“I didn’t want a bloodbath here,” she explained. “I didn’t think we needed the Liberals having the great fights among each other for the nomination and we didn’t need the thousands of memberships that will come in. We should be fighting the Tories and not each other.”

The Liberal Party of Canada could call the nomination meeting by the end of the week, she believes. Former Brampton West Riding Association president Raj Jhajj and local lawyer Andrew Kania are expected to be on the ballot with at least one other lesser known local political hopeful. Beaumier has no plans to offer any endorsements.

She originally entered the political arena to fight for human rights issues and justice.

“I believe in Pierre Trudeau’s just society,” she said. “Without justice we’re no different than an industrial machine and I think justice has been slipping away.”

Beaumier is content in the belief she has helped make some significant differences with accomplishments that included her private member’s bill making it a criminal offence for anyone in government to destroy records and her efforts towards establishing the treaty banning land mines.

She would have liked to have done more, but is satisfied with what she has done.
She expects to play a role in the upcoming election and support the party’s bid for a return to power.

“I think everyone underestimates Stephane Dion,” she said of the Liberal Party leader.
He possesses an intelligence and integrity not often found in politics, she suggested.
“I am really placing my faith in Canadians to recognize that the qualities that he possesses are exactly what we need in this country,” Beaumier added.

Once the curtain closes on this phase of her life, she and her husband also plan to spend more time renovating their home and establishing a charitable foundation to benefit various human rights issues.