Accusations and controversy--from both inside and outside the Conservative Party--continue to hound the local Tory nomination process a week into the election campaign.

Former Chilliwack city councillor Casey Langbroek said he thought most members of the Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon Conservative Party were upset about a candidate selection process that begun on March 14 and ended on March 18.

The usual nomination period would be at least four weeks, something Langbroek said is fair and serves the purpose of selling memberships and solidifying support for the party.

In an interview with the Times, he even suggested this election may not be the usual cakewalk it is for Conservatives.

"Maybe this riding isn't going to be as secure as it was in the past as a result of this," he said. "There's been damage done all the way around and it couldn't come at a poorer time."

Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon MP Chuck Strahl formally announced he would not seek re-election to party members on March 11 and to the public on March 12. On March 14, the party sent out a message--that Langbroek said he never got--to party members that the deadline to have nomination papers in Ottawa was March 18 at 5 p.m. eastern time.

For his part, Mark Strahl said the fact that an election was called proved how quickly the nomination period needed to be. But the reality is that Chuck Strahl told the Times on March 14 that he told "the prime minister quite a long time ago" that he would not seek re-election.

So the reason the national party headquarters forced the quick process on the local riding is a mystery to Langbroek and many others in the party.

"I'm upset because I may have chosen to seek the nomination and I was unilaterally dismissed from being eligible," Langbroek told the Times. "They might say 'you were eligible, it was your choice.'"

But Langbroek said the process eliminated at least 80 per cent of people that might have wanted to run because the short period made it impossible for those with employment commitments to fulfill the requirements.

"Could somebody in business that has contractual commitments or clients or customers do that?" he asked. "Even if it's the Maytag man, he has appointments, he can't just phone all of his customers and say 'sorry, tomorrow I've got to start my campaign."

Strahl told the Times on Thursday that he wished the process could have been different but that Conservatives locally are united behind him now.

"People are realizing that that issue is now a distraction to the main issue which is the election," he said. "It wasn't an ideal process, all Conservatives realize that, but we now have the choice between a stable strong national Conservative government and a risky alliance between the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc."

The other parties have now picked up on the Conservative nomination controversy.

Liberal candidate Diane Janzen reiterated to Global TV yesterday the fact that a number of potential candidates were left out because of the process.

"This is a Conservative stronghold," she said. "I can think of at least a dozen people that would have been interested in putting forward their name--strong, high-profile Conservatives."

NDP candidate Gwen O'Mahony said that citizens she talks to on her on her door-to-door campaign are complaining of an "electoral dynasty."

The national Liberal Party also weighed in with comments sent out this week.

"Shockingly, Harper's corrupted version of 'democracy' appears to have infected even Preston Manning, quoted in a now-Google-cached version of Mark Strahl's website, endorsing his claim to inherit his father's throne," the briefing note said.

That website, which was up during Strahl's nomination period but has been down since he was chosen, included quotes from a number of prominent Conservatives regarding Mark Strahl's suitability for office, including from Manning.

"Mark Strahl--by virtue of his family background, his political party activities, and his employment in the offices of two Members of Parliament--is 'well prepared' for service in the House of Commons...." Manning said.

"One wonders if nepotism, cronyism and a life spent entirely in a protected political cocoon are 'virtues' many old-time Reformers would recognize as their own," the Liberal note continued. "But if nothing else, being asked to swallow such arrogance and disdain from Ottawa is sure to make them a bit nostalgic."

Now that the election is underway, clearly the Conservatives hope the controversy over the nomination process will disappear.

"Well I'm sure that the party would love to make it go away," Langbroek said. "But it's a stupid decision and it's going to haunt them."

Langbroek said the controversy was not enough to make him tear up his party membership, but added "I am going to kick up a fuss" and that he wouldn't be digging as deep in his pockets to support the party.

"I give my support to the local candidate almost begrudgingly, not because of him, but because of the process," he said. "I'm probably speaking and echoing what many others are thinking."

Strahl said the opposition parties are hoping the controversy will continue, but he found it "interesting" given that the "Liberal candidate was appointed by Michael Igntieff and the NDP candidate was acclaimed."

phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com