Tory candidate disinvited from own federation's meeting with N.L. minister

A federal Conservative St. John's-area candidate has been instructed not to attend a meeting between the province's agricultural federation and a Newfoundland and Labrador cabinet minister.

Merv Wiseman took a leave of absence from the presidency of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture to represent the Conservatives in St. John's South-Mount Pearl.

But in a letter sent by acting federation president Rhonda Thornley, Wiseman was told not to attend a meeting scheduled for Wednesday with provincial Natural Resources Minister Kathy Dunderdale.

"The board reached a consensus that in light of the fact that you are a Conservative candidate in the upcoming election and the ongoing well-publicized dispute between the provincial government and the federal Conservative government, it would be in the best interest of the agriculture industry if you did not attend this meeting," Thornley wrote.

Dunderdale has taken a high profile in Premier Danny Williams's "anything but Conservative" campaign, which is targeting the three seats the federal Tories held at the start of the election campaign. Wiseman's seat was previously held by retiring Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn.

Wiseman told CBC News he sees the letter as an effect of the ABC campaign.

"It's a climate of intimidation, I believe," Wiseman said.

"It's a climate of fear and concern. It's doesn't get any simpler than that."

Minister 'flabbergasted' by decision, reasoning

But Dunderdale said in an interview she was "flabbergasted" that the Federation of Agriculture disinvited Wiseman, and insisted her government had nothing to do with the organization's decision.

"I've had no communication at all on this issue with the Federation of Agriculture," said Dunderdale. She said it is "ludicrous" to suggest that she or others would somehow punish the federation if Wiseman showed up.

Wiseman, however, said he believes the letter proves that the ABC campaign has had significant side-effects.

"I think there was a perception with the Federation of Agriculture, as there is with everybody who's been ducking this election, that there will be reprisals," Wiseman said.

"It's been a campaign of get-even. When you're coming in for get-even, or coming in for the body slam, the rules are out the door."

Dunderdale, though, said there is no evidence to support past claims from Conservative circles about intimidation coming from Williams and the governing Progressive Conservatives.

Dunderdale said Wiseman has spoken his mind in the past as president of the Federation of Agriculture, and that government has taken his criticism in stride.

We certainly haven't [always] seen eye to eye over the last two and a half years … but there certainly have been no reprisals," she said.

"To even suggest that there might be boggles the mind."

Williams launched the ABC campaign to protest Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's break with a written promise leading up to the 2006 election, to exclude non-renewable energy sources from the equalization formula.

"With all due respect to Mr. Wiseman," Dunderdale said, "this ABC campaign is about Stephen Harper. It's not about Merv Wiseman."