CTV Political Blog:

Gerry Nicholls was fired, apparently, after a 22–year relationship today with the conservative National Citizens Coalition. The NCC is the group, of course, that the current Prime Minister led after he quit political life as a Reform MP. He would eventually quit the NCC to contest and win the leadership of the Canadian Alliance which would merge with the Progressive Conservative Party … and the rest is history.

The National Citizens Coalition blog says,”We said that we wish Gerry well and we thanked him for all he has done while he was at the NCC. We wish him well in whatever path his journey takes him.” There is no hint he did not go willingly.

Gerry Nicholls posted three times about his dismissal on his blog, and then made these comments:

Thanks Chris, but just to be clear, I am not leaving the NCC from my own choice.

Why did they let you go then?

No comment!

While commenters on various news sites are blaming Steven Harper (who worked for the NCC from 1997-2002), I speculate the reasons for the dismissal may not be Harper, but those around him. Thing is the reasons have not been made clear, and it may be revealed in dueling blog posts over the coming weeks.

The Coalition is a conservative lobby group - wiki