Let me be the first to say it … “May the best man, or woman, of what ever ethnic background, win.”

The race is well underway now in both the Liberal and NDP camps to elect a new leader … one who for the Liberals will automatically become Premier --- and for the NDP, one who will be leader of the opposition.

As you will recall the NDP recently were the butt of numerous jokes over their party policy which requires that at least one of the top 3 positions in the party must be held by a woman,  With the President and Treasurer both being men, that pretty much left the party leaders position open.

So the party of social justice and gender equality has how many women running?? Hmmmmm, let’s see there’s ……………… no one.  6 guys are running to be leader of the New Democrats --- although to give them credit one candidate, Fraser Nicola MLA Hari Lali was born in India.

So that leaves then the Liberal party as the party of social and gender equality – right?  Well they too have 6 people running – and although two are female – none appear to be from any kind of minority.

BUT, is that how any political party should be selecting and electing a leader?  What has happened to the principle that we should be electing the best person for the job?  Disagree if you want, but having quotas, or perceived ideas about the type of person that should be running flies in the face of democracy.

In the political arena, attempts to promote gender, race, or any kind of physical disability, by percentage of the population, cannot and should not be forced on British Columbians.  And as far as that goes, I hold the same should be true in any workplace, but back to the political leadership races currently underway. 

Anyone that believes they have the qualifications to be the leader of a political party, and is not there to simply promote some single issue (ie: the NDP’s pot candidate) should be welcomed into any leadership race.  They SHOULD NOT be discouraged because there are already too many of them.

Comments like the following made in recent days by people the likes of former NDP Premier, now Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh, have no place in a democratic society and should be unacceptable. He said:

·         "We have a province that is about 25 per cent visible minority at least, and a country that is about 20 per cent visible minority"

·         "There should be more of a reflection of that diversity in the ranks of the leadership candidates.”

·         "There are capable people in both races, but it would have been nice to have more diversity."

Say what you want, but there is nothing holding back any woman or man of Chinese, Italian, First Nations, Sikh, German, or any other ethnic background from seeking office.  Nothing except the courage to do so, a platform to stand on, and enough people that believe as they do.

  

And Moe --- your crap doesn’t cut it either.  Speaking during a political panel on CBC radio he said:

"I think it's fair to say the diversity of British Columbia is not really fully represented in this race… I think all political parties have to step back and figure out why it is that they are not being able to attract an appropriate number of people that represent the ethnic factor in the province."

Sorry Moe but you are 100% wrong.  The only responsibility of a political party is to have a set of beliefs and principles that they present to the public.  If more people can relate to one party than another, they win; it’s as simple as that. No manipulation of gender, race, or any other foolish attempts to artificially produce the “politically correct” winner is required.

So there you have the NDP and the Liberal leadership races, and then next up will be the BC Conservative Party who will be electing a leader on May 28^th.  Candidates will be able to declare their intentions to run beginning March 1^st. 

Let me be the first to say it … “May the best man, or woman – of what ever ethnic background -- win.”

I'm Alan Forseth, and those are the thoughts of one conservative.