Fringe politics are for fringe parties – not a movement for the majority



- Jack Wiesgerber -
Former BC Reform
Party Leader & MLA



Anyone remember who spoke those words – and when?? 

They were spoken by Jack Wiesgerber on June 10^th, 1995 in Kamloops, and I was there.  He was then leader of the BC Reform Party, and those words are just as true today, as they were back then.

Not much later (1996) another BC politician, Gordon Campbell, spoke for the BC Liberal Party uttering the words “We must have the courage to change the way government is run”.

He spoke of having a, ‘common sense government’, but after a decade of government by the BC Liberal Party are we any closer to having common sense government?

Did former Premier Gordon Campbell, and those elected with him that remain in government, have the courage to change the way government is run?

Christy Clark was there … Mike De Jong was there … Kevin Falcon was there … George Abbott was there … and my MLA, Kevin Krueger was there --- and all of them, and others, remain elected MLA’s for the BC Liberal Party.

Have they had the courage to change the way government is run?

·         When is the BC Liberal government going to come clean in the BC Rail // Basi / Virk corruption scandal

• What is the real debt load of BC Ferries and how much trouble is BC Ferries in if they are calling for such large fare increases
• What is the real debt of BC Hydro – why have they not budgeted for future expansion and renewal of existing power generating facilities – why can we not have “small” plan full increases
• Why was the HST brought in immediately on the heels of the last general election, without a word spoken about it – where was the public consultation

• Why do we still not have MLA’s who are accountable – without threat of “recall” to the people who have elected them

Most of us live by the same rules. Many go to work, do their jobs, and get paid.  Whoever pays us is the person in control – right?  Why is it that many (not all) of our elected officials fail to realize that? 

Christy Clark is running to be elected as an MLA for the riding of Vancouver Point Grey, and well she should, as I do not believe we should have an un-elected Premier.  Will she call a Fall election for September – many believe so – but only time will tell.

BC is at a crossroads, and the direction we as individuals take will decide the future well-being of our province for ourselves and our families.  In the recent past we have had two choices; the BC Liberals, or the New Democrats. 

That brings me back to the quote I started with, spoken by Jack Wiesgerber over a decade and a half ago, “Fringe politics are for fringe parties – not a movement for the majority”.

BC Conservatives have prepared their “Contract with British Columbians” covering reform and government accountability … and the regular mom and apple pie issues that voters would expect.

Now however, the party will need to flesh those things out with policy ideas that will capture the hearts of voters --- policy ideas that will move them far ahead of any possible reference to being a “fringe party’.

That’s the task of soon to be leader John Cummins, and it is a task I believe that he is up to.  He will need to work hard to ensure the party stays focused on providing real principled leadership and not just lip service to it like we have had from the BC Liberals – and the NDP before them

Time to wrap up for today, but before I do, here are four more quotes – I’ll leave it to you to decide why I have included them.

Gordon Campbell (BC Liberals – 1996): 
“… we must change the system of government, not just the players”

Christy Clark (BC Liberals – 2011): 
"Our government recognizes that it is time for a change"  

Bill Tieleman (political commentator):

“What shape that change takes is up to voters, not Clark, however -- and change is never predictable in BC politics.”

John Cummins (BC Conservative Party – March 2011):
“The best way to get things done is to listen to what the voters are saying, to stand up for what you believe in, and never back down on something you know is right.”

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops … and those are the thoughts of one conservative.