If the question were asked of me ... I would have to say “NO”

Do the “Guiding Principles” … the “Contract with British Columbia” … or the “Policies of the BC Conservative Party” firmly entrench who and what the party is??

If the question were asked of me, I would have to say “NO”

The very fact that the party has said elected members (MLA’s) will be accountable, responsible, and responsive to the people who have voted them into office, clearly shows that the party (which is the members) believes in the common sense of British Columbians.  They are after all the same people that have put together the draft policies of the party.

I believe that no political party can dot every “i” and cross every “t” of what policies will then become legislation.  That just cannot be done because situations change, and nothing stays static, from the time it was suggested.

One of the things that the BC Conservative Party has said and indicated, that really caught my attention to begin with, is that the party believes in the common sense of the people – which party leader John Cummins has taken one step further in saying, “Common sense is neither left wing, nor right wing”.

Below I have taken one of the points from the BC Conservative Party’s Guiding Principles – as well as the “Preamble” from the DRAFT policies that are going to be discussed and voted on at the AGM in Nanaimo next weekend. 

Point #3 from the Guiding Principles of the BC Conservative Party

The new BC Conservative Party believes in the rights and responsibilities of all British Columbians, and that government at all levels are in place to serve and respect all individuals and their families, including freedom from all unnecessary laws and regulations …

“Preamble” from the BC Conservative Party “DRAFT” policy document

The British Columbia Conservative Party is firmly committed to the concept of accountability to the taxpayers of the Province.

Income is received by the Government “in trust” for the citizens of the Province and we, when we are the Government, accept that it is our responsibility to manage those funds in the most efficient and accountable manner possible.

The BC Conservative Party is based on the principle that the Party must be totally accountable to its members, and when forming the government, to the people of the Province.

The Party also believes that all individuals and organizations, including public servants at all levels, must be held equally accountable for the management of monies and the delivery of services whether it be in education, health care, electrical power, or any other service provided by government.

To this end, a BC Conservative government will be dedicated to ensuring expected standards are well defined, delivery performance is regularly monitored and tested, and those responsible for delivery are held accountable.

Again these are simply one point from the Principles … and the Preamble to the policies.  After them flow many many words … but I believe without these two things which I have noted, all of those words that follow mean very little.

BC Conservatives believe in the bottom up common sense of the people of BC … I have seen no indication from Christy Clark that is something she believes in. 

Could that be one of the reasons people are taking a good hard look at the BC Conservative Party??

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