Here’s to … “New Beginnings”

I came across a new blogger this morning.   

Her name is Krysta Meekins, and she is from the Yukon.  Like many of us here in BC, she too has had reason to question her political leanings; her first blog post takes us on that journey:

Until recently, I was inhibited from expression by an executive position in a political party that was increasingly out of step with my own belief-set. No longer fettered by centrist affiliation and holding no responsible paid or executive position, this is the opportunity I have been seeking to begin expressing my random political thoughts.

How did I arrive here?

I joined the Liberal Party at age 14, yet after many years of Liberal membership and varying degrees of involvement, I finally made the great leap. It was not a decision to be made lightly, but was a long time coming for a “Liberal” partisan who could be best described as pale-conservative in philosophy.

As I found myself inappropriately endorsing and retweeting the Yukon Party Ministers and vocally defending the Premier against criticisms on twitter and elsewhere, it became apparent that I was faced with some serious cognitive dissonance.

The final realization happened around the time the Yukon Party delegation was in Ottawa for Winterfest and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. The culmination of patriotism and monarchist pride that this particular image evoked in me was undeniable. I had complete respect and trust in those four men to represent my Yukon Territory in our nation’s capital. How could I continue to fight a government I so emphatically supported?

On February 16th I resigned as Secretary of the Yukon Liberal Party and bought my first Yukon Party membership. To new beginnings!

To new beginnings!  

How many of us during the past year or so have, like Krysta, decided it was also time for us to step forward with a new beginning?   

For some of you it has likely been a hard and painful decision to make – for others I am sure there was some final straw, that made the decision, one that we could not put off any longer.  Like Krysta, we took a new beginning in, and on, our political journey.  

I doubt if she needed any encouragement.  That said, I decided to send this young lady a note after reading her blog.  Here is part of what I had to say:

I came across your blog through a post made by Dean Skoreyko -- enjoyed reading it as I made a transition from the BC Liberals to BC Conservative Party a little over 2 years ago.  I had been a member of the BC Liberals for several years, but then let membership lapse, and ended up voting for them only because I saw no other choice. 

Have to say I am glad people were there that said, “ we can 'grow' a choice”, because they gave me a common sense alternative to discover. 

Decisions, like the one made by Krysta in the Yukon, are also being made all across the province of BC.  Do you know someone looking to have a ‘new beginning’?  If so, talk to them about what you believe, and why.

Here’s to ... “New Beginnings”.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.