Is it good enough to say, “This choice is the best, and only choice we have?”

Is it good enough to say, “This choice 

is the best, and only choice we have?”

BC Liberal MLA John Rustad recently asked the question; “If the Wildrose wins a big majority in Alberta, what impact do you think it might have in Canadian politics or on other provinces?”

It’s a good question, and at the time of writing this (Sunday afternoon), I don’t know what the results of tomorrows General Election in Alberta are, or will be.  It did however generate a number of responses.

Bill K. stated, “The West is blue… and it`s proven that Canadian political parties don`t need Quebec to get a majority any more. The decades of Eastern domination are over and political parties no longer have to suck up to Quebec.”

Followed by Bryan V. who commented, “After years of Conservative governments, the transition will be slow, could take another term in office. The first term for the B.C. Liberals was transition and organization. I never did like a 2 horse race to the wire. Not exciting”

Not wanting to be left out of the discussion I posted, “I believe it will indeed continue into BC. The results Thursday showed people not only want change -- they want choice. This is something, in all due respect, that Christy Clark has yet to realize.”

Kurt Langmann, who is the Editor in Chief of the Aldergrove Star chimed in by saying, “Interesting times ahead if projections and trends continue. A "firewall" Alberta vs an NDP B.C., a PQ Quebec, and serious economic problems in Ontario and Manitoba. Who would ever have thought that Saskatchewan and Nfld might become the nation's bright lights?”

That was just the start, as many comments followed by a number of people:

David G. F.
The biggest fear for the current governing federal antagonists in Ottawa is a coalition between the NDP and Liberals. Harpers party would be relegated to the back burners for the next millennium. The biggest fear for the BC NDP is a coalition between the Liberals and the Conservatives. Again with the same results, the NDP will never be elected in this province again. Dix's best strategy to win would be to provide funding for all of the BC Conservative riding campaigns to keep the party alive and separate.

Frank F:

I think it might be a sign of what could happen in BC. The problem with Wildrose and the BC Conservatives is that both offer a vision of change that is too extreme, witnessed by some of the formers publically stated views. The right fails to realize that compassion, social responsibility, and investment in public infrastructure can happen in a free enterprise world.

And back to David G.F. with:
True, but regrettably in the case of the BC NDP, which many will admit is the most extreme left wing version of all the Canadian provincial NDP parties, is not what will benefit BC in the future. There is too ingrained a connection with the NDP, the union labor movement, and public sector employees. One only has to witness the extremism when it comes to negotiating union contracts with the government. This does nothing but instill insecurity in foreign investors wishing to bring their money here.

The NDP government creates red tape only in order to create more union public service jobs and lengthen the time it takes to get anything done here business wise. Then when a government tries to reduce that red tape to enhance private sector business, we have special interest groups funded by union donations screaming about how the environment is at risk with these much needed changes.

It's a well-choreographed dance that plays out every 4 years, starting one year from the next provincial election. You can almost set your calendar for when the newspaper ads will start appearing denouncing this private business sector or that one. Most of the information is fanciful and some are downright lies, yet they go unchallenged, and the media just repeats it and gives it credibility.

I entered the conversation again by saying:

Frank ... no matter what the 'personal' beliefs are of those in BCCP ... John Cummins and the board have been clear we WILL NOT govern on social issues. There is no consensus within the party, anymore than there is within the general public. This is completely a NON issue.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, John Cummins was elected an MP for several terms by his constituents --- many of whom have beliefs different than his. He was elected by them because he was able to represent the vast majority of his constituents. They appreciated his honesty, and his ability to be a true 'representative' that was accountable first and foremost to them.

This is exactly how the BC Conservative Party plan to govern when elected to serve the people of BC.

Back to David G.F with the comment:

The BC Conservative Party will never be elected as a majority to serve the people of BC. The only result will be an NDP majority which will NOT serve all of the people of BC. You can take that to the bank.

Then to John’s credit he came back with an interesting comment that took a look back several decades into BC’s past:
The last time the BC Liberals and the BC Conservatives were in this kind of fight was in the late 1940s and early 1950s. They were so worried about splitting the vote that the government of the day implemented the "alternative vote" (preferential balloting). It worked but not the way they wanted it. A third party (social credit) started up by a rebel who walked across the floor (WAC Bennett) ended up being everyone's second choice and formed government. He then consolidated power under the Socreds and eliminated the "alternative vote" to make sure he kept power.

Of course, as many people are well aware, we do need to look at the past, as a guideline for our future.  I responded to comments made by both David and John saying:

David ... the BC Conservative Party is preparing a platform and policies that the people of BC will be able to decide upon as a workable alternative to the current two choices we now have. They are NO different than any other party in doing so, and can indeed be elected with a majority government, if the people decide they are a workable and common sense alternative.

With apologies to John (and this is in no way personal), it appears that over 70% of the people in BC no longer support the BC Christy Clark Party. They are obviously looking for a change, and / or an alternative, and the BC Conservative Party are offering themselves as that choice for change.

Personally, I believe some form of alternative to first past the post should be looked at. How and what that would look like however, needs to be determined by the people of BC if that is what they desire.

Well we certainly all hold many different and varied beliefs, and it would be unfair if I did not post the follow-up from David:
Al - your delusional, but I respect that outlook.

As for STV, the Liberal government gave the people of BC two kicks at the can in subsequent referendums and it seems like the majority of BC voters like the current system. I certainly don't and voted yes to change it each time.

As for who will form the next BC government don't believe me, just take a look at all the polls taken in the last year and it clearly signals who will be the next Premier of BC, and it won't be that nut bar leader of the BCCP, regardless of your personal opinion. The only way the NDP will be kept out of office is to work together, not separately. Sorry but thems the facts.

Okay … seems like David is in agreement, with many in BC, that we need or should have some kind of change.  Regardless, he is not alone in his thinking that without a united front to the NDP, we will end up with an NDP government.  In fact he goes so far as to identify polls from a year ago showing they would end up with a majority government.

What he, and others have failed to note, and or acknowledge, is this was at a time when the BC Conservative Party was barely registering on the radar for BC voters.

My point is, even without a BC Conservative Party presence, the BC Liberal Party will lose the next election.

People may say that we should only have a choice between the so-called free enterprise party, and the NDP, however this choice no longer appears to be acceptable to many people.

The BC Conservative Party did not rise to where it is now, in a vacuum.  It happened because voters want a choice – and they want an option.

Is it good enough to say, “This choice is the best, and only choice we have?”

There is a growing number of people in BC, who have decided that voting for the BC Christy Clark Party is no longer a choice that is good enough for them … especially when there is a viable alternative; one that is resonating more and more with the people of BC.

So back to John Rustad’s original question that started all of this:

“If the Wildrose wins a big majority in Alberta, what impact do you think it might have in Canadian politics or on other provinces?”

What are your thoughts as you read this?

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

NOTE:  Since writing this post, there have been several rather nasty comments, made by what I would call narrow minded people, which I will not repeat here.  MLA John Rustad however, did make an interesting comment by saying:
Al, an interesting perspective. In Chilliwack, 68% votes for some other party. 75% voted against the BCC. The BC Libs have both conservative and liberal participation. Can the same be said for the BC Conservatives?

Unfortunately the words liberal and conservative are divisive. There has to be a way to get around this and reform the coalition. Otherwise, the NDP will win a big majority with just 40% of the vote.

My response was in keeping with what I had said previously:
Good observation John, however the fact we got 25% is a testament to how those who worked on the campaign, were able to put together the first attempt, in many years, by BC Conservatives. The Liberals and the NDP have well-oiled machines ... and had tens of thousands of dollars to drop into just two ridings. We'll grow, and we will learn the lessons needed from these by-elections.

Many small 'c' conservatives, me included, have left the fold. That has to raise questions as to why that has happened. I have mentioned some of them here, on other posts, as well as on my own personal blog. I have no doubt that there still remains small 'c' conservatives in the BC Liberal fold, but more and more are choosing to leave.