With this I now ask, “How strong are your convictions?”

Yesterday I received an email from Peter Brown; he is the Chair of the Fraser Institute, and works with CanAccord Financial.  In his email he spoke of the ‘lost years’ under the NDP, the fiscal mess they left, that people were leaving the province, and the need for one ‘big-tent’ option to prevent this happening again.

There was no request to keep this matter private, and I was not the only one to receive his email.  The following are exchanges we had on this matter, and which on reflection tell me that the BC Conservative Party must continue to build a solid foundation on which we can fight, and win the next election

Peter ...

Voters are NOT interested in a so-called big tent free-enterprise coalition -- they are interested in honest, open and accountable government.  These things are no longer part of how the BC Liberals operate -- and why more and more people are joining and working to build the BC Conservative Party.

IF you are interested in fiscal responsibility ... honesty ... respect for voters ... and accountability, then the party you should be supporting will be the BC Conservatives.

The Liberals have gone from one crisis after the other --- one disaster after the other --- one blunder after the other.  That is not a party that I (and it appears 75% of the population) will support.

If you wish to ensure the BC NDP do not gain office, then I would encourage you to become a member of the BC Conservatives and to support us in any way you are able ... including encouraging your friends to do so as well.

Sincerely,

Alan Forseth, member of

The BC Conservative Party

You misunderstand a nonpartisan appeal. Without some ability for all on the center right to find some mutually acceptable compromises we will undoubtedly elect the most doctrinaire socialist government in our history at a time of an alarming global geo political and economic background.

If they make it they are likely to get 2 terms which will give our Province and our youth another disastrous lost decade at the worst time. It is worth remembering that Chretien won three elections as a result of a split right of center vote. It has been said that we get the government we deserve and I believe we will look back with regret if we can't find some solution to the current differences on the center right

Peter I totally understood your email, but perhaps not in the way you thought, or intended.

What is becoming more and more apparent is that the BC Liberal Party will be defeated at the polls come the next election.  They have done themselves in, with the majority of voters, who will no longer hold their nose and vote for them again.

That means there is NO non-partisanship option available any more.

Either people will support the only clear alternative to the Liberals, or they will go down with that sinking ship.  We have never met, and I hate to be blunt, but that is the honest assessment of many people that I know --- people both inside, and outside, of the BC Conservative Party.

Christy Clark has clearly stated that the BC Liberals are the only option that she believes should be available to us ... and she has also clearly stated that she will lead that option.  Is that a choice that you can live with?  Does that seem like a logical argument for support?

This is a party that has lost its way

• that has lost the ability to be fiscally responsible (debt doubled and ongoing deficits)

• that has lost its ability to have a social conscience (does CLBC ring any bells)

• that says they've given us tax breaks and yet rams through a Carbon Tax as well as adding a host of fee increases along with increases to MSP, BC Ferries, ICBC, etc)

• that has failed miserably to get our court system back on track

• and that has yet to say (with any conviction) that it supports the mining, gas, and oil industry (the economic drivers that create REAL jobs).

Again, I mean no disrespect, but there is no sitting on the fenced any more --- and no being non-partisan.

Those that support the BC Liberals will go down with what looks more and more like a sinking ship.

Those who help grow, support, and promote the BC Conservative Party will help create the only chance to ensure, if nothing else, that there are enough BC Conservatives in the legislature to hold the NDP to a minority government.

We may not be in a lost decade right now, however the past 2 or 3 years have certainly not been an example of what a fiscally responsible government, with a social conscience should be.  We have the highest combined taxes and fees east of Quebec ... for the first time since the NDP were in power we now have more people leaving the province than are moving here ... and again as I mentioned, we have a doubling of debt (again not seen since the NDP were in power).

I have made a straight forward appeal for you to join with us, based on what I see as the reality of continuing to support the BC Liberal Party.  With that I ask for your support by joining with us -- your assistance by providing any expertise you are able to offer -- and yes, why beat around the bush, a financial contribution would be welcomed as well.

I appreciate you contacting me with your concerns, I appreciate you taking the time to hear mine, and I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Alan Forseth, member of

The BC Conservative Party

Yours is the most thoughtful reply I have received in response to my letter which is being misunderstood.

I am only suggesting that we all collectively find some route to come together to avoid the train wreck that is clearly coming and that we will all regret as our province lives through the strong potential for another lost decade.

I remember the last time when the province ranked 9th in economic growth and as Jack Poole said “they took our swagger away". I also remember that Chretien got 3 terms out of a split center right vote

Good morning Peter...

I appreciate your thoughts on the note I responded to you with.  Believe me I read, and re-read it several times as I did not want to come across as being hard-nosed.  If you have received some responses that may be a little more strongly worded, it is likely because they are becoming tired of hearing what they are trying to build, to create a better place for us to live and work, is being called in to question.

The points you have made are not without merit; however equally so is the fact that with the BC Liberals, we are getting little more than a slightly slower moving version of what we can expect under the NDP.

Again we have never met, and to have this conversation with someone that has far more business knowledge and political experience is, to be quite frankly, overwhelming.  Regardless, I hope that what I am trying to express is resonating in you as not only sincere, but also as the thoughts of thousands and thousands of people across the province.  If this is indeed so, you will know and understand that we can no longer have anything to do with the BC Liberal Party.

I ask that you take a minute to reflect on what future you wish to see unfold in the coming years.  If you feel that can best come about by supporting, encouraging, and helping grow the BC Conservatives, then I ask you to 'step up to the plate' and get on board.

If however you feel the BC Liberals are your only option, then I respect that decision ... with regret.

Take care, and again thank you for allowing me to have this exchange with you.

Sincerely,

Alan Forseth, member of,

The BC Conservative Party

With this I now ask, “How strong are your convictions?”.   

Do you believe the BC Conservative Party is indeed an option that is viable and should / must be available to the people of BC?

If your answer is “Yes”, then I ask what are you doing to promote the party -- to encourage its growth -- to bring on new members – to counter any arguments about the vote split?   

Don’t worry, I’m asking myself the same questions, and I know I need to do more.

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