I told you to deal with the problem … not to make it worse

Margaret Thatcher - British Prime Minister
from 1979 to 1990 -- "The Iron Lady"

Let me start off today with a quote from former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher:

“If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.”

These are words, which when we read them all these years later, still ring true! 

Now compare the above to the words of Christy Clark following her win as the new leader of the BC Liberal Party just over a year ago:

"I want you to be my partners in change in Victoria. I want you to be my partners in bringing open government. You can count on me to listen, you can count on me to engage, and you can count on me to make sure government really does include you. I have specific ideas on how to do these things but I also need to hear from you.”

How many would agree that this change has indeed taken place in British Columbia since she became Premier of the province?

I know there are many people, well not as many as a year ago, who think that Christy Clark is one of the best leaders the so-called free enterprise coalition has ever seen. 

I do not share that opinion.

One who does however, for reasons many cannot fathom, is Preston Manning … the leader of Canada’s Reform movement, which went through a variety of transformations to finally become today's Conservative Party.

Recently, he went so far as to call Christy Clark Canada’s “Iron Snowbird”.  In a news story from earlier this spring (B.C. Premier Christy Clark lauded as 'iron snowbird') he had this rationale behind the name:

I don't mind someone who changes their mind, based on new knowledge, that allows them to reassess their belief

Some folks have been wondering whats the deal with Preston Manning, and Christy Clark.  For those of us that were part of Preston Manning's Reform movement, we have been greatly puzzled, and felt betrayed, by what appears to be his endorsement of Christy Clark, who is a well known federal Liberal.

In fact, I had a brief conversation with a Liberal friend of mine.  Here is a part of that conversation.

FRIEND:
I believe that there may be a few things that have happened here. My best guess is that Preston realizes that at this point in time, the BC Liberals are the best choice to beat the NDP.

I also believe that it is possible for a person to change their political mind. I have spent time with Christy and had some really great discussions. From these discussions it is my belief that she holds close and true some very fundamental conservative values.

On another front, I must admit that I know little about Mr. Cummings during his tenure as a federal MP but the there is a question that nags at me. Why are so many of his past federal colleagues, PC /Reformer/Conservative, refusing not to support him and yet in turn support the Premier? There must be reasons? Would enjoy your thoughts on this.

I appreciate the sincerity of my friend, however I have to wonder exactly what "... she holds close and true some very fundamental conservative values" exactly means?  She has indeed verbalized some conservative values, however I have yet to see them actually be practiced.

As to support amongst former Reformers / Conservatives, I replied to my friend with these words:

It may talk like a duck … but it sure as heck doesn't walk like one

Premier Christy Clark -- "Iron Snowbird"?

It is truly remarkable --- actually truly unbelievable, the heights of hypocrisy that Christy Clark will use, and go to, in her attempt to appear what she truly is not.

Christy Clark comes from the lineage of Federal Liberals, her heritage is the Federal Liberal Party, and on top of that, it's from the left leaning side of the 'federal' Liberal Party.

I'm reminded of an old saying. Remember this one? If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck …

No … wait a minute ... somethings not quite right here. This duck may talk like a duck … but it sure as heck doesn't walk like one. There is NOTHING conservative about Christy Clark. Not small 'c' … or capitol “C” … make no mistake about it.

A story ran on Saturday in both the Vancouver Sun … and the Times Colonist. The Times Colonist story was titled “Clark lauded as 'iron snowbird'” and it part it said:

Clark is in the fight of her political life due to the challenge from a number of Manning's former Reform MPs who have moved into provincial politics under former MP John Cummins, the B.C. Conservative leader.

The premier has enlisted Manning and two of the Reform founder's former top MPs, including ex-Harper ministers Chuck Strahl and Jay Hill, to blunt the attack from the right.

So far that hasn't paid off. Manning said publicly in October that he supports Clark, not Cummins, as the best bet to keep the NDP from taking power. But polls consistently show the B.C. Liberals are well behind the NDP …

Christy Clark may walk like a duck, but it's a Liberal Duck … and Christy Clark may talk like a duck, but it's a Liberal Duck. 

Christy Clark can surround herself with as many former Reformers as she likes … but she will still be a Liberal Duck.

If you decide to support the forces of constructive change – then the future will be different

Yesterday (01/30/12) the Vancouver Sun had a piece written by Paul Kershaw from the University of British Columbia.  It was entitled “A Canadian sidekick for Colbert”, and it began with the following:

Just 10 per cent of Canadians trust politicians, according to a recent Ipsos poll. Canadians are more likely to trust new-car sales people than elected officials, data from Leger Marketing tell us.

These facts may be good for a laugh. But, really, we shouldn’t be amused. The fact that Canadians are more likely to treat politicians like punch lines rather than people to respect is a fundamental reason why we are tuning out politics. Barely 60 per cent of Canadians voted in the last federal election; in Ontario’s fall provincial election, fewer than 50 per cent of eligible voters showed up at the ballot boxes. Our largest province has not seen such low turnout since Confederation in 1867.

Apathy is not a neutral force in our democracy. Apathy helps to sustain the status quo. And the status quo is not a friend of Canadians under 45.

“POLITICIANS” … have become the punch lines, and punching bags, of municipal, provincial and federal voters – and THEY DESERVE TO BE!  And not just of people under the age of 45.

In 1999 a Canadian political party release a brochure … “This is the Reform Party”.  Here are just some of the things they had as policy objectives in this brochure:

1. the equality of citizens …
2. Responsible government that is accountable to citizens …
3. More and better jobs through balanced budgets and tax relief
4. Safer streets and communities
5. Strong reliable and affordable social services
6. Greater support for Canadian families as the basic building block of Canadian society

In BC we have two political parties that have governed this province over the past two decades … the BC Liberals … and the New Democrats.  Has anything truly been done towards the goals I noted above ... and that apply just as easily to our province?  I think the fact that only 10% of Canadian voters trust politicians provides the answer.

Looking back at the year 2011 – Conservative Thoughts – the Top 10

As I mentioned yesterday, since I began the Conservative Thoughts blog I have written and posted just under 350 articles.  I recently looked to see which ones had interested readers the most this year, and yesterday I posted the ones from #20 to #11 that had most interested you.

Today we’re counting down the stories and articles from ten to #1.  Following each of the headings, which have links to the full story, I will include a brief paragraph or two on what the story was about.

Here we go …

#10 Three points made by the BC Liberal Party are a beautiful display of spin-doctoring  … we begin with a story from early Fall … September 15th

… I have a HUGE smile on my face however because if the BC Liberals have already started this, they are obviously scared of what a common sense campaign of people powered policy is going to do to their "Top Down" style of government. Their first three points are a beautiful display of spin-doctoring starting with the pension issue …

#9 BC Conservatives will not be splitting the vote --- the BC Liberals are driving their supporters away … from May 30^th

… today I was puzzled but what appeared to be an acceptance of the Liberal mantra that that BC Conservatives are going to ‘split the vote’ … if you listen to Christy Clark and her Liberal MLA’s, it seems that their only reason for being, and why people should support them, is because ... “We’re not the NDP” … once believed in government reform by the grassroots … and that accountability, honesty, and responsibility to the voters was paramount …

HERE’S THE QUESTION … “WHO, put our province where it is now"?

On the weekend, Chantal Hebert had an op / ed in the Toronto Star entitled, “PM could use premiers like Christy Clark”.  That lead me to question her ‘opinion’ and to share some of my own (what a surprise eh?).  Part of that led to an exchange of comments between me, and a recent Facebook friend, who is a member of the BC Liberal party. 

ME … as an easterner (Chantal Hebert) you make no sense -- given the beginnings and rise of the reform movement in western Canada, and why the reform movement led by Preston Manning came about. And it shows you still have not learned, that the west doesn’t appreciate, being lectured and dictated to by the east ...

FB Friend: Isn't Preston Manning supporting the BC Liberals?

ME … unfortunately it appears he too has forgotten what he once believed was MOST important --- and a steadily declining number of BC voters, at all levels of government, also attests to a lack of belief that anyone running for office has anything in mind other than themselves. BC Reform tried to make inroads in bottom up grassroots democracy in the mid-90's. It wasn't successful then, but my hope is that people are now ready for truth in politics

The beginnings, and reasons, for the Reform Party of Canada

Dear Preston Manning ...

In hearing what you had to say on the CBC TV news tonight, during your visit to BC with Christy Clark and the BC Liberals, it seems you have forgotten your populist roots ... the beginnings of the Reform Party of Canada ... and it's reason for coming into existence.

I became a member of the party in 1988, was on the board of the Kamloops constituency association, and worked on several election campaigns for our local candidates. Please take note of the following and see if they seem familiar to you. They are some of the reasons why I joined the party.

Sincerely,

Alan Forseth

Common sense is not a political philosophy of the left or the right

John Cummins speaking
in Kamloops (May 26)

In the past few days, soon to be leader of the BC Conservative Party, John Cummins, has been meeting and talking to people in the Thompson Okanagan region.

In Vernon just the other day he stated, “People are tired with the choices they have and the last election is proof of that when 48 per cent of British Columbians stayed home, they didn’t like either choice”

This morning I spoke with Jim Harrison from CHNL Radio who asked about some of the things the party is looking at with regards to policy – one of the things I mentioned is that policy is going to be common sense, and that people will be able to support it because of that very reason.

Stockwell … remember the early days of the Reform Party, what they stood for, and why they came about

Conservative MP
Stockwell Day

In the late 80's I heard about this group of people wanting to see change in Canadian politics -- I found out they were part of a group of people called the Reform Party.  After looking into what they believed and stood for, I became a member of what was developing as a grassroots political party.  I have followed the transition through the Alliance Party, and through to the Conservative Party and have continued my support, although currently I am not a member of the federal Conservative Party.

Back all those years ago the Reform Party would have died on the vine if supporters with vision like Preston Manning, had not said, this party needs to be there for Canadians, and this party can and will bring about change.  Vote splitting was no less a concern then, and yet the early first members, and those who ran to be Members of Parliament (MP's), became part of the process to see government done differently.

We need a strong alternative to provide voters with a clear and identifiable choice

Why is it in British Columbia that we seem to have a penchant for one or the other; the left or the right??  There is a definite solid base of supporters for the NDP --- and a solid block for what is now the BC Liberal Party, former represented by Social Credit.  In the middle stands a huge block of voters who swing from one side of the pendulum to the other saying, “lets throw these bums out”. 

It seems that a growing number of people are beginning to see that a strong alternative would go a long ways to providing voters with clear and identifiable choices – and would go a long ways I believe to seeing an end of the swinging pendulum.

I have said this before, but I believe it is still as true as ever … NO political party can embody everything an individual would want.  I do believe however that those of us wishing to see a clear alternative to the Liberals vs. NDP option we have had for the past decade … can identify with the beliefs and values of the BC Conservative Party.

What seems to be at the top of the list in importance to the BC Conservative Party includes, but is not limited to: