"What I have … has depended on an enormous number of other people."

Scott Anderson, BC Conservative
member in Vernon Monashee

The other day I had a friend forward a piece that had been written by Scott Anderson, a member of the BC Conservative Party in the Vernon Monashee riding.  I thought what he’d had to say was great, and he agreed to let me share it with you today.  Here is what he had to say.

“Who here hates the poor?  This IS the BC Conservative party, isn't it?”

This stereotype is one we are going to be hearing more about as the election gets closer…how we conservatives hate the poor and love the rich. 

We'll hear about how if we win the election women will huddle on the street with hungry kids, the homeless will starve, and minorities will work in sweatshops run by our good buddies the ultra-rich, who will pay no taxes and cruise about town in limousines tossing bread crumbs to the hungry masses. 

It's complete nonsense, but some people actually believe it!

Now most of the arguments against expensive big government have to do with the cost of it - and it's true that we can't afford the socialism of 20th century Europe.  They can't afford it either, which is why Europe is in what amounts to a depression trying to pay for the mountain of debt they've built up over the last 60 years of socialism. 

But I want to talk about something else - something that we conservatives tend to let slide.  And that's the opposition's claim that in order to care about people, we need big government and big government programs.

What is government?

What is government? 

That is a good question, and in light of rising discontent with our current provincial government in British Columbia, I found it interesting that some one sent the following to me the other day. They are the quotes of some very wise people, some from long in the past, and some from our own time.

All have spoken truth as to what government should be, but often times is not.

Government can be dictatorial – even in a democracy ... but above all else government, one that is based on democratic principles, should be accountable to the people who elect it.

Given the decline in support for Christy Clark, and the BC Liberal government she heads, I'll leave it to you to decide how many of the following are fitting for the government we currently have.

I have added one quote to those I received, and it is one I begin with it. 

It is a quote from (W.A.C.) William Andrew Cecil Bennett.  Bennett was the premier of our great province from 1952 to 1972, and a man who many people either loved and admired – or passionately hated. He was usually referred to as W.A.C. Bennett, others called him "Wacky" Bennett.

While this first quote is in reference to Canada ... I believe it is just as fitting a thought for our own province.

We are a young country; we must build on the solid rock of sound economic policies and balanced budgets. But, we must be prepared, as a nation, to step from the solid rock onto new ground. The path of ease, the path of tradition alone, is not the path of a greater Canada ~~ W.A.C. Bennett