What’s with Global TV comment, “It appears the election goal of the BC Conservative leader is to destroy the Liberals”?

Did you catch the Global TV piece last night (April 9, 2012), “It appears the election goal of the BC Conservative leader is to destroy the Liberals”.  If not, you can view it by CLICKING HERE.  

BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins

Jas Johal starts off his story, and interview with John Cummins, by stating, “For a man accused of destroying BC’s free enterprise coalition” … and then goes on to say that, “Critics say that John Cummins doesn’t care if the NDP are elected, he just wants to destroy the BC Liberals …”

It’s an interesting analysis, however the story, I believe, was off the mark.  I'm also wondering, 'who, are these critics'? 

The only ones I can think of, would be those in the executive backrooms of the BC Liberal Party who continue with their mantra of, “A vote for the BC Conservatives is a vote for the NDP”?

The growth of the BC Conservative Party has been a direct result of those in the Liberal backrooms leading the party to the left, and leaving no true center right party … hence the abandonment of the BC Liberal Party, by members and supporters, who are true small 'c' conservatives.

Chris Delaney just can’t give up on his fight with the BC Conservatives

Stephen Hui is the Web and Technology editor at the Georgia Straight.  Earlier today he posted an article, “Why vote for the B.C. Conservatives in Chilliwack-Hope by-election?”, from Chilliwack Hope BC Conservative Party by-election candidate John Martin, which I made note of on my Facebook page. 

Chris Delaney (L) and political commentator Bill Tieleman (R)

Many of you are aware of Chris Delaney, former leader of the BC Conservative Party.  He is however likely better known as co-leader (along with former Social Credit Premier Bill Vander Zalm) of the Fight HST movement to kill the HST in BC.

Chris quit the party on September 28^th, 2010 saying in part;

I am announcing my resignation today from the BC Conservative Party effective immediately.  The Fight HST campaign has brought out the best in people, but also the worst. While I have spent this past year working to get rid of the HST, the BC Conservative Party has spent its time trying to find ways to keep it.

For reasons I could never understand, and despite the BC Conservative Party having a clear position against the HST, he left as leader.  He then went on to become a member, and spokesperson, of BC First (he has since left the province and moved to Florida to work for EA Sports Tiburon - EA's studio in Orlando).

Sorry for any meandering, however I wanted to be clear Chris Delaney was opposed to the HST, and left the BC Conservative Party because he believed they were changing their position on it.   

This was NOT true.

In fact – he still believes the party has somehow cozied up to the idea that the HST is a good idea – despite the fact that time and time again the BC Conservatives have released statements, and made comments to the media, to the contrary.

Chris Delaney just can’t give up on his fight with the BC Conservatives, and I don’t understand why, as the following exchange he and I had earlier on Facebook shows:

How long can Christy Clark last?

After winning the leadership of the BC Liberal Party last February, here is what new leader Christy Clark had to say:

Premier Christy Clark, during the
campaign to lead the BC Liberal Party

"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," she said.

"My top priority will be to put families first. In British Columbia we are blessed with families of all shapes and sizes, families as diverse as our great province. This is the foundation of our communities. This is the building block of our future."

What a difference a year makes.  Since then her government has goes from one problem to the next … she and her party have watched as more and more of the people who voted Liberal last election, have moved to BOTH the BC Conservative Party, and the NDP … saw a former Liberal cabinet Minister (John van Dogen) switch to the Conservatives… and listened, watched, and read one story after the other discussing the possibility that her party may place third in the two up-coming by-elections.

She has also watched as both her approval rating, and the fortunes of the BC Liberals, have fallen in poll after poll.

Now, from all sides of the political spectrum, people are beginning to question whether she can even survive as leader of the party before the next election is to be held in May 2013.

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?   

I hope others will do the same – and support something they can believe in – NOT just vote to toss something out

Today it took a few minutes to read the editorial in the Victoria Times Colonist … it was titled “Liberal wipeout benefits no one”, and I would like to encourage you to check it out.

Personally, I have a feeling it was written by someone that has leanings towards the BC Liberal Party; however it did ask some important questions that all BC voters need to consider.  Here are just a few excerpts from the editorial:

As it stands, we are headed for an NDP sweep of the province similar to the Liberal sweep of 2001.  While this might bring delight to those who are determined to make the Liberals pay for their sins and their errors over the past decade, this kind of political turmoil is not good for the province...

Premier Christy Clark has tried to put a fresh, optimistic face on the government, but it simply hasn't worked.

We need stability from our leaders, as well as a sense of purpose. We won't have that if the government is bouncing from one idea to the next, trying to find messages that resonate with voters. Good government is based on solid values and sound principles, not poll numbers, yet the fate awaiting the Liberals in next May's election will always be in the back of their minds.

…what is next? More turmoil? More desperate attempts to win back the voters? And if that doesn't work, what's left - a scorched-earth attitude that would ensure that the NDP inherits as many problems as possible?  This would not provide the kind of stability that the province needs.

… have voters seriously considered all of the alternatives? Have we examined the policies of the NDP or the Conservatives - or the Greens, for that matter?  Have we considered what governments run by either of these parties might do?

Just because they aren't Liberals does not automatically make them better. We need to judge each party on its own merits, not simply vote against the people in power.

The 2001 election result, which left us with 77 MLAs on the government side and only two in opposition, was over the top … unless the mood of the voters changes, we will do the same thing to the Liberals.  These wild swings from left to right don't help the province … who benefits when the governing party is so thoroughly written off? Nobody.

As I said at the start, this editorial does make some important points, and asks some serious questions.

There was a sense and feeling that something had begun, and was growing

Saturday afternoon (March 31, 2012) members of the Kamloops North Thompson BC Conservative Party Constituency Association, gathered at the Rayleigh Elementary School.  On tap was the business of electing a new board and executive.

But much more than that happened at that meeting -- there was a sense and feeling that something had begun, and was growing.

I listened to the comments of people there as they discussed, with one and other, the growth of the party – how more and more there was talk of the BC Conservatives in the news – and of course the move of long-time Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen to the party.

Party brochures were picked up and discussed, then many went back to pick up more to take with them.  The membership table was also busy as several people from within the riding took out memberships – two for the first time in ANY political party.

Guest Speaker, Wayne McGrath, former
BC Conservative Party President

I was delighted to have the opportunity as Regional Director for the party for this area, to welcome and introduce to members, the former party president and guest speaker, Wayne McGrath.  Wayne had much to say about the growth of the party during the past year, and it was an encouragement to members who were there.

Here are a few of the comments he made on Saturday:

Today, voters are frustrated and angry.  In the last provincial election (2009), 48% of the eligible voters did NOT vote.  As the lesser of 2 evils, many conservatives voted Liberal since there were only 24 Conservative candidates. Some voters were so angry at the Liberals, they actually voted NDP.

Most British Columbians are actually conservatives.  In the 2011 federal election, that fact was clearly demonstrated.  Liberals were a distant 3rd behind the Conservatives (1st) and the NDP.

What kind of Deputy House Leader was Rich Coleman, if he knowingly let discussions from the BC Liberal caucus be leaked?

BC Liberal Deputy House Leader Rich Coleman

QUESTION:  With friends like this, who needs enemies? 

Shortly after the announcement by Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen, that he was leaving the BC Liberal Party (of which he sat as a member for nearly a decade and a half), Deputy House Leader Rich Coleman took out the knives.

Oh he put on the concerned friend game face, saying how faithful he had been, staying at Van Dongen‘s side during ‘personal’ (?) issues he had gone through in the past.  A story in the Vancouver Sun on March 27 (John van Dongen swaps parties from Christy Clark's Liberals to B.C. Conservative) quoted Coleman saying:

"I've been concerned about John as a friend for some time. He's been struggling with his role in public life and I wasn't particularly overly surprised because I've had lengthy conversations with him about some of his own personal issues."

Then began the criticism of his ‘so-called friend’.   

And why?  Because he had allegedly broken ranks with fellow members of the BC Liberal caucus for saying he could no longer support the direction of the government —and how it was being led.

Abbotsford South MLA
John van Dongen

John van Dogen rose in the legislature to make his announcement, and he had many things to say about his reasons for resigning from the BC Liberal Caucus – here however are the words that stood out as the most important to me:

"There have been other lapses in proper accountability and I expect more to come. When more and more decisions are being made for the wrong reasons, then you have an organization that is heading for failure."

For the first time since Christy Clark took over the reins of the BC Liberal party, a member of her own caucus expressed, in public, what many in BC have been feeling for some time now.