What they believe, and stand for, are the things that will guide them in government

If you go to the BC Liberal Party you’ll find a section entitled “What We Believe” … the BC Conservative Party website also has a page that gives an overview on what the party stands for, it is entitled “What We Stand For”.

Some in the media and public believe that the BC Conservative Party has viewpoints that would be opposed by the majority of British Columbians, and has no clearly defined plans and ideas.  Given that, I thought that I would do a side by side comparison.

This was an interesting exercise to do, given talk that the BC Liberal Party is willing to take a look at a name change.  That possible name change however would still be over a party that has the same guiding principles and beliefs.

Granted these are not the ‘policies’ of the party; however what they believe and stand for, are the things that will guide them in government.

BC Conservatives:

A belief in the rights and responsibilities of all British Columbians and that Governments at all levels are responsible to serve and respect all individuals and their families, including freedom from unnecessary laws and regulations and excessive government

BC Liberals … not covered

BC Conservatives:

A belief that Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) are primarily responsible to represent the interests of their Constituents

BC Liberals … not covered

BC Conservatives:

Protection of the rights and freedoms of individual British Columbians

BC Liberals … not covered

BC Conservatives:

A belief in smaller government resulting in more liberty and personal property rights, the encouragement of new enterprise and individual achievement striving towards excellence and prosperity

BC Liberals … not covered

BC Conservatives:

A belief in the principle of equality of opportunity for all British Columbians, with special privileges for none. This principle includes the protection of private property, the freedom of the individual, and freedom of speech, worship and lawful assembly

BC Liberals … not covered

In essence they were saying my democratic right, to choose the party I support, is irrelevant

A comment was made on social media yesterday (April 24) that because I and thousands of others like me, do not support the BC Christy Clark Party, then somehow we do not care about BC.  They went on to say that if did support her, then BC and the people would come first not the party (meaning our support for the BC Conservatives)

In essence, they were saying that MY democratic right to choose the party I support, and that best fits with my beliefs, is irrelevant.

This is the same talk as we hear from the BC Christy Clark Party. It is arrogance to the extreme and just one more example of why I personally cannot vote Liberal. I would spoil my ballot first, to show my disgust at the options presented, if I did not have a BC Conservative option.

That kind of arrogance doesn’t just come from supporters of the BC Liberals however … it that comes from the top down.  Here are the words of Christy Clark herself

"I am the leader of the free-enterprise coalition in this province and I'm going to lead us into the next election."

Chilliwack Liberal MLA John Les … lashed out at the Conservatives calling them spoilers.  “All parties on the centre right have to carefully consider the greater provincial good ahead of the specific good of any individual or party.”

Sorry John … but this is not a dictatorship, and in a democracy we have a right to choose the political party, and candidates, that best meet with our beliefs.

Meantime, in another interview, Christy Clark went on to say that she is not prepared to merge with the BC Conservatives. "I don't think British Columbians respond very well to back door deals.”

Well that’s an interesting comment to make, given calls that were made by BC Liberals right after the by-election, to some within the BC Conservative Party, as reported by the Victoria Times Colonist:

Nothing else can, or will, save them before defeat in 2013 … even with a Leadership change

Steve Forseth, former BC Liberal
Policy Chair / Riding Secretary
for the Cariboo - Chilcotin

My nephew Steve, has been a blogger for several years now, and has been active in support of the BC Liberal Party – it makes for some interesting discussion on politics for sure. 

The other day I asked if he would be interested in providing a Guest Opinion for the Conservative Thoughts blog, which after consideration, he agreed to do.  Here then, is that guest editorial.

Over the last year or so, much has been made about the so-called vote split for the ‘Conservative’ voter in BC. 

In times past, most conservative voters (small-c, ‘Blue’ and ‘Red’ Tories) provincially have aligned themselves behind the ‘BC Liberal’ brand,  Recently however, small-c conservatives have become rapidly disillusioned with the Christy Clark BC Liberals’, and a fair number of them have decided to back the John Cummins BC Conservatives’. 

It should be noted that the split of small ‘c’ conservatives in Alberta has led to the formation of two conservative political parties in Alberta consisting of the Wildrose Party and the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta

Political history in BC during the 1952, 1972, 1991, and 1996 BC General Elections shows that a split on the centre-right in BC generally elects a NDP government

Much has been made recently of the two by-elections in Port Moody and Chilliwack, including what would have occurred if the centre-right vote had been behind one party. 

Let’s be clear – one conservative party in the Port Moody – Coquitlam by-election would have made no difference, given the strength of the NDP candidate, former Port Moody Mayor Joe Trasolini ... but it could have prevented the election of an NDP MLA in Chilliwack – Hope.

So what does the future of conservatives in BC hold?

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: