BC Conservatives in Kamloops set to announce first nominee candidate

Hello again friends .. today I pass on the media release which went out yesterday to radio, newspaper, and TV in Kamloops:

Monday.  That's when Kamloops South Thompson BC Conservative Party members will find out the name of the first person, who will be seeking the nomination to run as their candidate, in next May's provincial general election.

"We have spoken to a number of people over the past few months about running for the party", said Regional Director Alan Forseth.

Forseth continued, "This individual does have previous political experience, and will be well known to the people of Kamloops."

"We also expect they will be the first of several, to put their name forward, which is why we will continue to speak with other interested men and women."

"Anyone who believes in open and accountable government, and truly representing the people who have elected them, are welcome to seek the nomination", Forseth concluded.

Monday's announcement will be made at 12 noon in Gaglardi Square, on Seymour Street, in Downtown Kamloops. 

Kamloops South Thompson BC Conservative members will vote, to elect their candidate, early in the new year.

I'm looking forward to Monday -- hope you can join us for the announcement.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops. 

As Peter Pan said, “All of this has happened before, and it will all happen again.”

An opinion piece ran in the Tuesday November 20th edition of 24hrs Vancouver entitled, "Liberals could win next provincial election"

It read in part:
... Premier Christy Clark gave what was, by all accounts, a rousing speech .. a clarion call to arms leading up to the election next spring. Indeed, there wasn’t a defeatist tone in the speech or mood in the house...

Soon to be BC Liberal candidate John Martin sharing his
thoughts of Premier Christy Clark on CKNW (03 / 28 / 12)

"Not even the most devoted Liberal supporter could

argue with a straight face that this government has

earned a fourth mandate. Theirs is a legacy of deceit,

incompetence, and financial mismanagement."

... recent polling has the governing Liberals deader than the proverbial doornail that would seem to be more than a little strange. But the premier is nothing if not a fighter ... it seems likely at this point that Adrian Dix and the New Democratic Party will form the next government, it is by no means a fait accompli.

... BC  politics has been about big government and unions versus free enterprise ... when the NDP got into power in 1973 and 1991, it was because the free enterprise party was in tatters. I’m not sure that can be said now — especially with an energized and feisty premier.

... if Clark can frame this election in the traditional left-right terms of free enterprise versus big government and big labour, plus play down the battered Liberal brand, she might just have a chance.

Seriously.

My response?  Well I certainly had one, and so I wrote:
Sorry but you are writing off the BC Conservative Party wayyyyyy to soon -- and yes I am a member of the party.

I think you, and many others, are going to be surprised at who ends up going to the legislature in Victoria next May. Seriously!

That led to Collin Rogers taking a moment to suggest:

Seems to be a lot of back room (non democratic) activity, in that party!

There was interesting news out of Abbotsford yesterday, as noted in Abbotsford Today:

"... it is with a deep sense of regret that I have accepted the resignation of My Board of Directors for the BC Liberals – Abbotsford South Riding. With this letter, I also am resigning as President of the Abbotsford South Riding Association ..."

And why did this happen? Well it appears that the top down brass of Christy Clark's BC Liberal Party decided to force a candidate on the constituency association -- something the Board of Directors for the Abbotsford-South Constituency Association decided they would have nothing to do with.

Darryl Plecas -- 'appointed' as BC Liberal
candidate in the Abbotsford- South riding

In a letter issued by Stephen Evans, Past-President of the Abbotsford South – BC Liberal Riding Association, he stated:

"The appointment of Darryl Plecas was both unfair and not democratic. The Riding Association was not consulted on this appointment.

If the Riding was consulted, the Riding Association would have stated that the memberships and Riding Association Funds were not generated by Darryl Plecas nor his campaign team. The only reason for Darryl Plecas’ appointment was that he could not defend a challenge from Moe Gill if there was a fair nomination process.

This leads to the question that if Darryl can’t beat Moe Gill in a fair nomination process, how can he win against John van Dongen in an election?

For his part, my nephew (Steve Forseth) has decided this heavy-handed decision, by the BC Liberal Party, was the right one to make, saying:   
"the interpretation of the candidate selection process of the BC Liberal Party by the Abbotsford-South Riding Association is the incorrect one...."