It's absolutely insulting, to the intelligence and integrity of BC voters, to suggest that we have to support the Liberals

The political landscape of BC continues to be the focus of those in the mainstream media, following the defection Liberal Abbotsford South MLA John van Dongen, to the BC Conservative Party.

It also has, I believe, given even greater cause for the BC Liberal Party to wonder on their future with the voters of BC – and their chances in the up-coming by-elections – especially Chilliwack Hope.

For weeks, prior to the writ being dropped, the BC Liberal Party was pouring funding announcements into the riding, spending a lot of advertising dollars, and also putting up campaign signs (in direct contravention of a municipal by-law in Chilliwack).

The campaign was on, and their team was in place.  John van Dongen’s decision to join John Cummin’s BC Conservative Party has dramatically changed that however, and it has caused them to add a new face to the team. 

This morning, Keith Baldrey of Global News posted the following on Twitter:
“Long-time MP Chuck Strahl to chair BC Lib campaign in Chilliwack-Hope byelection. Definite boost to the party, but will it be enuf?”

I replied:

“@keithbaldrey if waited till now 2 become part of campaign,just shows very shaky chances of win”

Here’s another comment that was posted earlier today on Twitter, from Dean Skoreyko‏@bcbluecon, to which I also posted a response:

“Strahl, Day, Hill and Manning support of Christy Clark helped her become 2nd last in Canadian premier ratings”

Alan Forseth‏@AlanForseth

“hope she keeps that up, just wallpapering rotting walls & foundation of #bclibs”

Can the BC Liberal Party save itself from a wipe-out in the next BC general election?

I can give you the answer in one word ... NO!

Former MP Chuck Strahl ... a love-in
with Premier Christy Clark?

Former Conservative MP Chuck Strahl provided the Vancouver Sun with an editorial comment yesterday (March 14, 2012), in which part of his comments included the following statement:

"... some of the “heat” about the premier and her government is to be expected, especially from purists who don’t believe in building a free enterprise coalition ..."

I am sure you will know that did not go over well with me.  

That's because one would have to believe the reference (above) is to those of us in the BC Conservative Party.

Well I have news for you Chuck ... many, if not most, people in the BC Conservative Party actually WERE previously part of the so called 'free-enterprise' coalition -- or at least voted for it.

So Chuck, here is the question I would ask you to seriously consider, "Do you think we left on a lark, just for something to do?"

Dear Geoff ... you asked? Well here's the answer.

Former BC Attorney General, Geoff Plant

Today former BC Liberal Attorney, General Geoff Plant wrote a column entitled, “What does John Cummins really want?”

In it, he begins by stating:

Of the two provincial by-election campaigns about to get underway in BC, the race in Chilliwack-Hope may be the more interesting.  It looks like the fight in Barry Penner’s former riding will be between a BC Liberal candidate with impeccable conservative credentials, and a BC Conservative party candidate with impeccable conservative credentials. 

Huh? 

Well, it’s true.  The BC Liberal candidate is Laurie Throness, who was chief of staff to former Conservative MP Chuck Strahl, and calls himself a “policy conservative.”  The BC Conservative Party candidate is John Martin, a professor of criminology and former Chilliwack Times columnist, whose party describes itself as “BC’s only true conservative party.”

So with two candidates trying to “out-conservative” each other, maybe this is as good a time as any to ask what it is that BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins actually hopes to achieve.

He goes on to talk about truth … policies … being an armchair quarterback … the split-vote argument and more … the regular stuff you would expect to hear from the BC Liberals.  Then he concludes by saying:

THIS WEEK … in BC Politics

Wow what a week it’s been --- and I’m talking about the weather --- it’s probably been the biggest news story in the past seven days.  That aside, there has been much going in and happening in the world of BC politics.  If you missed some of these stories, or would like a refresher, well read on …

An opportunity to enact real health-care reform

… the 2004 health accord did nothing to improve access to medical services or help governments attain a sustainable level of health spending … may have worsened the health-care landscape in Canada … failed to create any incentives for provinces to introduce meaningful reforms … simply relied on the feds to bail them out with more cash …

BC announces $40-m funding hike for disabled adult services

… following widespread criticism of its operations, the BC governmental organization that provides services for disabled adults will receive a $40 million funding hike … Christy Clark … acknowledged it fell short of the $70-million some critics, including client families, have called for …

• You can read the BC Government media release by clicking HERE

Presto change-o and poof! Christy Clark is practically a Conservative now!

… once national director of the Young Liberals of Canada. Forget her work for a federal Liberal cabinet minister. Disregard how she used to trash Harper on her radio show … all just her caterpillar phase … has emerged from her cocoon as a glorious Conservative butterfly … that’s the message Clark hopes will get through to angry voters flocking to John Cummins and the B.C. Conservative party …

Do I have to be ‘cranky’ and ‘angry’ to support these principles and goals?

Okay I made a mistake … it wasn’t “cranky old men” that former Reform MP Chuck Strahl said the BC Conservative Party with filled with … here is what he actual said:

“ … adding that the BC Conservative Party is riddled with “cranky ... angry” people who have no credible policies to govern the province.”

This is me (Alan Forseth) -- does this look like the
face of anger and crankiness?

Now I ask, does this look like the face of someone cranky and angry?   Okay I admit I do have a bias – it’s me, and I  obviously do not agree with Chuck Strahl.

Still, for the life of me, I cannot understand why he, along with other Reformers like Preston Manning and Stockwell Day seem to have nothing but glowing comments to make about Christy Clark.

The BC Liberal government, led by Christy Clark, is in many ways everything the Western led reform movement was against – and why it actually came about.   

Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane

In the late 1980s and 1990s, federal conservative politics became split by the creation of a new western-based protest party, the populist and social conservative Reform Party of Canada created by Preston Manning

Federal conservatives became split (sound familiar on the provincial level?).  And this was created by who? Preston Manning!  And yet he speaks out against BC Conservatives who are led by a former Reform MP; John Cummins.