Top Conservative minister, Peter Mackay is NOT running again. Fellow Con John Blair opted out awhile back. Other Cons are facing trials and investigations. The federal Cons seem to be coming apart at the seemingly unseamly seams (sorry). The provincial Cons in Alberta imploded, exploded and erased themselves in a political Hari Kari just a few months back. Con-psuedo-lib, Christy Clark is remarkably absent from the media and is keeping her head down and her mouth shut (thank God). She is, essentially, in hiding and has been for the last few months. The right-wing side of the political spectrum is having to come to terms with their lack of popular support and their record-setting litany of errors. They are all embarrassed and smelling defeat. Or should be. All the signs are indicating yet another eradication of the Cons (first one: post Mulroney. The one inflicted on Kim Campbell).
And that is NOT a good thing.
I have never had much time for the Progressive Conservatives, the Conservatives, the Canadian Alliance or the Psuedo-Liberals of BC that used to be the Social Credit because, for the most part, I simply disagreed with the policies they promote. But, honestly, I have not disagreed with all of them. Preston Manning’s Reform Party had a number of positions that I not only agreed with, I would have supported completely and even would have run for them. For Preston Manning, I went right.
The planks in the Reform Party platform that I found irresistible were that the MP was allowed to represent their constituency first, the party second. And, further, they would be allowed to speak their minds freely in the house and vote their conscience. As I mentioned before, history shows that those planks were quickly dropped but it also shows that the ‘right’ is not always wrong. At least it was that way for me.
In theory, Canada is a democracy. At the very least, that means respecting the existence of differing opinions. And you first have to have differing opinions before you can decide to respect them further or not. Right-wingers provide differing opinions. And I respect that. I rarely agree with them, but I respect some of them. I respected the ones stated above so much that I would have sent money and run for the party. Had they kept to those, I would call myself a rightie today. Or, better put, right-leaning.
Why? Because those planks are the essence of democracy for me. They are more important to me than this or that tax break or this or that social program. Having my representative free to speak his or her mind and to have the option to vote as they see fit rather than as the party tells them to is almost enough to make democracy work. I think. Add in proportional representation and you just might have a workable system in my opinion.
And it was Preston Manning and the cowboy-hats from Alberta that first put those ideas forward – to the extent that the party did, anyway. They eventually dropped them but still, credit where it is due.
Which brings me to the point of this political blog: those democratic reforms were not posited by the Liberals. Or the NDP. Sadly, they are not even part of the GREENs platform today (although they did try for proportional representation in BC).
The current batch of Cons are bad guys and some of them might even make official ‘con’ status if they get convicted of things. They clearly have to go. But, just because we rid ourselves of riff raff, that does not mean we get good people in their stead. History is replete with riff raff replacing riff raff.
Bottom line: we have to MAKE the next batch of political porkers do the right thing. And that starts with telling them what that is. I don’t trust them to find that out on their own.
Write your porker.
Our Off the Grid Home 
The reactions to the speaking of one’s mind in the land of the ‘politically correct’ tends to muzzle strong opinions. Remember politicians have been cast out for questioning the wisdom of the ‘this seems like a good idea crowd.’
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Oh, I know. I know. I figured that if I ever got elected I’d be so outspoken that I’d be kicked out by the next election. NOT SO MUCH for what I actually said but more for the ‘taken-out-of-context’ soundbites that I would likely serve up way, way too often. Can you imagine a politician who said something like I once said to a group of gay rights advocates inquiring as to my position on gay marriage – “I have no opinion on that unless you are proposing. I, personally, could not care less even if you sleep with sheep.” For the record, they were fine with that and so were the little old grey haired ladies in the audience.
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Aha! You ARE wavering! “…if I ever got elected…”. You have to run to get elected. I’d give anything just to see you run. If it looked as if you were actually going to win, then you could opt out saying it won’t fit my OTG schedule, or something lame like that. OTOH, there is probably enough hot air generated in the leg to fuel a comfortable OTG existence.
Good Luck! Hope your cold is better.
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If you runfor office I can see your slogan ” LGBT OTG!”
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NOT wavering, JA. But thank you for the ghost vote. As for LGBT OTG…..there MAY be something wrong with that!
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I am sure they found you to be refreshing. This world of exceptionalism is wearing as it has become a card that is played as a justification for exceptional treatment.
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Some people like me. A few. Nobody finds me refreshing, tho. Amusingly obnoxious for a short time is the best I can hope for. My friends and I have even established what that is: “2.5 hours if I supply the drinks. One point five, if they have to. Way shorter if Sal is not there.”
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I find Peter MacKay’s resignation verrrrry interesting.
Peter MacKay’s riding in Central Nova/Pictou in Nova Scotia was the riding Elizabeth May ran in several elections back. When she lost she moved west. The rest is history.
As for all the conservatives abandoning ship….. It reminds me of the PC Mulroney/Kim Campbell political meltdown before they were lambasted in the polls.
Rememeber the 1993 election?
The conservatives went from 156 seats down to 2.
A political rout even larger than the recent NDP win in Alberta.
Me-thinks many Conservative MP’s are saving themselves the embarassment of a repeat.
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I do, too. They can smell defeat. It’s in the air. Running for the hills early is their last chance at a dignified retreat. What I don’t understand is why doesn’t one of them..just one SINGLE one … just say what needs to be said: “I am resigning because I have no faith in the PM. Frankly, I am disappointed in the whole process of government but Mr. Harper has reduced it to a new low. The Canadian people need to know – and I was an insider – that the system is broken and needs major renovations. Getting rid of Harper is just step one!”
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The majority of politicians are spineless gastropods. Hence why none of them will stand up and tell everyone “The Emperor has no clothes”.
And to be honest, its too late for the voters.
With only 150 days til election time…ANYTHING they do to attempt to sway voters back is pointless.
The dye is set.
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I hope so. We can rejoice that the king is dead and then celebrate the new king….seems to be a pointless exercise after all these years. I really think we have to do more as ‘the public’ quite frankly. I like this social messaging phenom that has instant petitions. That’s a start.
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