Support the party you believe in; but do it because you believe it’s the best choice -- NOT because it's the lesser of two (3) evils!

Today, the Toronto Star, featured an editorial opinion by Chantal Hebert* entitled, “For Harper, Liberal Clark might be preferable to NDP alternative”.  It starts off by saying,

In a strictly black-and-white world, Prime Minister Stephen Harper might not be predisposed to give B.C. Premier Christy Clark, who was on a goodwill mission to Parliament Hill last week, much of a leg up in her upcoming bid for a fourth Liberal mandate in British Columbia.

In federal Conservative circles, Clark’s past ties to the clan of former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin remain a source of widespread suspicion. Also, it is no secret that she is no friend of her former boss and predecessor, Gordon Campbell.

Until he resigned last year, Campbell was probably the premier closest to Harper. He has since landed a plum diplomatic posting in London, courtesy of the prime minister.

And then British Columbia is in the federal finance department’s bad books these days for repealing its recently introduced harmonized sales tax.  The two governments are currently negotiating the repayment to the federal treasury of a $1.6 billion HST-related transition package.

Those talks were at the centre of Clark’s trek to Parliament Hill this week. The premier is lobbying to have her province keep a portion of the cash and be granted considerable time to repay the remainder.

Clark will face her first election test as premier within the next 18 months.  Polls suggest she needs all the help she can get from a friendly federal government if she is not to lose power to the NDP….

The story then goes on to explain the difficulties Stephen Harper might have if the NDP were to have a stronger handle on politics across Canada with a win in BC … that it would give a boost to the federal New Democrats … that other election provincial elections could hand further problems to Harper … etc etc.

Stephen Harper, and many of the federal Conservatives rode into town (Ottawa), on a promise of reform of the political system … that things needed to change … and that political parties and MP's needed to be accountable and responsible to voters.

The very things which are polar opposite to the thoughts of Chantal Hebert.

I HOPE THAT IS SOMETHING FEDERAL CONSERVATIVES DO NOT FORGET ANY TIME SOON – although I must admit to having some concerns.

Regardless … as individuals simply wanting good governance by our elected officials, what should we think and what should our response be to this story?

I will cut right to the chase.   Chantal Hebert, in the case of the province of British Columbia, your thoughts and opinions are a load of horse manure.

As an easterner you make no sense -- given the beginnings and rise of the reform movement in western Canada, and why the reform movement led by Preston Manning came about. 

And it shows you still have not learned, that the west doesn’t appreciate, being lectured and dictated to by the east

Here, in my opinion, is what those of us living in British Columbia should be asking.  In the next provincial people should support the election of the Christy Clark Liberals because they are the lesser of two evils?

I hope your answer was a resounding NO!  With those as the only 2 choices, all we will be left with is voter apathy that continues to grow. This is a CRAP editorial / opinion and it deserves absolutely NO consideration.

Here’s what I hope however, you will however consider, and what I encourage you to do:

Get out and support the party you believe in; BC Conservatives ... BC Liberals ... BC NDP ... but do it because you believe it’s the best choice -- NOT because it's the lesser of two (3) evils!

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.

* Chantal Hébert, Toronto Star political columnist, cut her teeth in politics at Queen’s Park in the late seventies covering the minority governments of Progressive-Conservative premier William Davis.

Since then she has reported in French and in English on Canada’s constitutional and referendum wars, the 1988 free-trade debate as well as the more recent rebirth of the Conservative movement.

In addition to her columns, Chantal is a regular member of the CBC’s At Issue panel, broadcast weekly on The National.