Dear Editor,
The recent federal election has once again brought Western alienation to the forefront.
Alberta and Saskatchewan obviously felt that voting Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) blue was their only hope, but alas, Andrews Scheer’s “all things to all people” did not resonate elsewhere.
With all the Trudeau scandals, CPC should have been way ahead in the polls long before the election was called.
During one of this summer’s CPC Candidate selection meetings for Battle River-Crowfoot, I spoke to one of the candidates who had recently come to Alberta from Ontario.
When I expressed my dissatisfaction with some of the policies passed at the Halifax CPC Convention, he told me not to be concerned because the objective was to form government and then party policy would be of little consequence.
Fortunately, Mr. Just Trust Me lost the nomination! To someone who cut their political eyeteeth in Reform, this was near blasphemy.
Thirty years ago the West “wanted in”, and now we’re back where we started.
The Reform Party was built on the premise that the wisdom to govern well would come from the grassroots. Therefore, party policy was developed and voted upon by everyday Canadians.
That policy became the Blue Book, which the leader and elected Members of Parliament were expected to follow.
Many of Maxime Bernier’s policies came from the Reform Blue Book – which explains his popularity with serious political thinkers.
Every time Reformers joined with “conservatives” to become the Canadian Alliance and then the CPC, the value of the grassroots was diluted until now the leader appears to be unsure of his party’s policies.
Provincially, Mr. ‘I hold the pen’ Jason Kenney would be wise to remember his Reform roots and remember that Albertans expect their representatives to actually be servants of everyday Albertans, governing with honesty and common sense, and faithfully standing up for Albertans to the rest of Canada.
Clearly “Confederation” no longer benefits all of its members.
If differences are not resolved, separation and divorce may be necessary. It all depends on how much effort is made by all parties involved.
Alberta has taken more than their share of abuse. The West is no longer begging to be let in.
We will stand on our own if we are not respected.
Pat Holloway
Castor, Alta.
