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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

"... what happened in Richmond yesterday?"



Earlier this morning I received an email, from a political friend and former BC Conservative Party colleague, asking, "... what happened in Richmond yesterday?"



As two people have now said to me, "It's the same old gang, just different front men. Very, very sad. And disappointing." ... and ... "Absolutely a disaster. Board slate totally successful. President some retired ex-police officer friend of Ian MacDonald.  Party is done. Division remains."



I suppose that those at the helm of the BC Conservative Party for the past year, and those now running the show, are pleased with the results. As for me however, I am personally very disappointed, and numb.



The results, in my opinion, will only continue the decline of the Party, as no change in direction appears to be on the horizon any time soon.   

As this letter sent to the BC Conservative Party (and copied to me) shows, the few remaining members will continue to walk away from the party.  And for the record, this letter came from a former Board and Executive member, of one of the largest and most active Constituency Associations in the Province.




Very few of the most solid, and political savvy members, remain in the BC Conservative Party.  Many were waiting, with hope, that sanity would prevail at the BC Conservative AGM held yesterday (Saturday) in Richmond, that there would be something to return to, and that they could help rebuild into a strong political force to contest the next Provincial election in 2017.



Those few who remain in the Party will hold their next AGM in Prince George in September.  At that time they will also be electing a new Leader.



Here's what I predict -- no CREDIBLE individual will step forward to run (who in their right mind would?) ... and ... the likelihood of getting a 50 member quorum to even hold the next AGM, seems at this time, to be very unlikely.


 On Thursday I stated ... "May common sense prevail tomorrow, and may the MEMBERS of the BC conservative Party, and those who have tried to defend and protect it, have the opportunity to see it rise once again."


Sadly, today, I echo these words from above, " ... Very, very sad. And disappointing ..."



In Kamloops, I'm Alan Forseth.
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Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 21, 2016 at 10:19 AM

    Did it ever occur to you that you're one of the problems? If there is such a groundswell of people who don't like the present board, how is that the same board was elected? You don't actually know what's going on inside the party as you say so yourself, yet all you do is carp about it and complain that the party won't let you back in. Do you really find that surprising?

    As long as people inside the party are going to throw insults at each other and claim that there are big problems when there probably aren't, the party will go nowhere. The party needs adults, not children.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Alan ForsethFebruary 21, 2016 at 10:28 AM

    Dear Anonymous ...

    You may be surprised to see I allowed your comment to be posted, however, it IS fair game. Yes, I may be one of the problems as you say, however I along with many others are now on the sidelines of what COULD have been a proud and strong conservative movement. In what can only be called a circling of the wagons to protect itself, a small cabal of individuals has spent the past year protecting itself, while ensuring that the grassroots (ever dwindling) were sidelined.

    The result? I'll leave myself out of the following comment, however nearly every single one in the party, with political knowledge, and expertise, is gone!

    I repeat again ... no CREDIBLE individual will step forward to run (who in their right mind would?)for the leadership of the party.

    PERIOD ... FULL STOP!

    The BC Conservative revival is over, it died a painful death over the past 12 months, and it buried itself on Saturday.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Reed ElleyFebruary 21, 2016 at 2:26 PM

    To ignore the problems within the party as Anonymous did in their comment,is simply the old head in the sand approach. Most of us who used to be very active in this party have left and we simply don't want anything more to do with it. It is dead! Someone out there needs to start a new conservative minded party with integrity!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alan ForsethFebruary 21, 2016 at 8:08 PM

    Can't agree with you more Reed ... it is sad but true. Just tonight I received an email from an 18 year member who, has told me he too has given up and, will be revoking his membership. What a sad state of affairs for something that once held such promise :(

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownFebruary 21, 2016 at 11:06 PM

    I agree with Reed and Alan. It brings me no pleasure to realize that the BC Conservative Party is dead. This is a very tragic reality but a fact, none the less.

    What makes it so sad is, that FOR NOW, the best hope we had in getting the wolves (BC Liberals) out of the hen house was the BC Conservatives.

    Fortunately I know better, but it almost seems like a plan was hatched and implemented that doomed it to fail. If we go back to the 2012 AGM in Langley, where the whole party came unraveled by allowing the dissenters to have a legitimate voice. Fast forward to after the 2013 Election and we see the problem exacerbated by the revolving boards under the (leadership) of Dan Brooks. To make matters worse the dissenters were invited back in, to further damage what might have remained, while those who recognized the problem were exiled. At this time the remaining true conservatives were either kicked out or recognized then, that the party was going down the path to irrelevance. The ship was sinking and the faithful got off the submerging ship to avoid drowning in a hopeless cause. Me being one of them.

    I concur with Reed Elley, my hope is that someone out there starts a new conservative minded party with integrity. I am a realist and I realize that this will not happen in this election cycle, at least not enough to defeat the wolves that are presently ruining our province. May we learn from this present fiasco how NOT to conduct ourselves so this much needed voice of conservatism is not subject to further ridicule and shame. For now I regret that the chickens will continue to be sacrificed in the absence of a relevant option that is ready to chase the wolves away, once and for all.

    For those who have the opinion that I personally have been absent so therefore I must be part of the problem, I want you to know that this has been by design. I could see this party was doomed to failure after the last leadership election and my time and energy are much to precious to waste bailing out a party that has been sinking now for two years. I would be more than willing to give all of my effort to a legitimate effort to restore the conservative values our province needs should that option arise. I also realize I am only one opinion but I do believe I am not alone in my sentiment.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Alan ForsethFebruary 22, 2016 at 7:27 AM

    Sean was twice a candidate for the BC Conservative Party, and having helped on his second campaign, I KNOW how hard he worked to represent the BC Conservatives, in a way that was honest, sincere, and dedicated. This is just one more example of those from within, who finally gave up and through in the towel. Sean, and others like him, are the type of people any political party would welcome, and encourage, with the political knowledge he has. What a sad state of affairs that he, and others, now have no home :(

    ReplyDelete

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