JOHN FELDSTED: Maxime Bernier had to convince more people than Scheer to give his idea prominence, and he failed to do so
“Conservatives
gather in Halifax for caucus without Maxime Bernier (Adieu Bernier) -- 'We're
going off-message with this Bernier business,' Conservative senator says”
~~ John Paul Tasker, CBC
News, Aug 23, 2018
Former Conservative MP, and member for Beauce, Maxime Bernier |
And what is that message, Senator? Inquiring minds
want to know. Obviously, the CBC was given the story prior to Bernier’s press
conference. The surprise package landed like an ancient J & J Taylor safe –
with a resounding thud and no fireworks.
Maxime Bernier was unable to convince cabinet
colleagues, and member delegates, to give his ideas the prominence he felt they
deserved. The alleged rift between Bernier and Andrew Scheer is hypothetical. No one
knows who said what to whom, and what terms Bernier felt were proper. He had to
convince more people than Scheer to give his idea prominence, and he failed to
do so.
Without Bernier, the CPC will grow stronger.
Bernier’s penchant for going ‘all in’ is not a
desirable trait. It is a high risk move in poker, and usually fatal in
politics. A new political party, or movement, takes years to create, and many
of us have been there and done that. We are not about to restart from scratch.
The CPC needs a wake-up call, but that must come from members speaking to their
representatives and party officials.
If the conservative party wants to appeal to its
base, improve donations, and gather support from those fed up with politics, it
must toss political correctness in the trash bin and start communicating in
plain, clear English and French.
The election is ours to lose. We have never faced a
sitting government in such dismal disarray. If we focus on the disarray, and
fail to put forward clear alternatives, we will repeat 2015. In a mud-slinging
competition, the Liberals are experts. They take the very worst of their own
attributes, and failings, and claim they belong to their
opponents.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing
conservatives of using divisive politics, when that is Liberal stock in trade.
Why are we not confronting him, and demanding that he and his MPs cease
attending cultural and ethnic events forthwith? They are trolling for votes,
not bolstering multiculturalism. Call them out on it.
We need to demand of government why we need their acknowledgement
to be who we are, live as we please, and celebrate our culture heritage and
history as we wish? Why are we reduced to begging for recognition, and
competing for funding, to enjoy our day in the sun?
It makes no sense.
We must ask why cultural, ethic and other groups
who are not self-sufficient are worthy of public support. Our culture belongs
to us as Canadians. We create it as we evolve. Culture is not static. We are
making history with each passing year and the result is an evolving culture.
Ethic culture celebrates on more of a historical
basis; a celebration of our roots which is important to gain perspective of how
we came to be who we are. Researching the family tree, and celebrating the
history of our forebearers, is integral to many Canadians. We can do that
without government interference or supervision.
Maxime Bernier chose to abandon ship at a critical
event. Where that may take him is another story. In the meantime, I am awaiting
developments as the convention gets underway tomorrow.
~~ John Feldsted
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