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