FORSETH -- AM I AN EXTREMIST?

 

Am I an extremist … do I support an extremist party?

I never thought so, but given the comments of BC Premier David Eby this week, perhaps I need to rethink that.

In a Vancouver Sun story written by Vaughn Palmer (David Eby shifting focus to soaring B.C. Conservatives as election nears), Eby made several astonishing statements, or should I say, claims.

First up … “I have flagged repeatedly my concern about the growth of the extremist Conservative Party in BC”

Given that the GROWTH of the party, or any political party for that matter, comes from individuals supporting it, by extension Eby has called me, and others, extremists.

 

Second … “poll is an important reminder certainly for anyone who has been quick to dismiss the BC Conservative Party as an extremist party that will not find traction in our province”

It seems to me, that the ONLY person who has been dismissing the Conservative Party of BC, has been the BC United (formerly BC Liberals) party leader Kevin Falcon.  Over and over again he has dissed the party and leader John Rustad saying polling showing the Conservative ahead of his party has been little more than a flash in the pan and that his party is poised to make a comeback.

Given we are now less than seven months from the next election, and polling has showed BC United behind the Conservatives for just as many months, he’d better get a move on.

But back to Eby … “I look forward to engaging with Mr. Rustad on his far-right extremist ideas, his Republican culture war ideology he’s trying to bring to British Columbians.”

Far-right extremist ideas? Culture war ideology?  Holy Smokes Batman!

Given his candidates will also be engaging with BC’s Conservative candidates, I guess he is also saying that they (Conservative BC candidates) have extremist ideas and will be bringing culture war ideology to our province.

Let me take that to a local level, here in the Kamloops North Thompson region.

The Conservative candidate in the riding of Kamloops Centre will be Dennis Giesbrecht, who ran for the Party in the 2020 provincial election.

 

In the Kamloops North Thompson riding the party’s candidate will be twice elected, and current, Mayor of Barriere, Ward Stamer.

I think you would have to go far to find anyone that would use those words, or those terms, to describe either of these individuals.

Until recently, it seemed to me that the other only party, and party leader, that should have been concerned about the rise of the Conservative Party of BC would have been Kevin Falcon and BC United.

Given the preposterous statements of BC NDP Premier David Eby this week, perhaps he too is now beginning to be concerned.

GOOD … because he should be!