Posted by Scott Brison
on 1/9/2004, 8:16 pm, in reply to "Re:Scott Brison M.P. for Kings-Hants Nova Scotia P.C. Finance Critic defects to the PaulMartinLiberals"
>From: Joe Hueglin >Reply-To: cyf-talk@yahoogroups.com >To: cyf-talk@yahoogroups.com >Subject: (cyf-talk) A new political 'home' >Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 12:44:34 -0500 > > > >A new political 'home' >http://www.herald.ns.ca/stories/2004/01/04/fOpinion106.raw.html >By Scott Brison > >SINCE 1997, I have had the honour of representing the people of >Kings-Hants in the House of Commons. In October, I learned through a >news story that Progressive Conservative Leader Peter MacKay had >been holding secret discussions with Stephen Harper to merge the PC >party with the Canadian Alliance. My caucus colleagues and I were >shocked, for a number of reasons. > >One of these reasons was the fact that on June 1, Mr. MacKay had won >the leadership by indicating he would not be a proponent of >institutional merger with the Alliance, and had signed an agreement >with David Orchard to that effect. He had promised to run 301 PC >candidates as had been decided by the party membership at the >general meeting in August 2002. I had always believed that the PC >party could rebuild and reposition itself to provide the strong, >competitive centrist alternative that democracy in Canada deserves. > >After the merger ratification vote, Joe Clark said, referring to the >fate of the former PC party: "This is not a death in the family; >this is a death of the family." While it is Mr. Clark's assessment >that the PC party died on Dec. 6, I believe Mr. MacKay and Mr. >Harper signed the death sentence for the PC party on Oct. 15, the >day they signed their merger agreement. At that time, principled >Progressive Conservatives were given an impossible choice between a >"no" vote which would have resulted in a weakened PC party, or a >"yes" vote which would lead to a unity of the two parties, however >badly accomplished. > >I, like many others, was uncomfortable with this merger, so much so >that a week after the merger agreement, I called Mr. MacKay and >asked that my name be deleted from a list of prominent PC members >who were placing an advertisement in national newspapers to support >the merger. My personal and professional dilemma continued >throughout the autumn. While publicly, I did not speak against the >merger; on many occasions, I did speak about my real reservations as >to whether I would be comfortable with the values of the new party. >Mr. Harper's and Mr. MacKay's tepid responses to Alliance MP Larry >Spencer's intolerant comments in late November reconfirmed my >feelings that the policies and positions of the Reform-Alliance >caucus over the last 10 years remained a strong part of the caucus >and membership of that party. > >Throughout the merger process, while my heart tried to convince me >that I could help shape this new party into a modern, centrist >choice for Canadians, my head (and my experience in Parliament) kept >telling me that I was losing, or had in fact lost, my political >home. > >I attended my first PC meeting 25 years ago at the age of 11 and >became a party activist. I was always proud of the socially >progressive, fiscally conservative centrist values of my party, and >particularly of its leaders. When I joined the Liberal Party of >Canada on Dec. 10, I was not leaving my party; it was gone, replaced >by a new party that bears little resemblance to the party in which I >had grown up. > >There is a significant realignment of the political landscape >occurring in Canada. This is the result of three major factors: the >assumption of the leadership of the Liberal party by Paul Martin, a >fiscally conservative, socially progressive leader who wants to >place the party in the centre; moves by NDP Leader Jack Layton to >focus that party on socially progressive, leftist ideals; and the >new Conservative party, dominated by fiscally and socially >right-wing ideologues. Many people, including a large number in the >PC party, now face a choice as to which political party in this new >landscape best reflects their personal values and beliefs. > >As a member of Parliament, my role is to balance the interests of my >constituents with the larger interest of building a better country. >How would I be able to do this in the new Conservative party where, >I believe, the next few years will be spent fighting divisive >internal party battles to resolve issues that had already been dealt >with in the PC party under Robert Stanfield, Brian Mulroney, Kim >Campbell and Joe Clark? How can I be an effective MP and represent >my constituency within a party that will not represent my or my >constituents' values, ideas or beliefs? I decided I could not, in >good conscience, run as a candidate for a political party that I >secretly hoped would lose because I feared what it would do to the >country. > >I am a fiscal conservative. I believe we should spend within our >means and, to do so, we must have bold and new ideas to accomplish >our fiscally conservative, yet socially progressive, ideals. I am a >social progressive who believes that government has a role in >keeping its people educated, healthy, safe and productive. That, >too, will mean a re-evaluation of how we do things for the >betterment of all Canadians. > >My discussions with Paul Martin demonstrated that he shares this >approach to politics in the 21st century. I look forward to working >with him to achieve more consensus-building with the provinces, a >new and wider role for Canada in the world, helping those less >fortunate whether at home or abroad, and developing and implementing >bold, new, exciting approaches to making Canada work both >economically and socially. > >I want to be in a party that I can support without reservation, >fuelled by old ideas, not rigid ideologies. I believe that, today, >the Liberal party best reflects my values and those of a majority of >Canadians. It is also the best place to do my job as a member of >Parliament - moving forward, not backward. I believe I can have an >influence in making my country, my province and my constituency a >better place. I am comfortable with where the Liberal party is going >and what it will be doing. I have made my choice. I expect many >Canadians with socially progressive and fiscally conservative values >will do the same. > >Scott Brison is member of Parliament, Kings-Hants. > >