The Tories Seemed Determined To Put Themselves Out Of The Running.

In an earlier Blog I wrote that our Federal Tories would be wise to hold off having their Leadership Convention as long a possible for 2 reasons...both of almost equal importance:

First, to ensure that the brightest and the best are encouraged to think seriously about entering the race and Second, to get their policy act together via a Policy Convention first.

Well dear Reader, they - the Party Big Wigs, were certainly not listening to me.

In their infinite wisdom they have decided to hold the Contest this coming June 27 - some 6 short months away.  And not only that, prospective Candidates have but 10 days to decide whether or not to sign up for the run.

Unbelievable !!!

That said, there is probably not much the Conservatives can do to positively influence their electoral chances anyway.  The Party is split 7 ways till Sunday....Libertarians (like me), Social Conservatives, Fiscal Conservatives, Red Tories and the very few others that come on board from time to time from the centre.  Indeed there are but 30 - 35% of the Electorate that is right of centre and as shown here, they are well and truly split among themselves.  The only reason that the 65-70% left of centre ...the Progressives, do not form all of the Governments...they do form most, is that the Left too is split between the Liberals and the New Democratic Party.  So every once in a long while the electorate splits into thirds and the Tories creep up the middle for a win.

That is not to say come the next election this may happen again but the odds are always against us.

The issue for Conservatives is Why....as in Why are Canadians so content to be Progressive?

My thinking is that true Conservatism has never been given a chance...never properly explained.  As in the infamous words of former Liberal M.P. David Dingwall..."I'm  Entitled To My Entitlements' and that is what too many Canadians demand as well.   Give them Big Government, Big Debt and Big Deficits and they are quite okay with that never mind what happens when the music stops and there at too few chairs available to sit on.

No wonder poll after poll shows that the younger generations now favour Socialism over Capitalism.  Long forgotten is Margaret Thatcher's truism that  "The trouble with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money."

So now at the start of a new decade, this is where we Conservatives find themselves. Having been Liberal Lite for eons we are now in danger of becoming full blown Liberal.  And at a time when we are so desperately in need of a Great Leader and Genuine Conservative Policies, it appears as though we are in for more of the same.

Pity Canada.

As I See It...

'K.D.  Bell'