Saturday, October 4, 2008

I Am A Conservative With A Conscience

My campaign team has heard a lot of commentary during this campaign about whether or not we are really conservatives. After all; don’t you have to be a card carrying party member to be a conservative? Don’t you have to support all party decisions and actions? I don’t think so!

I have been a conservative for over 35 years. I have worked every campaign on behalf of the conservative candidate, both federal and provincial. I have served on constituency boards, attended conventions and all the other things a good active party member does. Many of my supporters have done the same. Indeed some were members of the Edmonton Sherwood Park board until right after the last nomination race. Following the race we all found ourselves asking the same question; when the party is acting in an unconscionable manner, should we still follow the party line? Once you allow yourself to ask this question it leads to other questions. Questions like: when did MP’s become the party’s voice rather than the voters voice. If our MP’s are forced to follow the “party line” then who is representing us? That’s about when my conscience kicked in. That’s when I decided to stand up for what I believe to be right.

I am still a conservative. In my heart I will always be a conservative. But that can never mean that I am blind or foolish.

I am a conservative but I am a conservative with a conscience.

Jim

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jim, Read all of your blog and web pages this morning. I was away when the rite was dropped and was horrified that you were not allowed to raise funds until then. Thanks to your sign crew I became aware of your efforts. I agree with all of your proposed legislation including having to be a Canadian Citizen to be able to vote.

Like others, I agree it's rewarding to know that there is an alternative to others who seem to never have had an original thought of their own. A welcomed alternative to those that just spout the party line. I'm with you. See you Tuesday evening.

Al

Anonymous said...

A conservative with a conscience has been long awaited for. I'll be honest in saying that my 18 year old son was the one that brought you to my attention (he is very excited to be voting for the first time). I think it's time for individuals to step up and really take notice and realize when they place that "X", is it the right choice? If the young generation is taking notice and making sure their voices are being heard, so should us individuals who have voted for many years and have accepted, good or bad, the results at the parliament as well the government of Canada level. Lets start again at the bottom to ensure that our voices are heard at the higher levels and from what I have read and heard, I believe that Mr. James Ford can do that. As far as Mr. Uppal is concerned, the voices of hard working, tax paying blue collar workers that have built Alberta to what it is today, will not have their voices heard in parliament. Good Luck Mr. Ford, you have our votes!!

Anonymous said...

Jim, I heard that you did really well during the recent political forum here in Sherwood Park and that you the room was most certainly in your favor. (Sorry I missed it.) I encourage those undecided to consider voting for you as my family will be. A Conservative with a conscience as our voice in Ottawa is exactly what my family wants and our region needs. "Jim, you and the team need to keep pushing hard and run through the tape at the end of the race..."