Initially published in the Alliston Herald on October 10, 2008
In 1974 Robert Stanfield was running in his third General Election as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. It was in the course of this election that I, aged 10, made my first political statement and prepared a crude homemade sign with coloured markers to show support for Stanfield.
It was a bad year for that 10 year old! Not only did the Boston Bruins lose the Stanley Cup final to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games, Stanfield suffered his third consecutive loss to Pierre Trudeau.
To this day I remain of the view that he is the best Prime Minister we never had.
My involvement with the Progressive Conservative Party continued through the years and included trips as a delegate to the 1983 PC leadership convention that elected Brian Mulroney and the 2003 convention that elected Peter McKay.
Following the merger of the Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance parties I actively supported the new Conservative Party.
However, I have chosen to “sit out” this election. Remarkably, it would seem that I am not alone. Many other New Tecumseth area residents who were once involved with either the Progressive Conservative, Reform or Canadian Alliance parties have similarly remained on the sidelines.
These individuals include Alliston businessman Wayne Hutchinson (who was a key Ontario organizer in the early days of the Reform Party); Beeton residents Iain MacKay (an original member of New Tecumseth town council) and Shauneen MacKay (who once ran as a Reform candidate); Cookstown area resident Floor Kromhout (who served as president of the provincial Simcoe-Grey Progressive Conservative constituency association for the better part of a decade); and, Alliston lawyer Jamie Smith – an individual whose father served as a Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for this area and who, in past elections, routinely canvassed with former MP Perrin Beatty on Alliston’s Victoria Street.
Interestingly, former Progressive Conservative Lynda Mitchell , who was employed for a time in the Alliston constituency office of Helena Guergis, recently accompanied a candidate along Victoria Street. I nearly fell off my chair when I learned that it wasn’t Guergis that she accompanied but rather Liberal candidate Andrea Matrosovs!
I do not know the reason why the individuals noted above are on the sidelines.
Personally, for the reasons previously outlined in this column, I am unable to bring myself to vote for Helena Guergis. Thus, for the first time in many years (I never voted for Brian Mulroney!), I will not vote Conservative.
Peter Vander Zaag (Christian Heritage Party) is an individual who exudes integrity. Among this field of candidates his education qualifications are second to none (he has a Ph.D in agriculture) and he undoubtedly has a deep understanding and appreciation of the needs of Simcoe-Grey farmers.
Vander Zaag has previously commented, quite correctly in my mind, that he would likely be elected if he ran as a Liberal or Conservative. However, he has not done so out of concern that he would not be able to speak his conscience. It is not hard to admire such conviction.
It would not surprise me to see many conservatives, who are unhappy to see the Harper government break promises and abandon some key Reform principles, to mark their ballot for Vander Zaag.
I have had the privilege of meeting each of Peter Ellis (Green Party) and Andrea Matrosovs (Liberal Party). Both seem intelligent, well-spoken and sincere. Although I have not met NDP candidate Katy Austin, she appears, from a distance, to share these characteristics. All three have teaching backgrounds.
At the end of the day, my vote will go to the candidate who has the best opportunity to defeat Helena Guergis – an individual who has not served the residents of Simcoe-Grey well and who has been an embarrassment on the national stage.
As recently as last week Stephen Harper claimed the economy was sound. Now, in a time of economic crisis when our savings are disappearing, Harper has acknowledged problems but tells us to “stay the course.” It is a position parroted by Guergis in a radio interview on Tuesday. The thing is, how can we possibly have confidence in this approach when last week these same parties claimed everything was fine?
The candidate who clearly has the best opportunity in this regard, and whom I believe will make an outstanding Member of Parliament, is Liberal Andrea Matrosovs.
