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Re: Hard fiscal conservative Brison defects to Martin's righ
Martin is the 'exceptional' attraction
By SCOTT BRISON
UPDATED AT 1:20 PM EST         Friday, Dec. 12, 2003
Advertisement
After 25 years as a Progressive Conservative, I have made a decision to join the Liberal Party of Canada.
I believe Paul Martin will be an exceptional prime minister. His best qualities are things people all too often sense are missing in elected officials: a curiosity about ideas, an unusual willingness to ask for a cross-section of opinions and views, and an even more extraordinary desire to listen to what others have to say.
I worked as the PC Party's finance critic in the House of Commons during Mr. Martin's tenure as finance minister, and we developed a solid mutual respect despite our political rivalry. In Mr. Martin, I saw a person of good humour, strength of will and passion for public service.
Political commentators habitually shine a light on the weaknesses of politicians, and there's some value in that. But there's greater value in recognizing that from time to time, people of unusual skills choose to serve the public good. Mr. Martin fills that bill.
My decisions rests on a question of values and the desire to find a political home at a time when the country's party system is realigning. Today, our political landscape looks remarkably different than it did even six months ago. The Progressive Conservative Party, the party in which I grew up, no longer exists.
Throughout its history, the PC Party was shaped by a number of truly exceptional people. Leaders such as Jean Charest and Joe Clark -- I had the honour of working with both of them -- embraced the Canadian balance of fiscal conservatism and progressive social thinking.
I campaigned for the leadership of the PC Party because I wanted to help build a modern party that would offer Canadians bold and innovative ideas based on the values of personal liberty, economic liberty and social responsibility. I am as committed to these values today as I was then.
After Stephen Harper and Peter MacKay's merger announcement in mid-October, principled Progressive Conservatives faced an almost impossible choice: a no vote could have led to a smaller, weaker PC Party dominated by David Orchard's anti-free-trade activists, as well as a fortified Canadian Alliance and a continued split in the opposition. On the other hand, a yes vote could at least lead to a unified opposition. As such, and with great reservation, I chose the latter.
I had spoken conditionally in support of the merger, while expressing concerns about the likelihood of the new party being socially moderate enough to appeal to Canadians. When Stephen Harper wrote 24,000 letters to religious congregations to directly involve them in the political process in order to shore up support for his leadership, an act that violated the principle of separating church and state, and when both Mr. Harper and Mr. MacKay gave tepid responses to Alliance MP Larry Spencer's outrageous remarks about homosexuality, it increased my doubt that the new Conservative Party would reflect my values and the diversity of Canadians.
The results of that ratification vote, in tandem with Paul Martin assuming the leadership of the Liberal Party, have lead to a significant realignment in Canadian politics. All Progressive Conservatives now face a choice about which political party in this new landscape best reflects their values and beliefs. I've made my choice. My new political home is the Liberal Party.
I had a choice either to spend the next 10 years working to help shape the Conservative Party into a centrist one, capable of governing a modern Canada, or working as part of Paul Martin's team in an already centrist party where I could immediately help develop and implement bold and innovative ideas to make Canada a leader in the world.
I believe that my values and those of my constituents are better reflected in the new Liberal Party under the leadership of Mr. Martin than in the new Conservative Party. Under his leadership, the new Liberal Party will be a powerful vehicle for positive change. I have spoken with Paul about his vision for Canada and it is a vision that I share.
I want to work in a party that I can support without reservation, a party fuelled by bold ideas, not rigid ideologies.
I appreciate very much the encouragement and support I have felt from Liberal members of Parliament, and members of the party at large. I look forward to being their colleague and supporting their endeavours.
I respect Mr. Harper and Mr. MacKay, and all those who choose to support the new party they have helped create. I expect, however, that many Canadians with socially progressive and fiscally conservative values may make the same choice I did.
Scott Brison is the member of Parliament for King-Hants in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.
© 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Brison the opportunist
By KEVIN J. WEBER
UPDATED AT 1:26 PM EST         Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003
Advertisement
Toronto -- What are we to make of Scott Brison's decision to turn his back on the Conservative Party of Canada that he had helped create only four days before (Brison Defects To Liberals -- on-line edition, Dec. 10)? On Dec. 6, Mr. Brison voted in favour of creating the new party, indicating only that he would await the policy and leadership decisions of its membership before determining his future. On Dec. 10, he had no further indication of what ideas the new party would bring to Canadians.
What he did, he did not out of ideas, but out of sheer, crass opportunism. Let him enjoy the perquisites of whatever position Paul Martin may have promised him; his would not be the first head turned by the promise of a chauffered car. But let him never emerge from that car to speak on matters of principle.
© 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Martin is the 'exceptional' attraction
By SCOTT BRISON
UPDATED AT 1:20 PM EST         Friday, Dec. 12, 2003
Advertisement
After 25 years as a Progressive Conservative, I have made a decision to join the Liberal Party of Canada.
I believe Paul Martin will be an exceptional prime minister. His best qualities are things people all too often sense are missing in elected officials: a curiosity about ideas, an unusual willingness to ask for a cross-section of opinions and views, and an even more extraordinary desire to listen to what others have to say.
I worked as the PC Party's finance critic in the House of Commons during Mr. Martin's tenure as finance minister, and we developed a solid mutual respect despite our political rivalry. In Mr. Martin, I saw a person of good humour, strength of will and passion for public service.
Political commentators habitually shine a light on the weaknesses of politicians, and there's some value in that. But there's greater value in recognizing that from time to time, people of unusual skills choose to serve the public good. Mr. Martin fills that bill.
My decisions rests on a question of values and the desire to find a political home at a time when the country's party system is realigning. Today, our political landscape looks remarkably different than it did even six months ago. The Progressive Conservative Party, the party in which I grew up, no longer exists.
Throughout its history, the PC Party was shaped by a number of truly exceptional people. Leaders such as Jean Charest and Joe Clark -- I had the honour of working with both of them -- embraced the Canadian balance of fiscal conservatism and progressive social thinking.
I campaigned for the leadership of the PC Party because I wanted to help build a modern party that would offer Canadians bold and innovative ideas based on the values of personal liberty, economic liberty and social responsibility. I am as committed to these values today as I was then.
After Stephen Harper and Peter MacKay's merger announcement in mid-October, principled Progressive Conservatives faced an almost impossible choice: a no vote could have led to a smaller, weaker PC Party dominated by David Orchard's anti-free-trade activists, as well as a fortified Canadian Alliance and a continued split in the opposition. On the other hand, a yes vote could at least lead to a unified opposition. As such, and with great reservation, I chose the latter.
I had spoken conditionally in support of the merger, while expressing concerns about the likelihood of the new party being socially moderate enough to appeal to Canadians. When Stephen Harper wrote 24,000 letters to religious congregations to directly involve them in the political process in order to shore up support for his leadership, an act that violated the principle of separating church and state, and when both Mr. Harper and Mr. MacKay gave tepid responses to Alliance MP Larry Spencer's outrageous remarks about homosexuality, it increased my doubt that the new Conservative Party would reflect my values and the diversity of Canadians.
The results of that ratification vote, in tandem with Paul Martin assuming the leadership of the Liberal Party, have lead to a significant realignment in Canadian politics. All Progressive Conservatives now face a choice about which political party in this new landscape best reflects their values and beliefs. I've made my choice. My new political home is the Liberal Party.
I had a choice either to spend the next 10 years working to help shape the Conservative Party into a centrist one, capable of governing a modern Canada, or working as part of Paul Martin's team in an already centrist party where I could immediately help develop and implement bold and innovative ideas to make Canada a leader in the world.
I believe that my values and those of my constituents are better reflected in the new Liberal Party under the leadership of Mr. Martin than in the new Conservative Party. Under his leadership, the new Liberal Party will be a powerful vehicle for positive change. I have spoken with Paul about his vision for Canada and it is a vision that I share.
I want to work in a party that I can support without reservation, a party fuelled by bold ideas, not rigid ideologies.
I appreciate very much the encouragement and support I have felt from Liberal members of Parliament, and members of the party at large. I look forward to being their colleague and supporting their endeavours.
I respect Mr. Harper and Mr. MacKay, and all those who choose to support the new party they have helped create. I expect, however, that many Canadians with socially progressive and fiscally conservative values may make the same choice I did.
Scott Brison is the member of Parliament for King-Hants in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.
© 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Brison the opportunist
By KEVIN J. WEBER
UPDATED AT 1:26 PM EST         Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003
Advertisement
Toronto -- What are we to make of Scott Brison's decision to turn his back on the Conservative Party of Canada that he had helped create only four days before (Brison Defects To Liberals -- on-line edition, Dec. 10)? On Dec. 6, Mr. Brison voted in favour of creating the new party, indicating only that he would await the policy and leadership decisions of its membership before determining his future. On Dec. 10, he had no further indication of what ideas the new party would bring to Canadians.
What he did, he did not out of ideas, but out of sheer, crass opportunism. Let him enjoy the perquisites of whatever position Paul Martin may have promised him; his would not be the first head turned by the promise of a chauffered car. But let him never emerge from that car to speak on matters of principle.
© 2003 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Re: Hard fiscal conservative Brison defects to Martin's righ
Are Be, could you edit out your first article, seeing as it was already posted in this thread.
Are Be, could you edit out your first article, seeing as it was already posted in this thread.