Comments on: News release http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2006/03/23/news-release/ Current political events, business, real estate, financial and economic news, trends and, above all, the Future. Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:53:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Alsadius http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2006/03/23/news-release/comment-page-1/#comment-7109 Alsadius Sun, 26 Mar 2006 15:33:08 +0000 http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2006/03/23/news-release/#comment-7109 Garth, I never said that the party was 100% right - hell, if I got to rewrite the platform, it'd look basically nothing like the one you ran on. That said, you ran on it. Two months ago, you were telling the voters of your riding that you were a candidate supporting the Conservative platform, which is why they voted for you for the most part. Now you want to abandon that platform. Even if it's only in part, you still lied to the voters, because you're not supporting the platform you ran on. And it's not like circumstances have changed drastically either - the country still faces the same problems as it did on Jan. 23, and the government still needs to do the same things. If you didn't want to run on the Conservative platform during the election, you should have run as an independant candidate, and if you did want to run on it, then you should be supporting it today. As for the part about great parties supporting debate, you're right, they do. However, great parties aren't stupid enough to encourage MPs to debate publicly any time they have a minor disagreement with the party. You want to debate, do it at the caucus table or at a policy convention, but don't issue press releases generically condemning the party you're a member of and the platform you ran on. <em>I think you should dial it back a bit, friend. Wise politicians and parties are always examining whether their course of action is the best one, and sometimes seven weeks of study on an issue can turn up different conclusions than were evident during a few minutes of campaigning. Sober second thought, combined with listening to what Canadians actually want, can be a government's best friend. In this instance I have kept the finance minister fully informed of my actions, and given him the opportunity of stifling debate. He did not take it, because he is a wise politician. I will take my cue from him, thanks. -- Garth</em> Garth, I never said that the party was 100% right – hell, if I got to rewrite the platform, it’d look basically nothing like the one you ran on. That said, you ran on it. Two months ago, you were telling the voters of your riding that you were a candidate supporting the Conservative platform, which is why they voted for you for the most part. Now you want to abandon that platform. Even if it’s only in part, you still lied to the voters, because you’re not supporting the platform you ran on.

And it’s not like circumstances have changed drastically either – the country still faces the same problems as it did on Jan. 23, and the government still needs to do the same things. If you didn’t want to run on the Conservative platform during the election, you should have run as an independant candidate, and if you did want to run on it, then you should be supporting it today.

As for the part about great parties supporting debate, you’re right, they do. However, great parties aren’t stupid enough to encourage MPs to debate publicly any time they have a minor disagreement with the party. You want to debate, do it at the caucus table or at a policy convention, but don’t issue press releases generically condemning the party you’re a member of and the platform you ran on.

I think you should dial it back a bit, friend. Wise politicians and parties are always examining whether their course of action is the best one, and sometimes seven weeks of study on an issue can turn up different conclusions than were evident during a few minutes of campaigning. Sober second thought, combined with listening to what Canadians actually want, can be a government’s best friend.

In this instance I have kept the finance minister fully informed of my actions, and given him the opportunity of stifling debate. He did not take it, because he is a wise politician. I will take my cue from him, thanks. — Garth

]]> By: Miles Lunn http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2006/03/23/news-release/comment-page-1/#comment-7098 Miles Lunn Sun, 26 Mar 2006 07:04:35 +0000 http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2006/03/23/news-release/#comment-7098 The reality is governing is a complex thing and focusing only on five promises is not the best way to govern. Making five promises is a good way to win the election and certainly keeping them is good politics. This is off course not know, Bernard Lord had 20 promises for his first 200 days and here in BC we had the 90 day agenda for the BC Liberals. However, some of the promises such as the GST Cut were dumb promises. I would say get rid of the GST Cut while keep the other promises. The reality is governing is a complex thing and focusing only on five promises is not the best way to govern. Making five promises is a good way to win the election and certainly keeping them is good politics. This is off course not know, Bernard Lord had 20 promises for his first 200 days and here in BC we had the 90 day agenda for the BC Liberals. However, some of the promises such as the GST Cut were dumb promises. I would say get rid of the GST Cut while keep the other promises.

]]> By: Brandon Langhjelm http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2006/03/23/news-release/comment-page-1/#comment-7080 Brandon Langhjelm Sat, 25 Mar 2006 19:57:30 +0000 http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2006/03/23/news-release/#comment-7080 "Where did I say I was not supporting the 5 priorities?" I do. Period. — Garth Great, I'm glad to hear that. Good to have that much cleared up. “Where did I say I was not supporting the 5 priorities?” I do. Period. — Garth

Great, I’m glad to hear that. Good to have that much cleared up.

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