| Subject: Our party must be "PRO" something, not "ANTI" everything. |
Author:
Michael Watkins
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 00:48:10 04/11/03 Fri
Author Host/IP: a3hu7fzy193i.bc.hsia.telus.net/207.6.247.114
We are the Canadians
In his opinion piece on ToryDraft.com "Taking a stand: against Orchard" David Strycharz suggests strongly that the leadership race is all about defeating Mr. Orchard.
I disagree completely with his assertion, although I am solidly on his side that other candidates better exemplify Progressive Conservative and Canadian values.
But this race is not about defeating David Orchard. This contest is all about choosing the best leader to take our party to Canadians and on to victory in the next election. And we must choose as our leader the one candidate who is best positioned to rebuild our very Canadian - inclusive and transnational - party.
Talking to Progressive Conservatives from all across the country its my sense that a sizable number of delegates have been elected on a "defeat" Orchard platform. This kind of fear, attitude, and thinking, is simply wrong. Our party should not be about defeating anyone other than the Liberals.
Our party must be "PRO" something, not "ANTI" everything.
Jim Prentice best exemplifies a leader who is PRO-Canadian, PRO-inclusiveness, PRO-teamwork and PRO-electoral success. Solid as a rock. Mature and experienced. PC through and through. As evidenced by the accelerating momentum in Prentice delegate wins, and in commitments from automatic delegates, PC's across the country are discovering that Jim Prentice has exactly the right message and prescription for our party.
I'd like to share with readers an excerpt from a recent article which came across my desk. Before reading the piece, to capture the full mood of the moment, you need to imagine yourself at crowded arena. Its the final period, and your team has victory clearly in sight. Energy from the crowd around you electrifies the building. Throughout the arena, feet are stamping a beat in unison to that famous theme song by the band Queen - "We Are The Champions" :
"MacKay got the votes, but he wasn't the best of the leadership candidates"
By Lisa Hrabluk, The New Brunswick Telegraph Journal
April 7, 2003
There are some people who walk into a room and the eye is naturally drawn to them.
They have presence that attracts notice, even if they are standing still.
"Why are we not a better country?" asked Mr. Prentice, the lead-in question that earned him the reaction from the small crowd.
"There is nothing wrong with Canada that we can't fix."
He appealed to their sense of nationalism and to their desire for Canada to be noticed by the rest of the world.
"This is a nation of humanitarians. This is a nation of peacekeepers. And this is a nation that believes in peace and security when it is called upon," he said, as some of the grey heads nodded in reply.
"We are the Canadians and we have to get back on our game." [theme song on!]
It was the best speech of the afternoon. And it earned Mr. Prentice one delegate. If federal Conservatives truly want to taste victory again, those who are so quick to hand Mr. MacKay the leadership of their party need to ask themselves why they think he can lead them back.
Because if they don't, Canadians surely will and they might not give Conservatives the answer they want.
We - the PC family - are the champions, my friends. We need to elect a leader that is PRO-PC, PRO-Canada and PRO-Victory. Hum a few bars with the Prentice team and together we'll make a thundering chorus.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 