I was singing happily in my car on the way home from the all-candidates meeting on Tuesday evening. Such a different mood from just a couple hours earlier en route to the meeting.
My quandary was that I was at a loss about whom to vote for in this month’s provincial election, as only B.C. Liberals, NDP and Greens were advertising and campaigning locally.
Over the years, some of my votes had been in support of a party I believed were doing their best; others were strategic votes to hopefully prevent a certain party from being elected; still others to support a minor party which had no chance of winning. That was when my conscience would simply not allow me to support the main parties because of leadership or track record, or both. Casting a vote is something I’ve never taken lightly, realizing that wars have been fought to preserve such a basic right.
I’m unable to support the B.C. Liberals, because of the arrogant leadership style over the past 16 years in power, and a whole host of other reasons. The NDP lost my support four years ago when their then leader declared Vancouver would never become a tanker port under his watch; the current leader supports that view. The NDP used to represent ordinary working Joes and Jills, but that party has disappeared down the rabbit hole just as Alice did, and into an environmental Wonderland. I have never supported Green Party philosophy, and find their federal leader to be a person who is an absolute stranger to the truth in so many of her statements and party policies.
A pleasant surprise awaited me at the all-candidates meeting; it was confirmed that there was a B.C. Refederation Party candidate. Even though he was apparently not invited to the debate, he gets my vote; which may well be the only one he tallies outside of his immediate family, but I can now exercise my franchise with a clear conscience. Oh, that song I mentioned in the first sentence was really directed towards him; it was a hit way back in 1972. The chorus is just so appropriate: “Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you.”
Bernie Smith, Parksville