National Post (National Edition)
Vanity project
Re: Why I won’t join Bernier’s new party, Kevin O’leary, Sept. 15
To every Canadian: please read Kevin O’leary’s comments regarding Maxime Bernier’s new party. O’leary gives a voice to the millions of Canadians who believe as he does, when he states, “I was so terrified of what another four years of Trudeau’s Liberals running the show would do to our country...” Recharting our country’s positive course, in 2019 and beyond, will require Canadians to vote with strategic intelligence to ensure achievement of this goal. Hiving off votes for someone’s vanity project is not the way to secure a positive outcome for our country. Mary Anne E. Clarke, Calgary
I have seen some raised eyebrows over Maxime Bernier’s adventure into his super-charged ego trip. And I’ve had people say to me that the last time the Conservative party splintered into the Reform party and Bloc Québécois, it resulted in endless Liberal governments. Unfortunately, the same may happen this time. But the notion that somehow Bernier’s ego trip has any comparison to the Reform movement is ill informed.
When the Reform party came to life, there was a powerful movement in Western Canada to separate from the country. The Western Canada Concept was gaining strength at the same time that Quebec separatism was boiling over, The future of Canada was threatened. Preston Manning created a movement that promoted the notion that “The West Wants In” not out. Once the Reform party redirected everyone’s frustration away from tearing down Canada to instead building A New Canada, the West settled down and we got on with figuring out how to build the great Canada that we have today.
Bernier lost the Conservative leadership race, fair and square, and his new “People’s Party” is just his bruised ego spinning out of control. His efforts will only hurt Canada not strengthen her. Paul Arnold, Victoria, B.C.