A grown-up government works with the cards dealt: Conservative

(Originally published by The Hill Times, February 20th, 2006)

While out of power, Conservatives hailing from both founding parties worked apart, and then together, ultimately to fashion a single party and a set of policies designed to bring back to Canadians an ethical and accountable government. We said we’d do things better. We’d clean up the mess. We’d treat Canadians with the respect they deserve.

Yet within hours of being elected, by appointing to Cabinet David Emerson and the unelected party insider Michael Fortier, Stephen Harper substantially broke four established party policies, one specific campaign promise, over a decade of Conservative policy development, and the trust of many Conservatives and most Canadians.

Our party’s principles state that we believe in the democratic process, so it’s of no surprise that Conservatives are rightly questioning why Stephen Harper is violating a basic tenet of our party as one of the first official acts of his government.A “grown-up” government works with the cards it is dealt and strives to earn the trust of the people and a better result in the next election. A “grown-up” leader of the government does not conspire to violate voter’s trust in the democratic process.

Michael Watkins
Vancouver, B.C.
(The letter-writer is a card-carrying member of the Conservative Party.)