What gets lost in the Canadian election campaign amongst all the hideous promises made with taxpayers’ own money and the endless “he said – he said”, is the plain values and the basic fundamental principles and political philosophy of the parties. That’s what is at the root of all the ridiculous promises and even more ridiculous explanations of past misdeeds, after all.
One of the best examples I can think of is the promised addition of state-funded nationalized child day care so that parents can plug their fresh new kids into the state-funded nursery instead of doing what is now seen as the totally ridiculous —parents raising their own kids themselves at their own family homes. This additional social program is not an election promise as much as a political philosophy.
Elections are a good time to reflect on the idea that we’ve come from the basic core of our nation, indeed those who built our nation—families—to a nation in which the political parties (well the two left-wing parties in any case), were seen falling over themselves promising that the state—with countless billions of taxpayer dollars—will once again come up with yet another state-run social program—this one designed to look after your own kids. And dictate, too, that all the taxpayers including old ladies and students and the childless singles and couples and the waitress at Joe’s and the janitor at the school, all pay for it with still more of their hard-earned wages, as Tax Feeedom Day comes later and later every year this year not excluded.
Such is life in the Liberal-Left. Such is their political philosophy.
Despite the hubris and “Conservatives have a hidden agenda” and placard-waving and angry retorts on the radio talk shows, most Canadians are so bereft of even a most basic understanding of the political philosophies of the various parties and they have been completely blind-sided by the ridiculous rhetoric. The promises. The so-called factual reviews of politicians’ record in office. Their so-called honesty in declaring that “they knew nothing about what was going on in the scandal”, and even if they did, they now represent “real change”, even though they were the exact ones who were directly invloved, and of course unlike the last time they said that.
All the parties were quick off the mark when the arrogant Liberal prime minister finally decided to call an election. They quickly promised the world. But I have never heard the NDP utter the word “socialist” or “socialism” once. Not once. Why not? That’s their very most basic, and most profoundly different political philosophy from the Conservatives, and to a lesser degree the Liberals. So, why not? What are they hiding? Are we all clear on what the socialist agenda is?
Political philosophies are obvious if you know to look for them. For example under the genuine, pleasant-sounding guise of say, “uniting the country”, the Liberal-Left has successfully incited class and language and provincial alienation and hatred within our own nation. To engineer a Canadian culture, they continually try, to no avail, to mandate a Canadian culture into existence by government controls and regulations. They “provide” state-run media no different that the socialist USSR did, which proselytizes its viewers with a decidedly Liberal slant (if you disagree, then it has in fact worked). They ban outside influences (Fox News Channel for example) if it doesn’t match their liberal political philosophy. What are they hiding?
Tax the rich, they say, as if they could help the poor by destroying the rich. Close the wage gap, they yell, as if the government could lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. Help small men by tearing down big men. Strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. Build and promote social programs of every possible description, blindly ignoring (hiding?) the fact that governments can’t build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence —quite the opposite.
The Liberal-Left will have you believe that governments can help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
A government of my Canada should be guided by strong values. The values I typed below are the values that I most closely adhere to in my life, and which I believe befit my Canada:
- A balance between fiscal accountability, progressive social policy and individual rights and responsibilities;
- Embrace our differences and respect our traditions, yet honor a concept of Canada as the greater sum of strong parts;
- A belief in loyalty to a sovereign and united Canada governed in accordance with the Constitution of Canada, the supremacy of democratic parliamentary institutions and the rule of law;
- A belief in the equality of all Canadians;
- A belief in the freedom of the individual, including freedom of speech, worship and assembly;
- A belief in our constitutional monarchy, the institutions of Parliament and the democratic process;
- A belief in the federal system of government as the best expression of the diversity of our country, and in the desirability of strong provincial and territorial governments;
- A belief that English and French have equality of status, and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions of the Parliament and Government of Canada;
- A belief that the best guarantors of the prosperity and well-being of the people of Canada are:
- The freedom of individual Canadians to pursue their enlightened and legitimate self-interest within a competitive economy;
- The freedom of individual Canadians to enjoy the fruits of their labour to the greatest possible extent; and
- The right to own property;
- A belief that a responsible government must be fiscally prudent and should be limited to those responsibilities which cannot be discharged reasonably by the individual or others;
- A belief that it is the responsibility of individuals to provide for themselves, their families and their dependents, while recognizing that government must respond to those who require assistance and compassion;
- A belief that the purpose of Canada as a nation state and its government, guided by reflective and prudent leadership, is to create a climate wherein individual initiative is rewarded, excellence is pursued, security and privacy of the individual is provided and prosperity is guaranteed by a free competitive market economy;
- A belief that the quality of the environment is a vital part of our heritage to be protected by each generation for the next;
- A belief that Canada should accept its obligations among the nations of the world;
- A belief that good and responsible government is attentive to the people it represents and has representatives who at all times conduct themselves in an ethical manner and display integrity, honesty and concern for the best interest of all;
- A belief that all Canadians should have reasonable access to quality health care regardless of their ability to pay; and
- A belief that the greatest potential for achieving social and economic objectives is under a global trading regime that is free and fair.
No, it’s not a coincidence that my values listed in the preceding list of principles are in fact part of the founding principles of the new Conservative Party of Canada, and that which I learned from William John Henry Boetcker in his Ten Cannots of Conservatism, and from many others; and, indeed, from doing tons of reading about socialism and liberalism. I might add that the more I read the
writings of the left, the more I see for myself the effects of the liberal-left philosophy at work here and abroad, the more comfortable I am on the conservative right. The more I uncover the truth, that which is hidden, the more right I am.
That’s why you could never catch me being “undecided”, or switching my vote from one party to another as if it were a hockey game.
Canadians should vote on June 28, at least in large part, according to the fundamental political philosophies of the parties. They should start by taking a good hard look at the party philosophies and what they really, really mean. Be critical. Be a cynic. Look for what they are hiding. Hidden agendas. I implore you to look for hidden agendas.
By Joel Johannesen
Cross-posted to ProudToBeCanadian.ca
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
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