May 18, 2005
Belinda Bolts
Stronach bails on Tories, becomes Liberal Minister
From time to time in politics an MP faces a crisis of identity they ask themselves if they still belong in the party they represent. Usually these crises are spurred by fundamental questions of policy on which they differ so profoundly with their party that it makes a continuing association impossible. In short, they leave on a matter of principle.
However, no matter how hard Tory turned Liberal Belinda Stronach tried yesterday, she couldn't convince me that her departure was over a matter of principle. She said she couldn't continue to countenance the Conservative alliance with the Bloc. She ignores the fact there is no such alliance, except in the imaginations of the (very real) NDP-Liberal coalition. But let's take her at her word for a moment and assume she is a principled person who could no longer live in her former home.
When she ran for the Leadership of the Conservative Party, she said she was fiscally conservative, but socially progressive. The Liberal-NDP budget coupled with the Grit pre-election campaign have resulted in skyrocketing spending that will put pressure on the nation's finances. A principled fiscal conservative could not possibly support that kind of out-of-control spending.
In reference to the sponsorship scandal Ms. Stronach said Paul Martin was more than just a stowaway on the "Good Ship Chretien," he was the first mate. Now she has signed on to serve on that same ship, but says it's okay now because she'll be cleaning decks. A principled person would not criticize a party for the apparent theft of taxpayers money and then sign up as one of its senior members.
As Ms. Stronach was negotiating her exit from Conservative caucus she attended Conservative party election strategy meetings during which the party's election plan was shared with candidates and she will undoubtedly now share the Tory election strategy with the Liberals. That is without principle or integrity.
I can only guess Ms. Stronach's principles have shifted so she'll be very comfortable in the Liberal Party.
Posted by maxthecat at May 18, 2005 11:32 AM
http://www.maxsmewsings.com/mt/archives/2005/05/belinda_bolts.php