On John van Dongen's Resignation from the BC Liberals

John van Dongen resigns from B.C. Liberal caucus

Great news! With this floor-crossing he indeed demonstrated the "courage of his convictions".  It is high time more conservatives within the BC Liberals come over to the party that truly represents what it is we believe in.  The BC Liberals have become so much of what I dislike in politics.  Their policies, decisions, and actions are purely based on political expediency, special-interests, allegiances to people in power, and cold calculations of public opinion.  Principled decisions based on the good of the province do not matter to this government unless it is calculated to win them votes.

When you lose your principles, when you lose the moral foundations upon which your personal opinions are based, you lose my respect.  This government continues to play its supporters for dumb.  The Liberals bring in big-name staff from the PMs office, appear at photo ops with Conservative ministers and Harper and think that means anything to us.  They do what Liberals do best: confuse style with substance.  But British Columbians are smarter than that and we will not stand for it.  The BC Liberals are wrong if they think that British Columbians are going to stand by while their beliefs and integrity are being taken for granted.

Unfortunately, Rich Coleman has decided what side he wants to be on. The NDP house leader John Horgan's defense of Van Dongen's move was admirable.  Coleman's unfounded and inappropriate response is upsetting and telling.  Instead of respond to a friend's warranted concerns he tried to cast doubt on the coherency of Van Dongen's move.  Instead of debating issues or defending the record of the government that he represents he chose to level an inappropriate personal accusation.

The party that Rich Coleman and Christy Clark stand for is not a party that deserves to govern.  The BC Liberal party is a party of dishonesty and deceit.  The Conservatives have a real shot at forming government in the next election.  It is the only principled, free-market alternative to the NDP.  Of course as things stand now it is a long-shot.  At least Van Dongen, I, and others who have made the switch will feel comfortable in knowing that we followed our hearts, and our heads, in supporting a party that would represent us as free-thinking individuals for the entirety of their mandate, rather than simply a vote to be counted on election day.