Looks like there is now someone who is closer to a real progressive conservative who is in the running for the PC nomination in Calgary Egmont.
Check out Don Middleton. A teacher prepared to enter politics….that has to be seen as a positive contribution to the process of getting quality people to govern us. Good on ya Don and best of luck in the nomination.
Time to beef up that website Don – it is a tad skimpy on details on who you are and what you stand for.
I'm shocked you'd cheer on an obvious Chandler plant - Middleton talks front and centre about Chandler-esque "family values" and mentions his church right away. Chandler, be gone.
ReplyDeleteI saw the "family values" and church emphasis...but that does not make him a "Chandler plant."
ReplyDeleteI noted I want to know more about him - the website is thin on content and devoid of depth.
I have been fooled before and will be again. Time will tell if this is one of those times.
No activity from Rick Smith. This is Jonathan Denis's to lose.
ReplyDeleteWow, I can't believe that the mentioning of "family values" has become such a negative thing. It is really unfortunate that Craig Chandler has had that kind of impact. That being said though, I appreciate that people have this kind of healthy scepticism around anything that may be related to the Chandler group.
ReplyDeleteThis is taken from Wikipedia, and it echoes my sentiments on "family values". "In a New York Times survey, "Five percent of the women and one percent of the men defined family values as being connected to religion or the Bible. Nine out of ten women defined family values as loving, taking care of and supporting each other, knowing right from wrong and having good values."" My political viewpoints are conservative and as a father and a human being I agree with the above quote. Families need to be closer knit, and spend more quality time together...is that a bad thing?
I am also confused as to the concern about the mentioning of my church. People should not feel threatened with the fact that I present myself as a member of a church congregation. It speaks to a problem in perception with organized religion, that I will not discuss here. Suffice it to say that I volunteer with children at my church, and try to attend on a regular basis. My personal beliefs are just that - PERSONAL. I would not and do not try to impose my views on anyone. I do believe in healthy debate and that different opinions need to be expressed. I believe that elected officials must get their direction from their constituents...not the other way around.
Finally, this may be Jonathon Denis' nomination to lose, but I am passionate about what I am doing and will not just hand over the nomination to him or anyone else. Let the people of Egmont have their say. I believe so strongly in what I am doing that I am willing to fund this entire campaign from my own pocket if need be. You already know that I'm a teacher so it may require my taking on a significant debt. If that is what it takes so be it.
Don - you think "family values" and "church" are provocative...wait until you see the impact of the words "politician" and "political party"
ReplyDeleteGood reply by the way!
As a final point of clarification, I am not a supporter of Craig Chandler's nor anyone else who ran in the previous nomination. My stance was completely neutral during the entire nomination process. It had to be, because I was the Assistant Returning Officer.
ReplyDeleteChandler trumpeted everything from his family to his pet fish. The point is all of these things are irrelevant - look at the policy. Ken is right - Middleton's policies are scant and maybe he doesn't have anything formally to do with Chandler but he sounds exactly like Chandler from his website. The party said what they thought of Chandler - we don't need a clone of his clearly trying to tap into his extremist base of support.
ReplyDeleteMr. Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteEven though I don't "have anything formally to do with Chandler" you are painting me with the same brush. Of course you are entitled to your opinion that is your right, as is your right to express that opinion. I am not going to rant and rave that you have me all wrong...even though you do. All I would ask is the courtesy to not judge me without taking the time to even send me an e-mail asking me about my policies, or perhaps why my website is "scant" in that area. On my website I have contact information, and I have personally responded to every e-mail I have received.
My “policies are scant” at this point simply because there has not been time to complete the website. A close friend is setting up my website for me. I do not have the technical expertise to do so. My friend does, and is willing to do this for me, as a favor, so I do not have to spend hundreds of dollars that can go towards other campaign materials. He is only able to work on the website when his children are in bed. We are hoping to have the website 100% completed by Monday, but felt it would be best to release it, in its incomplete state, to generate discussion.
I am running this campaign on a shoestring budget. I have not spent much time fundraising, as I do not want to feel indebted to anyone. I find it somewhat troubling that many politicians receive significant donations from special interest groups. I have not done that as I think it creates the potential of a conflict of interest. I am running this campaign in a fiscally responsible manner – just as I believe a government should be run.
I am very concerned that you are considering me an “extremist”. I am confused as to what has earned me that label. My whole point in entering this campaign is that I feel that I can appeal to a larger segment of the population than the other candidates. It is difficult to vote for someone whom you cannot identify with, or who does not understand you.
Those people who have “extremist” views and want someone to represent them should vote for Vicki Engel or another candidate. I want to appeal to those who want their concerns listened to, so they feel like they are represented in government. I am looking to appeal to the average voter, not the elitists nor the extremists.
Don,
ReplyDeleteYou do not get it.
We do not want Christians in government anymore!
Morton lost, Chandler lost and you will lose.
Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ is an extremist.
Hell, even I know Craig Chandler did nothing wrong. He never wrote the letter he was linked to.
We at the PC provincial executive are not Bible thumpers and anyone who believes in Jesus Christ will be defeated one way or another.
Anon at 1:23 am. I disagree with just about everything you have said in this absurd comment.
ReplyDeleteI am secular but still want Christians in my government. Just as I want Jews, Muslims and Taoist and every other faith perspective. I want good people with a wide variety of talents and experiences who are dedicted to public service and the common good. Faith is part of that diveristy and variety.
I just don't want those of faith using politics as the way to impose any specfic religious dogma on all of us. I think nature gets it right where life thrives because of all of its inclusive networked inter-related diversity and dynamics.
I do not think anyone that is faith based and believes in a God and a Prophet, however they perceive that to be, is an extremist. Some are, most are not.
It is is up to the moderates to take their religions and faiths back from those high profile extremists who have hijacked it and turned it into a political machine.
BTW, Mr. Chandler did do something wrong. He published the offensive letter and promoted it on his radio show. He recognized that mistake because he voluntarily published an apology to correct it.
Mr Annon - if you are truly from the PC party executive, why don't you show your face and show us where the executive has outlawed church goers from the party. Perhaps then you should contact Premier Stelmach and let him know he is no longer welcome. I understand from lots of publicly available articles on him, you can find him in church on Sunday mornings when you deliver your news.
ReplyDelete