Brookman: Politicians should act with greater vision beyond party politics

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In 1968 I voted for the Liberals in Ottawa! I am not sure that I ever told my parents about that, but almost 55 years later, my head is now shaking at what we call “Conservatives” in both the provincial and the federal governments.  The ”Conservative” brand that I was raised on was supposedly one of business-like politics, with a strong social focus and a determined focus on fiscal responsibility. Growing up, I thought there was a camaraderie amongst Conservatives and they seemed to share a common sense of direction. Today, too many Conservatives seem to act like a group of gladiators more determined to fight with each other than to fight for the good of the country.

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Reading a recent newspaper article, I learned that the interim Leader of the Opposition in Ottawa, Candice Bergen, upon her short-term appointment immediately told Erin O’Toole to move out of Stornoway — the official residence for the person holding that title.  There was no respect for his efforts and apparently no discussions about when it would be convenient for O’Toole and his family to move. There was simply an anxious politician, in a temporary job, wanting whatever glory she could glean from living in the home provided for the Leader of the Opposition.  Did she not realize that such petty political moves do nothing to enhance the potential or the image of the federal Conservative party?  In fact, if anything, such antics will only turn people off.

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Then here in our own province, we saw Brian Jean successfully run for MLA with the declared intention of trying to unseat the current premier. Has Jason Kenney made mistakes? We can all agree on that. Has he governed through two of the toughest years in the history of Alberta? Many of us would agree on that as well.

I am not opposed to a leadership review, but the real question is whether or not this competitor should build an opportunistic campaign based on a premier who inherited a bloated civil service, a massive deficit, a plunging oil price and a worldwide pandemic. Do the actions of Brian Jean enhance the image of the United Conservative Party or diminish it?  Does Mr. Jean want to point out the challenges of leadership simply to enhance the chances of the NDP taking over in Alberta once again?

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Personally, I am disappointed in the antics of a great many of our political leaders over the past two or three years. The federal Conservatives have changed leaders at the same frequency as I change the oil in my car. The NDP seemed to attack every single decision made during the COVID shutdowns. Meanwhile, the upcoming federal Conservative leadership reviews are filled with rhetoric that might have come from a playground filled with Grade six boys and girls.

This is not, in my opinion, the way for any party to build a reputation or a winning team. You must admit, it is almost funny to watch Chrystia Freeland, the supposed saviour of the Liberal party, stand behind the Prime Minister nodding like a bobblehead while listening to his proclamations. Can you imagine our own government, while speaking to Ukrainians who have lost everything, saying that we will teach them how to use renewable energy so that they will be less dependent on Russian oil and gas? It was like telling someone who is dying of thirst that we can teach them how to use a witching stick to find water.

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These are supposed to be the leaders of our country. These are supposed to be the people who set the standards that all of us, including our children, can look up to. Instead, we see a bunch of backyard bickering almost entirely focused on pandering to politicians’ party hacks and their political base, rather than seeing them stand up and do the best for every Canadian. Liberals, Conservatives, New Democrats: Your weaknesses and your internal disputes are not what the voters are interested in. Canadians are interested in well-thought-out and well-designed policies that maximize opportunity for all and take care of society’s most challenged, while offering great programs for those positioned to build the economic future.

If we cannot get leadership like this in 2022, then we will miss the opportunities for greatness that we have in Alberta and in all of Canada. Politicians: think and act with a greater vision than your own party politics. The results might just surprise you and sadly that would definitely surprise the country.