As I travel (far less than I had to do when I was Leader of the CHP; yet I still meet and talk with many people who are truly interested in Canada’s public affairs), those who know of my concern for Israel—the only democratic state in the Middle East—often comment: “Well, you have to admire Stephen Harper’s stand on Israel, as compared with Barack Obama’s overt hostility.”
 
My response is: “Yes, I commend him for his concern for Israel. I only wish he cared as much about pre-born Canadians. He still refuses to allow Parliament to even discuss abortion—in spite of the fact that the Supreme Court, in 1988, said it’s the responsibility of Parliament, not the courts, to decide. Real leadership is willing to confront difficult issues, not hide from them.”
 
A parallel discussion often occurs about the economy: “You have to admit the Conservatives have done a better job of running the economy than the Liberals did; and way, way better than the NDP would do!”
 
Response: “Yes, they weathered the 2008 melt-down well—even though they have also expanded the civil service and the federal budget to record levels.”
 
Then comes the rest of that sentence: “You know, with even a few CHP Members of Parliament, we could have support for Israel, support for free-market economic principles, and a voice in the House of Commons to defend the defenceless.”
 
In saying, “Look at the good things the Tories have done,” my interlocutors keep falling into the same shallow-minded trap that dominates the media: limiting their assessment to the parties that already enjoy the largess of public money (without taxpayers’ consent—$7,400,000 in the first three quarters of this year!), and the truncated attention of the media. But most Canadians forget that there are other options—and that a truly conscientious citizenry has an obligation to future generations, to study what those parties are saying.
 
Granted, some of the nation’s 17 “registered federal political parties” range from narrow special interests (Bloc Quebecois; Marijuana Party) to downright flakey (Pirate Party, Rhinoceros Party); and there even used to be one that abused the status of a registered party to market computer software.
 
But there is also one—the fifth-largest of Canada’s truly national federal political parties—that remains the sole representative of the time-tested proven principles of probity and integrity on which Canada’s democracy was founded, and by which this nation grew to be one of the most desirable places on earth to live: CHP Canada.
 
Happily, many responsible citizens are now beginning to realize that, instead of making short-term political decisions based on a narrowed field of options, or on selfish personal advantage, voters have an obligation to future generations to seriously consider the option that offers “a responsible alternative,” and has been working for more than a quarter of a century to protect the long-term interests of future generations of Canadians.
 
To find out more about this neglected, pro-moral political option, visit www.chp.ca—and do it today.

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