A captain’s order to keep the ship heading in the same direction, “steady as she goes,” would occasionally be used when a helmsman required reassurance from Command to stay on course regardless of the conditions or adversity towards which they were heading. Strong, confident leadership is especially needed during perilous times. Under similar circumstances, inexperience, self-interest and/or cowardice will always find it easier and tempting to alter the course to avoid bad weather and/or run in the face of the enemy. This action will certainly put the ship off course and most likely bring peril of some degree to the ship’s company in the not too distant future. Now, to put things into perspective, most social and fiscal conservatives can see that Canada is no longer on course. So how did that happen? I believe that inexperience and cowardice are not the problem, so that leaves only one thing, and that is ‘self-interest.’ In other words, those in charge of the ship don’t really care about its direction because they know very well that they will be disembarking with ‘gold-plated pensions’ long before the ship arrives at the unknown destination toward which they have carelessly aimed her. Ever since our founding, nearly 25 years ago, the Christian Heritage Party has remained on course. We have remained true to our aims and objectives of ensuring Canada’s heritage, culture, and rule of law, as referenced in the preamble to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. No other party in Canada has lived up to this standard. In the 80’s, the Reform party overshadowed the CHP as the right of centre alternative in Canada. That party went off course. In the 90’s, the Alliance party overshadowed the CHP as the right of centre alternative in Canada. That party went off course. At the turn of the century, the Conservative Party of Canada overshadowed the CHP as it became the hope of many as the right of centre alternative in Canada. However, recently, with their majority government, they have proven to be a counterfeit. They went off course. CHP Canada has remained true to its course in spite of pressures from ‘winds of change’ and the confrontational issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage, human rights commissions, Sharia Law, and more. All other parties have allowed these issues to alter their course (to buy time) and did so by going along with the crowd and/or running from the enemy. Today, for the first time in the history of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada, we have no other federal political party along-side heading even remotely in the direction social and fiscal conservatives prefer. They have all altered course for the sake of self-interest, leaving conservatives with the choice of once again jumping ship or finding themselves tired and fed up, and so compromising their moral responsibilities and just going along for the ride to wherever. I encourage them today to not give up hope, but to get on board with CHP Canada as they will find us unwavering in rough waters. In the next four years, CHP Canada will be taking every opportunity to capitalize on this unique time in the history of our party. We will use all the tools and resources available to us to show Canadians that we faithfully remain their only truly conservative party; that with their support, we will continue to meet adversity head on; and that, as members, they can have the assurance that our course will never be altered. “Steady As She Goes!”