Why Henry Won’t Be Voting for Mr. Klein and the PC’s
Figuring out who to vote for is not easy. It takes time to try and understand the issues that are important to us; to figure out what politicians are being straight with us and which aren’t. It’s time most of us don’t have. So we read what we can in the papers, talk to our friends whose opinions we respect, watch the leaders debate on TV, and do the best we can in sorting through the conflicting information. Eventually we have to make a decision. Because there is so much we don’t know we inevitably make that decision based on our perception of a politician’s character, motivation, and past performance. Can we trust this person to have our best interests at heart and to be honest with us?
Now I have never met Mr. Klein. I’m told he can be quite charming and make a perfect stranger feel important. I also realize that governing is not easy. You actually have to make policy and do things. A party in opposition doesn’t. And in politics, whenever you do something, there will be someone who objects and make a stink about it. However, there are some questions I have about his character and motivation that bother me and his past performance unfortunately reinforces my concerns.
One incident that doesn’t particularly bother me was his infamous inebriated visit to an Edmonton homeless shelter a few years back. While that would have toppled a political leader anywhere else in Canada it didn’t here in Alberta, perhaps due to our forgiving nature. Mr. Klein admitted he had a drinking problem and said he would get it under control. To the best of my knowledge he has. Whether it showed his true colours about how he felt about homeless people I’m not sure. I do know I have said some pretty stupid things under the influence of the grape that people have forgiven me for (I think).
That said, I do have a real concern about Mr. Klein’s character based on his involvement in the Multi-Corp affair. For those of you who want a refresher on this incident, you can click here to read a 1996 Edmonton Journal Editorial entitled The public will judge the Kleins - Was Multi-Corp just a little mistake? At issue was the basic question: - did the Premier use his position for personal gain? My judgment is that he probably did, got caught, but got let off the hook by his Ethics Commissioner at the time, Bob Clark. You may say that happened ages ago and he learned his lesson. Maybe - maybe not. But in my view, that incident and the way he manipulated it said something pretty fundamental about the man. Since then several incidents have come to light that re-enforce my gut feeling. Expense account items unexplained, flight logs of the premier’s trips on government aircraft hidden from view, consultants on six figure contracts with no work description, and an extreme sensitivity on the part of the Premier when questioned on any of these issues. I’m sorry. I simply don’t trust Mr. Klein.
Many of you may feel that other parties are not ready to lead this province, that they are too green. Remember that Peter Lougheed was green once too.
When it comes to my vote I’ll take an inexperienced honest man any day.
Now I have never met Mr. Klein. I’m told he can be quite charming and make a perfect stranger feel important. I also realize that governing is not easy. You actually have to make policy and do things. A party in opposition doesn’t. And in politics, whenever you do something, there will be someone who objects and make a stink about it. However, there are some questions I have about his character and motivation that bother me and his past performance unfortunately reinforces my concerns.
One incident that doesn’t particularly bother me was his infamous inebriated visit to an Edmonton homeless shelter a few years back. While that would have toppled a political leader anywhere else in Canada it didn’t here in Alberta, perhaps due to our forgiving nature. Mr. Klein admitted he had a drinking problem and said he would get it under control. To the best of my knowledge he has. Whether it showed his true colours about how he felt about homeless people I’m not sure. I do know I have said some pretty stupid things under the influence of the grape that people have forgiven me for (I think).
That said, I do have a real concern about Mr. Klein’s character based on his involvement in the Multi-Corp affair. For those of you who want a refresher on this incident, you can click here to read a 1996 Edmonton Journal Editorial entitled The public will judge the Kleins - Was Multi-Corp just a little mistake? At issue was the basic question: - did the Premier use his position for personal gain? My judgment is that he probably did, got caught, but got let off the hook by his Ethics Commissioner at the time, Bob Clark. You may say that happened ages ago and he learned his lesson. Maybe - maybe not. But in my view, that incident and the way he manipulated it said something pretty fundamental about the man. Since then several incidents have come to light that re-enforce my gut feeling. Expense account items unexplained, flight logs of the premier’s trips on government aircraft hidden from view, consultants on six figure contracts with no work description, and an extreme sensitivity on the part of the Premier when questioned on any of these issues. I’m sorry. I simply don’t trust Mr. Klein.
Many of you may feel that other parties are not ready to lead this province, that they are too green. Remember that Peter Lougheed was green once too.
When it comes to my vote I’ll take an inexperienced honest man any day.
posted by Martha & Henry at 6:00 PM
1 Comments:
This Martha won't be voting for Mr. Klein or the Conservative government, either. Character counts.
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