Max Bernier – Saviour
A New Political Party at the Right Time
The previous week was memorable for the eminents of Canada’s governing apparatus: Canada’s absence from the NAFTA negotiations, Trudeau’s despotic outbursts, the CPC Convention/Insurrection. What most impressed was Max Bernier’s departure from the Conservative Party and his pledge to form a new party to contest the 2019 Federal Election. To undertake this massive and exhausting effort so near the Federal election may not kill him, but it may leave him a lethargic shell for longer than he realizes. Doubtless, the Conservative political establishment was stunned and disturbed. The other parties and the people of this country – not so much.
The ruling class of all political parties for decades have dismissed, ridiculed, or assailed the legitimate concerns or questions of Canadians on a host of issues: immigration, supply management, trade, excessive regulation, energy, taxes, education, health care, deficits, intrusiveness. With stagnant incomes, scarce opportunities, soaring costs amidst proclaimed ‘low inflation’, economics and financial issues are foremost among hard working Canadians. With our leaders and governments bereft of answers the present ‘democratic’ illusion is approaching a merited and inescapable collapse. Where do people look for a mischievous saviour, for a rejection of the Venezuelan hell that seems the prized objective of every political party leader and their heedless soldiers?
At a crucial time in this country’s history, only several among the ruling cliques to seem to understand our failing present and calamitous future. Max Bernier is clearly one of them. Since his abrupt departure, several colleagues, gracelessly adhering to the Party line, defending lordly and cupiditous Peacock Andy, who thoughtlessly sacrificed conservative principles to attain Party leadership, have advanced stories of Max sleeping in Caucus, a lack of contribution, and acceptance of corporate welfare. Vocal members of the decrepit media class have presented Bernier’s actions as impetuous, ill timed, selfish, indecorous.
From what I know of Max, he is not reckless, petty, or selfish. He is principled, honest, knowledgeable, and courageous. He desperately wishes the best for Canada and Canadians, and deplores deceitful, avaricious Canadian politicians long heartened and enriched by powerful special interests. His economic thinking and understanding far surpasses those of his colleagues, even the erudite Pierre Poilievre. He knows and cites all the right people: David Ricardo, Milton Friedman, Adam Smith – free market mavericks and economists.
First time I met Max was at a CPC Leadership debate held in Winnipeg, Manitoba in January of 2017. Joe Chan, I and several others had recently formed a provincial political party, the Manitoba Party, modeled somewhat on the Saskatchewan Party, and heralding a platform of low taxes and minimal government regulation.
I approached as many leadership candidates as able to enlighten them on a very bad premise operating in Public Finance theory. It is widely held that government funds government. In truth government does not fund government. Its deficit is the whole of public expenditures, not just the small sliver expended beyond tax revenues. From the easy recognition of this overtly silly premise one may arrive at the most blessed and miraculous of conclusions.
In Winnipeg I spat out my 2 minute explanation and handed out a biz card with web address for further enquiry to 7 cornered candidates– the Party had produced a neat 5 minute video that summed everything up nicely. By June, I had approached them all save the elusive Kevin O’Leary and Chris Alexander – one day soon guys.
Most showed interest, but not much – understandable as the candidates, after a busy journey, active meets and greets, fiery exchanges in a 2 hour debate below blinding and heated lighting, were there in the aftermath to shake as many hands as possible. Most seemed to get my point, but, thereafter, let it swiftly pass. Some notables: Deepak Obrai wouldn’t listen and refused our card. Rick Peterson, who demanded the conclusion before the explanation, soured quickly on the prescription. The amiable Pierre Blaney like many others appeared interested though he never visited the site or watched the video. Andrew Scheer listened with a pained expression and became a little combative as did Pierre Lemieux and Brad Trost. The one guy who really paid attention was Max. There was no swift acknowledgement and dismissal. What I said intrigued him. He grasped immediately my point on deficits. He listened and calculated, took the card and promised to view the video.
I had mentioned I would see the candidates and check in on what they thought of our economics at the Manning Centre Conference, which was several weeks away and at which a Leadership debate was planned. On the first evening at the Centre’s initial gathering in Ottawa, I walked up to Max as he explained his vision to a small crowd surrounding him. I mentioned I had seen him in Winnipeg and that I hoped he watched the video. He said he had immediately after the Winnipeg debate, and his assessment, “It is the future.”
That was a surprise. Some may say the compliment may have been a charitable plea for a vote, but the response was genuine. The idea is not difficult, but it does require one mentally to clear out the thick, overgrown brush and weeds from the infertile and unavailing fields that economics has become to discern the gem within. Knowing he was busy, I just said, “You know it,” patted him on the back, and walked onward to see how the others received our theory. Of the 7 candidates approached in Winnipeg, not well was the clear answer. And of the 12 candidates, excepting Max and perhaps Erin O’Toole, I would wager none would recall having met me or our conversation. Had I been from the Dairy Cartel, with rich goodies furtively conveyed, I would have been very popular, but not with Max as only he rejected their generously persuasive overtures and absurd arguments for continued existence.
Max yielded the best response and return for my efforts. In the times I have met him since, I know he understands our position, though I am not sure that he fully agrees with it. But he alone did the research. At debates, on panels, at Manning Center gatherings, private functions, his words only reinforce that rare vision of prosperous free markets and low taxes. He consistently praises and respects the taxpayer, rejects privileged special interests as the Dairy Cartel, champions trade and investment. Among our present political leaders, all of nauseatingly similar appearance and dull utterance, Max clearly doesn’t belong. He is running in a completely different race. Thank God for that.
