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It’s time for Tory supporters to start walkin’ the walk

For the second time in the past few months, a letter to the editor – actually, in this case two letters to the editor - have prompted a further editorial. The first time it happened was in relation to the attacks of September 11, 2001, and as was the case back then, this time the comments from the public should go a long way in clearing up a bit of an issue regarding those very same letters to the editor.

For the second time in the past few months, a letter to the editor – actually, in this case two letters to the editor - have prompted a further editorial. The first time it happened was in relation to the attacks of September 11, 2001, and as was the case back then, this time the comments from the public should go a long way in clearing up a bit of an issue regarding those very same letters to the editor.

The two letters in question, which appeared in recent editions of this newspaper, both imply that the editor actually goes on some sort of scavenger hunt each and every week seeking letters that are critical of both the provincial and federal Tories.

In reality however, nothing could be further from the truth, but it is most-certainly worth taking a closer look at because the long and the short of it is that for the better part of the last year, this newspaper has never chosen a letter for publication based on the political leanings of a particular submitter, and never will.

In fact, this newspaper wants to see a balance just as much as everyone else when it comes to political opinions, but it simply isn’t panning out that way.

As well, if you look through the back issues over the past year you’ll find that the majority of those submissions are locally generated – unlike the accusations made in the letters, and most do not come from Regina, or Sault Ste. Marie or Victoria – but in fact, come from right here in Rimbey and/or central Alberta.

But regardless of where they come from, the fact of the matter is that concerned Canadians from coast-to-coast are taking the time to sit down, write impassioned letters to newspapers and submitting them for publication.

In the majority of those letters however, the contributors are highly critical of the ruling Conservatives be it at either the provincial or federal levels – and therein lies the rub.

Does the fact that some of our submitters live in other areas of this country automatically ban them from submitting their opinions or pointing out flaws in the governance of Alberta and Canada, make them any less relevant?

Doesn’t it strike you as a bit odd that over the past 12 months – and probably for a while prior, that there hasn’t been one single, solitary letter of support for the Conservatives at either level appearing in these pages?

And don’t blame that on us!

According to poll results from the latest federal and provincial elections, there’s thousands of Conservative supporters right here in this part of central Alberta, yet not one letter in support of either wing of the party has crossed this desk.

Not one in an entire year.

The Conservatives have held power in Alberta for the better part of 40 years and they have a stranglehold on seats here at the federal level, yet not one supporter of the party has bothered to defend them in theses pages through an onslaught of highly critical letters coming from their detractors.

That is a fact that must be just a bit discouraging to even the most die-hard Conservative, but that’s exactly the way it is.

And what should we do about it?

Should we just go ahead and leave huge holes on the letters to the editor page just so Conservative supporters don’t get offended – because that just ain’t gonna happen.

Nope, the only way to bring a balance to the letters to the editor page is for you Conservative supporters out there to step up to the plate and do it yourselves – so let’s hear from you.

There must be something in them that you see that the rest of us don’t, so tell us why you support them.

Tell us why you think Ed Stelmach deserves a $54,000 a year raise while the vast majority of Albertans live near or below the poverty line.

Tell the rest of us why you think each and every member of the Stelmach cabinet deserves a $42,000 a year raise while thousands of Albertans are forced to use one of the province’s many food banks each and every day.

Tell us why you think Bill 46 is a good idea and why it’s nothing more than the Tories trying to sweep all their dirty laundry over the past three years under the rug?

Conversely, at the federal level let us know why you feel Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan should be in a military role as opposed to our long and proud history of peacekeepers and as re-builders of devastated countries.

Maybe you see some benefit in re-negotiating the NAFTA agreement that the rest of us don’t or maybe, in general, you feel the governing parties are doing a great job – either way, we want to hear from you.

Maybe it’s because they are the ruling parties and as such, it doesn’t really matter what the public says – or writes,

Oh sure, we’ve had a few telephone calls and even a visit or two to the office from Conservative supporters, yet when the suggestion is made that they submit a signed letter to the editor to express their views, the conversation – or the telephone call, abruptly ends.

So there you have it – let the challenge go out to Conservatives from far and wide and to the locals in particular. We’ve always got room for your views in our pages too.

As a suggestion though, something with a bit more substance than cheap shots would be nice. In other words, tell us why you support the Conservatives.

Nope, the problem here doesn’t have anything to do with the perceived, “let-wing, liberal” agenda of the editor or the letters that are selected for publication. The problem here is the reluctance of Conservative supporters to stand up and defend their party.

So prove us wrong and submit a letter of support for the Tories!

If it’s in the proper context, has a point and is not distasteful or slanderous, you can be sure you’ll find it published here.

Oh, just make sure you remember to sign it too.