Dear Editor,
I’m happy for Blaine Calkins and his family upon winning a “landslide” victory in the recent election in Red Deer-Lacombe. Seventy per cent of the voters in the constituency will be happy as well.
But I remind Mr Calkins that the Conservative Party of Canada under Stephen Harper’s leadership did NOT win a landslide victory across the country. Obviously, many Canadians would not share Mr. Calkins’ admiration for his “great” leader. Harper was defeated on many issues including his divisive politics; contempt for Parliament, the courts and the press; the stoking of xenophobic attitudes; the muzzling of scientists; reckless spending of public funds on partisan advertising… the list could go on.
Being partisan is fine—this is a democracy. I love a good political argument, too. But Mr. Calkins might consider a little humility and a little kindness, post-election, in his remarks about Tom Mulcair. Mulcair is a committed Canadian of deep integrity. He deserved much better, even from a political opponent.
I’m sure that Mr. Calkins will do his best, as he promises, for his constituents in a new parliament and a whole new Canada.
Duane Massing