Confusion

Editoral
by Nick Grimshawe
July 1981

The recent tempest over a letter from Walter Davidson (SC-Delta) to Mr. Finlay MacDonald, president of the PC Canada Fund, is indicative of the ideological bankruptcy of the traditional political parties.

Mr. Davidson berates federal Conservatives for splitting the so-called "free enterprise" vote in B.C. through their support of the provincial PCs in the Kamloops election. Brian Westwood, provincial PC leader, protested the letter, which he claimed violated the impartiality of Davidson's office as Deputy Speaker.

Mr. Westwood goes on to point out that the provincial conservatives are a free enterprise alternative. At that, Mr. Westwood's criticism of the letter ceases.

Had he questioned the right of the Socreds to apply the term to their policies, Mr. Westwood could have created a real political controversy.

One need only glance at Social Credit legislation to realize that their free enterprise label is fictitious. In fact there is little which differentiates between the NDP racing to the right, and the Socreds galloping to the left. Mr. Westwood demonstrates his own ignorance of free enterprise by his failure to make political hay from the Socreds' claim.

Obviously, there is a clear need for a provincial Libertarian Party to rescue the name of free enterprise before these outer parties do irreparable damage to the idea of a free market economy.