Brian Crossman is a partner in Estevan-based Independent Well Servicing. The opinions expressed in this column are the opinions of the author and not necessarily the opinions of Independent Well Servicing.
Brian Crossman. Photo by Brian Zinchuk
Well, I’m sure you’ve all heard the news. And for all of us conservative-minded people, its not good. We are going to be blessed with not one, but two incompetent political parties running our country.
What is really bothering me right now (other than Trudeau and Singh) is how melodramatic we are all acting about this. Granted, the situation has the potential to be an unmitigated disaster for our country, and the damage they will inflict could take decades to recover from.
We have to continue to evolve as conservatives. We have to switch the narrative. We have to show the world who we are and what we believe in. Will this be easy? Hell no. Not only do millions of socialists hate us, the media largely (Okay, nearly totally) bashes, mocks and berates us, but worst of all, they define us. And we have allowed it to happen.
Conservatives are more action-orientated as opposed to talking about it. Liberals (socialists) tend to pontificate on how the world should be, and then act on it by using everyone’s money to do it. Not their money, your money. The right tends to be generous with their money and time whether or not they are rich or poor. The left not so much. Studies have shown this to be true.
We are painted as racist, homophobic, misogynist and all the worst qualities of humanity. Funny thing is, I know a lot of conservative-minded people, and none of them are like that. If fact, quite the opposite. If people of any race, gender or religion show up, and want to try their best and do the work, we welcome them and they will be treated as equals. Are there people that do not behave this way? Of course there is, but they are not true conservatives, despite what they may tell you. They are just assholes. We have let the media and the left paint us with a very broad brush.
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But back to the importance of remaining calm. I cannot stress enough how much this means to our collective psyche. I inevitably end up comparing many things in life to my 37 years of experience in the oilpatch. On the service rigs we hold drills on a regular basis. The purpose of these drills are to prepare us in the event of an emergency. We hold man-down drills (hydrogen sulphide gas is deadly stuff) blow-out prevention drills (the ability to shut a live well and keep it under control) and of course fire drills, rescue drills and ongoing training for the crews to keep them sharp. The common thread of all this training and holding drills is, “The ability to remain calm in a time of crisis.”
My point is over the past couple of years, we could see this coming. The NDP has been propping up the Liberal minority government on a regular basis. This was only a matter of time. So what do we see when they announce their unholy alliance? (“Axis of Weasels” as Warren Kinsella aptly put) We panic. Candice Bergen, the interim leader of the opposition said, “God help us right now.” While she isn’t wrong, she needs to choose her words more carefully. Good leaders don’t panic. Great leaders find ways to instill confidence in the team while they are not panicking. Remember this when we are all in the coffee shop (or the bar) while we are discussing the current state of politics.
We need to pull together as a team. The Conservative Party seems to be divided all the time. There are other parties that want to go far right and think they can get enough seats to run to country. Wrong. Then there is the possibility of Western separation. This concept appeals to me. However, are there truly enough voters in Western Canada that would be on board with this? This remains to be seen. Long story longer, we need to reach people, and show them the true benefits of conservatism. Demonstrate the importance of helping the people that truly need assistance, and providing a “hand up” as opposed to a “hand out” to people that are able to contribute to society. (Not government jobs either, they do not grow the economy but take from it)
Here are some suggestions: Write letters to your MP and your MLA. Maybe all the other MPs as well. Write letters to your editors. Continue to comment online. Don’t be ignorant in your commentary. Be honest,accurate and get your information from reliable sources. Join the Conservative Party. Vote on who you believe is the best choice. Talk to your friends, relatives, co-workers, maybe some of your enemies. Have productive, insightful conversations. You can only say “F—K Trudeau” so many times to your buddies before it becomes background noise. My advice, read lots, educate yourself, be generous with your time and money, be kind and listen to all sides. Point out the hypocrisy of the current government, every time you see it. The media can’t ignore it forever. The rig crews aren’t going to panic when the well has a kick and neither should we. But stand up for what is right, do what is right, and the tide will turn. Be patient. Be calm.
Brian Crossman is a partner at Independent Well Servicing in Estevan. He tries to live by the mantra “The Main Thing is to Remain Calm” (Sage advice imparted from a long time colleague)
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- 0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office0055 Smart Power Be Smart with your Power office
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- 0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build0041 DEEP Since 2018 now we are going to build
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- 0022 Grimes winter hiring
- 0021 OSY Rentals S8 Promo
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