Resign and go away

Editor:

Re: the Member of Parliament the Government of Canada recognises as the representative from Richmond. He is no longer our MP.

I was a member of Canadian Alliance’s Richmond constituency association board in the period up to, and shortly after the election. Up to the point when Joe was nominated as the representative for the Alliance for the constituency, I was also in charge of fundraising.

From that time forward Joe Peschisolido chose his own “inner circle” from those who supported his nomination campaign, and so I don’t know how successful his “team’s” efforts were independently of the momentum we had created for him. What I do know is that prior to his nomination we worked long and hard, and as a result our local membership went from a few hundred to thousands and we raised thousands of dollars for the benefit of whichever individual became our nominee.

We created a strong and wide ranging network of supporters from every social, economic, religious, and ethnic strata; and we established the base from which Joe was successful. Joe didn't achieve victory--it was handed to him largely by those thousands who gave their time and effort and money and good will to the effort to help create a new vision for a new future. Now he has stolen it away.

Since his announcement I have received dozens of calls from individuals wanting to know how we could have supported such a traitor. Not all used that word, but many did, and meant it. What is especially notable is that Joe’s excuse of a racial slur being the reason for his treason is not excuse enough for so many of those in the constituency that are of other religious, or ethnic origins; including many on the current board and executive of theconstituency. They understand and support the ideals and the vision of a new type of government, and are not swayed by the ill-considered comments of one individual half a country away. They stand strong and true.

Too bad Joe didn’t have the strength of character and conviction or the class to do the same. We want you to resign Joe, and go away.

Lorne Chernochan
Richmond

Turncoat MP should resign

Editor:

Soon after Joe Peschisolido’s stunning parachute dive from Toronto into Richmond’s political circles less than two years ago, he sat in my home and used his dramatic theatrical talents to attempt to reassure me that he was, contrary to my suspicions at the time, a true small “C” conservative.

I do credit him with proving, since he was elected, that he is willing to work hard in the community in order to improve his chances of getting re-elected. I would expect nothing less from a political opportunist of Mr. Peschisolido’s caliber.

In reaction to his recent move back to the Liberals, from where he originally pretended to migrate, I can only quote the Reverend Jesse Jackson who said “It doesn’t matter whether you’re riding an elephant or a jackass if you’re going in the wrong direction.”

Mr. Peschisolido owes it to the people of Richmond to immediately resign his seat and seek re-election now, as a turncoat.

Bob Ransford
Richmond

What colour was that parachute?

Editor:

Re: MP’s defection to the Liberals

Seeing as he was parachuted in just for the election, the obvious question would be, at this time, and considering his lack of dedication to his party and the people who elected him, as we did not elect a Liberal, “what colour is your parachute Joe?”

Your cartoonist could have a ball in a black and white format newspaper.

Gary Nelson
Richmond

Turncoat Joe’s defection
invokes wrath of readers

Editor:

Dear Joe Peschisolido: I was going through some Canadian Alliance files tonight and came across our fall 2001 Newsletter. I thought you would enjoy these quotes from your MP letter to fellow members:

“My summer visits with you have clearly indicated your desire that we give Canadians a principled, viable alternative to Liberal misrule...

“In September, Parliament will reconvene and I will redouble my efforts to hold the Liberals to account. All summer we have seen the Liberal government mishandle everything from softwood lumber, leaky condos, urban transit support, health care, and the federal surplus.

“As the Official Opposition Critic for HRDC I will be able to expose Liberal mismanagement while proposing real solutions such as to ensure that our pension system does not go bankrupt. I have proposed a private members bill entitled: Taxpayers Bill of Rights.”

“I welcome your feedback on how I can better serve the people of Richmond and Canada.”

Did your feedback give you the opinion that Richmond voters would like you to rejoin your old Liberal Party? I would think not.

I certainly hope, Joe, that while you and our friendly dictator, Papa Jean, were having gin and orange juice the other evening, that before your defection, you raised all of the above points and got a firm commitment in writing from Papa Jean, that he would immediately act on your rather lengthy shopping list of concerns about his government. Or perhaps in the euphoria of the moment, did you overlook this?

In a way I feel sorry for you. I have seen your type many times before and ultimately, they all fail.

Douglas Day
Past President
Canadian Alliance Richmond

Editor:

Sleep well Joe and enjoy your 30 pieces of silver, although in your case, I guess you received a lot more to betray your constituents.

Adah Campbell
Richmond

Editor:

Turncoat MP Joe Peschisolido’s defection to the corrupt Liberals is an example of the worst of Canadian politics.

The electorate of Richmond rid themselves of a Liberal Party member is favour of an Alliance member. Now, thanks to Peschisolido’s cowardly action, Richmond is back where it started, at the bottom of the barrel.

Perhaps it is time to seriously consider alternative plan of action. If and when politician defects, then a byelection ought to be called. In order to ensure that the electorate of the riding is not burdened with the cost of byelection, the full cost should be borne by the defector. One suspects that people like Peschisolido would think twice about crossing the floor and would remain true to their political ideology; the same ideology that brought them success at the polls.

Now, Peschisolido can throw away his oft-quoted comment, “I don’t need to say, ‘Yes, prime minister.’ I can work for my constituents.” Clearly, he has forsaken his constituents in favour of the prime minister. Today, Richmond’s MP can shout, “Yes, prime minister,” as he kisses his master but not on his hand.

Bob Orrick
Richmond

Lipstick might an improvement

Editor:

Re: Joe Peschisolido.

My, my. I do think that all of the people now calling poor Joe names, such as a political whore, are being very kind and unfair—-to whores everywhere.

However, the lipstick might be an improvement and it will definitely come in handy for all those times he will have to get in line and kiss Chretien's (part of the donkey family).

Mark Shindler
Richmond

Can you tell the difference?

Editor:

So Joe has upset local Liberals and Alliance by jumping ship.

However his reason for doing so seems commendable.

That is, his displeasure with the bigotry and intolerance shown by some Alliance MPs. A good reason to leave one political party, but to join another?

I can only conclude that if he can so readily become a Liberal either his political views have changed dramatically or there is little real difference between Liberal and Alliance politics. As if to confirm this latter possibility we have Mr. Chretien welcoming Joe into the Liberal fold and on the provincial scene we also have a premier who runs under the Liberal name but clearly has something other than Liberal views.

If I bought a tin of salmon only to find it contained tuna I would demand my money back or an exchange for what I originally intended. It is time our politicians labelled themselves clearly because I can't tell the difference between the salmon and tuna!

Better still, step forward the politician who will put their own political views to one side when acting as our representative.

Neil Smith
Richmond

Mr. Peschisolido got his seat as a Canadian Alliance representative and thanks to my vote. He has NO right to claim that he is representing the whole of Richmond. He's NOT representing me! Nor the other votes that made him win.

I want MY vote back!

I'm angry at the way he is treating the good faith of the voters -- this is not a Banana Republic this is Richmond, BC, Canada. What right does he have to leave a party and join another and still claim he's a clean politician. He is a crook!

(Post this if you want)

mongran@attglobal.net

Outrageous behaviour. Another confirmation as to the disgust of voting for politicians whose word and moral fibre have no foundation. This is the outcome of the West's experiment with secular humanism. The philosophy that " I know all " and that moral fibre and the quest for the truth depends on how I feel at that moment. What a joke. And when is the populace going to wake up and put the fire to these servants of the public purse. It's our fault. Just like a psychopath doesn't have any social restraints once they use their charm to get their way, the politicians behave similarly. We have to look in the mirror and blame ourselves for getting "sucked in" by these personalities.

There is a comical saying about politicians. "Poli" from latin meaning "many" and "tic" from old English meaning " blood sucking organisms ". Peschisoldo is a prime example. We in Richmond had a Liberal who we threw out. How does Peschisoldo deal with that when he goes to bed?

But in the end, it is us the electorate who have to take responsibility and remove him from office for his immoral and insensitive actions towards the citizens of Richmond.

Let's turn to Emanual Swedenborg in conclusion

"It is no proof of a man's understanding to be able to
affirm whatever he pleases; but to be able to discern that
what is true is true, and that what is false is false, this
is the mark and character of intelligence."

Based on this, Peschisoldo has a long ways to go to understand that his actions were immoral. There is no excuse for his behaviour. His lame excuse with regards to the racial insensitivity by a member of his party is so
childish and immature that I believe he needs to reflect on his grasp on reality. As if the Liberal policies have not destroyed the Canadian moral fibre with a weak Canadian dollar, graft, health care crisis, policy lies and immigration laxity etc etc. Jumping from fire to fire accomplishes
nothing unless a personal benefit is going to be accrued by Peschisoldo.

Best Regards

Charn Deol (PhD)
Psychologist
charni [charni@shaw.ca]

Voter for the person

Editor:

My, my! Recent responses from both Alliance and Liberal members to MP Joe Peschisolido’s defection to the federal government caucus are quite amusing since everyone has suddenly discovered the terms “principle” and “opportunistic.”

Gee, opportunism is what the B.C. Liberals—provincially and federally—have been all about in recent years.

After all, who are all those Socreds and Reformers and Conservatives now enthusiastically seeking the swill in the provincial Liberal trough?

Some are even MLAs like Richard Neufeld, Stan Hagen, Claude Richmond, Harold Long et al, ad nauseum. Not to mention party members in our own backyard calling themselves Liberal who will bolt for another opportunity once the Liberal banner becomes mud and call it principle.

And I am still asking, just what were Canadian Alliance members thinking anyway when they nominated Joe Peschisolido as their candidate in the first place? The indignant excuses offered lately are downright hilarious, but dismiss the fact that each political party has a duty to choose the best person to represent it.

And with the exception of Raymond Chan, who has every right to be livid, I have a hard time feeling sorry for them because they have been shafting their faithful and accepting opportunism for a long time that forms some very bad habits that leads to being stuck with a Boltin’ Joe. You asked for it and got it.

Finally to the voters of Richmond: as long as you keep accepting the candidates who are put forward by the parties who have been irresponsibly allowing slipshod methods of nominating them, inevitably voters will elect a dud and the constituency deserves to be stuck with one until the voters understand they have a solemn duty during an election to elect the best person—not party—to present them.

If you really want to send the parties a real message next time, then keep that principle in mind the next time you cast your ballot.

Allan Warnke
Richmond

Politician's career is doomed

Editor:

What an insult to all the voters in Richmond. Joe Peschisolido flip-flopped twice for no convincing reasons. It is a mockery of democracy, and he played a low hand in politics.

Voters will not forget and his political career is doomed.

He asked the voters for a chance to demostrate he is working for the good of the Richmond people. Give me a break. Working for the good stands for nothing when compared with the integrity of the political system.

If defecting when still in office is the way he plays politics, how can we voters be sure that our votes counts.

Albert Tsui
Richmond

Call a byelection or resign

Editor: Mr. Peschisolido,

The reasons you state in your news interviews may provide you personal

reason to leave the Canadian Alliance. However, you have no right to steal my vote, nor the votes of 21,000 people in Richmond, the majority of voters who selected the representation they wanted.

You have taken the platform that we gave you and abandoned it for your own purposes. This is not democracy.

The actions you have taken are painful examples of the type of Eastern-focussed politics that we in the West have come to despise and, unfortunately, to expect. The proper action to take is to call a byelection to let us tell you what we think of your move, given that you didn’t take the time to ask us first.

As you have stated that you will only do this if the prime minister directs you to, and given that cows will fly before he does, the only remaining and honourable action is for you to resign immediately.

You will not have credibility in Richmond until you do one or the other.

Roy Oostergo
Richmond

Shame on Peschisolido --
where is your honour and integrity?

To the editor,

I heard with disgust the news that Richmond MP Joe Peschisolido has defected.

Shame on you, Joe! You have not only betrayed the trust of the Canadian Alliance party but all Richmond voters who voted you in on the Alliance ticket. Where is your integrity and honour? I can size you up as nothing more than an opportunist and a jellyfish. You haven't got the guts and gumption to stay on and fight for the good and prosperity of all the people in Richmond, no matter which party you belong.

What sort of democracy do we have in Canada? MPs can jump from one party to another without consideration of their integrity, honour, honesty and the conscience of the voters. They should resign from their party and Parliament and a by-election be called.

This is to prevent opportunists and betrayers to the party and the people who voted them in from getting into Parliament. We decry Communism and dictatorship forms of governments. We are not too far from what these governments are. We want true-calibre leaders who have guts, gumption, integrity, honesty and, above all, the conscience of the voters at heart. No wonder power corrupts and corrupts absolutely.

Shame on the party who steals MPs from another, too. These are daylight robberies of the worst kind and without decent morality. MPs who jump from bandwagon to bandwagon are not worth their salt either. It is time that Canada should have leaders who have integrity, honesty, morality and true grit to govern the country far, far above board.

Don't forget that we are one of the G8 countries of the world and we have to show our people and the world the type of democracy we have in our homeland - not guided democracy or bandwagon democracy.

Get rid of the bandwagon system of government that is filled with dirt, trash and barbarians.

Ron Lim
Richmond