By Terry Vanderheyden
OTTAWA, December 22, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – At least two conservative pro-family independents have decided to face-off with Conservatives who support same-sex “marriage” and abortion in the federal election.
Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam, BC, Conservative MP James Moore riled a host of conservatives after he won his seat in 2000 while claiming that he was pro-family and pro-life, then later voted in favour of the Liberal Party’s gay “marriage” legislation. Now a former member of his riding executive, Greg Watrich, is running against Moore as an independent.
“There is a strong Conservative base here who feels they’ve been betrayed be [sic] James Moore since he campaigned on family values and traditional marriage in the last election with the Conservative party but has since reversed his stand,” Watrich said, according to a Vancouver Sun report.
Watrich emphasized that because Moore isn’t a true Conservative, he is not splitting the vote. “James Moore is voting with the Liberals already. So whether James Moore gets in or a Liberal . . . there’s nothing to lose.”
Meanwhile, Ottawa West Nepean Liberal MP Marlene Catterall, during the last election,Âheld onto the riding by a hair – 1,400 votes – over Conservative rival Sean Casey. Now former Ontario PC MPP John Baird is running for the Conservatives but, like Moore, also supports same-sex “marriage.” The Liberal candidate in the riding is Lee Farnworth.
The Conservatives parachuted star candidate Baird, who is strongly pro-homosexual and pro-abortion, into the riding while denying pro-marriage aspiring nomination candidate John Pecheco an opportunity to contest the nomination. Pacheco, the principal organizer of the largest rally in the country in defence of traditional marriage in Ottawa last spring was rejected as a possible Conservative candidate for the Ottawa West riding.Â
The stunning development left social conservatives within the party scratching their heads. Pacheco, working with life, faith and family groups drew over 15,000 people to the rally for traditional marriage on Parliament Hill on April 9. Conservative leader Stephen Harper was one of the March’s speakers. See https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/apr/05042911.html
Pacheco told LifeSiteNews.com today, “In refusing to allow me to run for the nomination of the Conservative Party in Ottawa West Nepean, the Conservative Party needs to understand that such actions carry consequences from socially conservative voters. If social conservatives do not respond in a negative fashion, the Party hierarchy will continue to assume that the social conservative voice can be taken for granted because, as some arrogantly claim, ‘you have no where else to go.’ In this election, you do have an alternative and a vote for John Pacheco can carry far more weight than a vote for John Baird.”
“If our campaign were to attract enough votes away from the Conservative Party in Ottawa West Nepean for Baird to lose, the Conservatives will get the message that social conservatives are serious about their politics,” Pacheco emphasized. “Moreover, since the next Parliament is likely to be a minority one again, the Conservative Party, should they lose the seat this election, will think twice about running another anti-family candidate again in two years time. On the other hand, if John Baird wins, the voters of Ottawa West Nepean will likely be represented by him for years and years to come, and there will be no chance of having their socially conservative views of marriage and family represented. In fact, quite the opposite will happen.”
Comments found on the Free Dominion news and weblog site were supportive of Pacheco: “Basically, my conservatism when it comes to upholding the dignity common to every human person trumps my membership in a political party bearing the name conservative,” said blogger, GratianGasparri.
Blogger Littleharbour, meanwhile, argued: “I would definitely vote for Pacheco as an independent, because he was denied the ability to contest the nomination. Had he been beaten by Baird in a fair nomination fight, I’d say he had no right to turn on the CPC even if he disagreed with their policies. But where the CPC rejected him prior to the nomination, he doesn’t owe them anything.”
See John Pacheco campaign website
https://www.march4marriage.ca/
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Conservative MP Crossed the Floor to Shake Hands With Prime Minister Over Same Sex ‘Marriage’
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/feb/05022806.html
Gay Marriage Vote Does Nothing More Than Provide Targets for Next Election
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/may/05050506.html
Conservative Party Rejects Organizer of Huge Ottawa Marriage March As Potential Candidate
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/apr/05042911.html
Campaign Life Coalition Newsletter Decries Favoring of New Pro-Abortion, Pro-Gay Candidates By Conservative Leadership
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jun/05060810.html