Opinion: Bernier Is Not Splitting the Right, He's Redefining It

“Bernier is splitting the Right”; NO - he is redefining it.
He’s splitting the Right; something I have heard over and over again from “conservatives” since Max Bernier’s departure from the Conservative party on August 23. “It will be four more years of Trudeau,” and on and on goes the gas lighting of these supposed conservative politicians, pundits and supporters. King Canadian neo-con former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper responded to Bernier's actions, saying: "It is clear that Max never accepted the result of the leadership vote and seeks only to divide Conservatives."
I for one am not buying it and either should you; and we certainly should not be blaming Bernier when the responsibility of his departure rests at the feet of the neo-conservative establishment within the CPC. Personally, I cheer on “Mad Max” and am thankful he has taken this position blazing a trail for true conservative principles.
In April 2016, finding himself with farm more support than had anticipated Bernier filed his nomination for the leadership of the CPC. This is how a true leader comes to power; by the will of the people. Over the next year Bernier would be largely over shadowed by business mogul Kevin O’Leary who eventually withdrew his candidacy and endorsed none other than “Mad Max”. Leading up to the May 2017 election Bernier lead every “Conservative Members” poll since O’Leary’s withdrawal; and again among “Conservative supporters” was the only candidate to lead consecutive polls outside O’Leary; and finally the polling among “All Canadians” Bernier and Chong were the only ones to steal the spot light from the business tycoon. There is no doubting that once O’Leary endorsed Bernier he was a clear favorite among conservatives and Canadians. You know who didn’t lead a single poll leading up to the election? Andrew Scheer…
This brings us to leadership election night May 27th 2017 in Toronto. A painful 13 ballot affair where the winner is determined by obtaining a majority of points from across the country in the CPC very ambiguous “One-Member, One Vote Point System”. For 12 straight ballots Bernier lead the charge to a clear victory but to everyone’s surprise on the 13th ballot Scheer would secure the majority go points to take the leadership; how ever did this happen? A man who lead poll after poll, ballot after ballet; who’s message of individual freedom, personal responsibility, smaller government, increasing investment development - hallmarks of the conservative mindset - lose a sure shot at the CPC leadership? The answer is special interest groups ushered in an avalanche of ‘fake conservatives’ to ensure that their backed candidate would take home the leadership. Scheer won not because conservatives wanted him to win but because businesses wanted him to win; he isn’t leading for you he’s leading for them, he isn’t standing up for conservatives or Canadians for that matter, he’s looking after his own. Scheer and his ‘cartel’ friends squeezed out the people’s choice by signing on 10,000 ‘fake conservatives’ who after the election abandoned the party to block Bernier’s candidacy and protect their privileges and Scheer continues to serve those interests over a year later.
Consider Bernier's position on economics. Abolishing supply chain management means opening up Canada's agriculture sector to the globalist market where international elites will surely rip the beating heart of its chest. Let's take the more protectionist route and stand firm on supporting our farmers so that we can uphold Western agrarian values in what I would argue is a “Canada First” national socio-economic policy.
Let's leave economics aside for now (as they are generally of more concern to the neo-conservative types). The straw that broke the camels back for me was an issue of top importance to identitarians across Canada and ultimately set Bernier apart from the neo-cons and on a collision course with the establishment. On August the 12th Bernier fired of a series of tweets charging Trudeau with “radical multiculturalism” and being a member of the “cult of diversity” saying "Trudeau's extreme multiculturalism and cult of diversity will divide us into little tribes that have less and less in common, apart from their dependence on government in Ottawa. These tribes become political clienteles to be bought with taxpayers (money) and special privileges." And yes, regarding August 12 (the anniversary of “Unity the Right” rally in Charlottesville); I think Bernier clearly announced his presence in Canada and what brand of identity politics he is willing to stand up for. Of course the neo-con reaction was predictable; threats and Scheer demanding Bernier be a “team player”. Bernier is a team player just not for the “team” you want him to be on Scheer. This is truly the moment Bernier reflected on for it was a merely 11 days later he held a press conference declaring the CPC was too “intellectually and morally corrupt to be reformed” and it has abandoned “core conservative principles”. Scheer took no time at all reaffirming Bernier’s declaration. The very next day Scheer took the podium at the CPC national convention in Halifax and in a low energy, uninspiring and disingenuous speech declared the same as Trudeau that "diversity is our strength". Of course Scheer added an unimaginable and truly Orwellian neo-con twist by saying “Diversity is a product of our strength, and our strength is freedom”. Thus confirming what we all know to have been true all along: conservatism, especially the neo-con brand, is nothing more then liberalism with the breaks on.
Therefore as I stated earlier Bernier isn’t splitting the right; he is redefining it for those of us who hold truly conservative and indentitarian values. Since his departure Bernier has unleashed a fury of tweets condemning neo-cons and liberals alike effectively naming them “LibCons”. Bernier has given Canadian identitarians a voice. This isn’t something we should gas light him about as the GOP establishment did when they attacked Trump for being to “edgy” and “divisive”; the story sounds the same and its up to us to ensure the results follow suit. Our “first-past-the-post” electoral system rewards small regional parties; therefore I encourage our Quebec nationalist friends to consider Bernier over the Bloc as if he achieves a regional foothold in Quebec there is no stopping his identitarian message from spreading across Canada. And as the recent elections in New Brunswick have shown us; splitting the right does not equal Liberal victory. But more importantly what it does is give us a voice. Another Canadian business personality announced his support for Bernier, Michael Wekerle who joins Kevin O’Leary as backers of Bernier along with a growing number of CPC MP’s and public figures. But what he needs most of all is our full support. Sign-up, participate, donate and most of all - revolt.