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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
The tumult and the shouting
dies,
The captains and the kings depart…
Today, the day after the election in Canada of a Conservative minority government, these words of Rudyard Kipling came to mind. Certainly this has been, in many ways, a "tumultuous" election campaign. The negative ads, dirty tricks and fear mongering did have some effect, but not enough to quell the desire for change.
Congratulations to those of you who worked so hard to elect good Members of Parliament! For many volunteers, however, there is often a bit of a letdown after the election, even when one's candidate has won his or her seat in the House of Commons. The temptation, after so much effort, is to forget about politics for a while, at least until the next election. However, as Kipling also wrote:
Lord God of Hosts, be with
us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget.
We must not forget that the government reflects
the will of the people, and we must remain vigilant to ensure
that solid family values are protected and promoted. The Conservatives
have gained strength, but this does not necessarily mean that
their new members are socially conservative. (Incidentally,
I find it most insulting that the term "socially conservative"
has been used almost as an epithet by many Liberal, NDP and
Bloc candidates.)
We must also not forget that while we are subject to the "laws
of Caesar", our real sovereign is the "Lord God
of Hosts". We need to keep praying!
How can we continue to make a difference to
our country? Certainly we should keep in touch with our Members
of Parliament by writing or telephoning them on issues of
concern or to show appreciation for their efforts. It is also
a good idea to volunteer one's services at a constituency
office. Sometimes simple jobs such as folding mail-outs and
placing them in envelopes can be of enormous assistance. Also,
make sure to invite friendly MP's (or possible future MP candidates)
to community events in order to provide them with as much
exposure as possible. Keep in mind, of course, that much of
your MP's time must be spent in Ottawa, and of course not
all invitations can be accepted.
My local Member of Parliament, a wonderful young man, managed
to retain his seat despite a very strong challenge from a
high-profile union leader. I do believe his success was due
to his willingness to stand up for traditional values - and
also due to the prayers of so many supporters in this riding.
On a more personal note, as mentioned elsewhere
in this issue of the REALity, we will be holding our annual
Conference in British Columbia this June. If you are able
to attend, please do so. I am looking forward to visiting
this beautiful province again, and to meeting many of you.
God bless!
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