Brian Crossman: I’m trying, I really am

But they make it so hard sometimes…

I am. I’m really, really trying. I had a bit of a rough year health-wise, which of course leads to over-thinking your place in the world. So, I thought I would try to be a better person. You know, be nice to strangers, try harder at all the important things, do better at being charitable. But the biggest change I wanted to make was to quit complaining about, berating and outright insulting our political leaders. I am hoping to find kinder, gentler ways of pointing out how said leaders can do better with our tax dollars, not only in the spending of them, but ensuring that we use the opportunities Canada to increase revenue.

So:

When Trudeau goes to Jamaica for Christmas, accepts free luxury accommodations, I TRY to refrain from calling him bad names.

When the RCMP arrests a journalist for daring to question Chrystia Freeland, I TRY not disparaging the questionable use and tactics of our national police force.

When Stephen Guilbeault tells Canadians that we MUST use nothing but EVs by 2035, I TRY to see his side of the issue.

When we are told that in parts of the country, we are to rely on unproven renewables to keep us warm in the normal winter cold snaps we “enjoy”, I TRY to understand the greater good of not relying on the proven technology of fossil-fueled power generation.

When we are told by the health care unions, teachers unions and government employee unions that they need more money and resources (I do not disagree) to perform their jobs. I TRY to see this from their point of view, but these unions are largely backed by socialist ideals (see NDP/Liberal) who seem to focus on killing the industries that are responsible for increasing tax revenues to afford these very important services.

When the courts find that the use of the Emergencies Act used against the truckers Protest was unconstitutional, I TRY to not to get too excited about the government responsible being held accountable.

When the government appeals the court’s decision, I TRY to not get too angry that they can’t accept responsibility for their actions.

When the government presents a bill that would ban any advertising or promotion of fossil fuels, I TRY to not get upset because they can’t see the insanity of fining or jailing people for standing up for a product that the very same people in government benefit from and use EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

I’m trying, I really am. But when you see the banana-republic tactics used by the Liberal and NDP parties to push their agenda, (media control for one) and create discord between the Eastern and Western provinces, it is difficult. It all seems so simple to a regular taxpayer.

• Do not tax us into poverty.

• Do not waste the tax dollars that we do contribute.

• Do not waste the tax dollars that we do contribute.  (Yes, I said it twice)

• Help the people that truly need it.

• Stay out of the way of business. (As long as they are being ethical and clean.)

And finally, when asked a question in the House of Commons, ANSWER the damn question. Don’t word-salad your way around the question. A little honesty would go a long way for most politicians, on both sides of the aisle.

Despite my anger, disappointment and utter disgust for the current state of politics, I will continue to TRY.

Brian Crossman is a partner at Independent Well Servicing based in Estevan. He is going to TRY to write more articles that are less angry and more positive. No promises…