Cadman Proved Every Vote Matters
By Ben Meisner
Monday, July 11, 2005 03:58 AM
The man, who for one day wielded more power than the Prime Minister of the country, has died.
Chuck Cadman died at his home in Surrey at the age of 57 of skin cancer.
Cadman will no doubt go down in history as the man who, by casting his vote in favour of the Liberal budget, was able to keep the government in power. Had Cadman not voted this way, we would be either just going to the polls, or just having been there.
When he spoke publicly, Cadman said he did it because he didn’t want to see the country in another election, was that the reason given the circumstances?
Cadman was his own man. He entered politics because his 16 year old son Jesse was stabbed to death by a group of older teens, and he felt nothing was being done with the laws to protect people.
He may have had the last laugh when he voted with the Liberals, given the fact Stephen Harper had not protected Cadman from a nomination race in his own riding. He lost the Conservative nomination but ran as an independent and knocked off the man who had tried to undermine him in the nomination bid.
Did the move by Cadman to keep the Liberals in power have a beneficial effect on Canadian politics? We will never know beyond the fact that in spite of being near the helm of the ship, Paul Martin has been able to escape the Gomery inquiry and the 600 (and counting) million dollars that went missing through the sponsorship scandal.
It did have this effect, the Liberals, under Martin, have survived. They head home for the summer to let some dust settle on the Gomery inquiry. Did they escape the guillotine again? Who knows. The 416 and the 905 who have kept them in power for the past several elections, were, according to the polls, prepared to support them yet again.
While western voters may be crying for the heads of the Liberal party, they won't get to make the final decision.
That, is one man's opinion.
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He was a courageous man to the end, as he faced death with the same dignity he lived life with.
He will surely go down in history for more than one reason. He accomplished what he felt was his mission, with honor and dignity. He will long be remembered.