Medicine Hat MP LaVar Payne should be commended in his stance on the communist-run CNOOC's take over of Nexen.
He couldn't be more correct in identifying his own "grave concern" in the human rights record of communist China in an Aug. 21 letter addressed to Industry Minister Christian Paradis.
In the letter obtained by CBC through a freedom of information request, Payne also commented efforts to foster democracy in the country "is brutally repressed by the regime."
He also outlined the lack of environmental accountability of the communists in asking the minister to "carefully consider the pros and cons when making the decision of whether or not to allow the sale of Nexen to CNOOC."
Payne should be lauded for his stance as should the two other MPs who took the stance.
But he, and the other two MPs, could have done more by publicly stating his opposition.
By openly opposing this deal, this trio could have built up enough support in opposition to communists controlling key Canadian assets in the country.
While these three MPs should be commended for their strength of character in putting pen to paper in voicing their constituent's and personal concerns regarding the communists, they may have rallied some of their weaker colleagues if that voice was raised to the next level.
During comments made in a follow up radio interview with CBC Calgary, a little too combative Payne stated his and Medicine Hat constituents' concerns as outlined in his letter have been addressed.
This has been done, according to Payne, through the prime minister's decision which makes the CNOOC deal the last which will take place.
However, the communist Chinese regime hasn't changed and likely won't stop opposing democratic reforms until the corrupt and petty dictators who run the country are overthrown.
The country won't likely reform its own environmental standards unless forced to either by the ghastly effects of pollution or, a case which in today's China, when it's not economically feasible to continue raping the earth.
The Conservative Party is also now facing another daunting in-fight with backbenchers - including LaVar Payne - who oppose the current status of abortion in this country.
Payne has stated on the record his stance on the need to have an abortion law in Canada and that such a stance reflects the desires of Medicine Hat constituents. The outcome of this push by backbenchers should be held as an important step - as in the CNOOC concerns - in ensuring the political direction of the country is bottom up rather than top down.
Regardless if one views if Payne went far enough in his opposition publicly or not on two hot-button topics, it is refreshing to see a politician actually do what he was elected to do — which is represent the interests of his constituents rather than just tow the company line all the time as either a talking puppet or similarly to try and further their own political careers.
Make no mistake, these vocal stances could go either way.
Be it in politics or business, sometimes yes men can further themselves in their careers with the people in power.
But, sometimes bold strokes can also serve to energize the canvass of a political landscape as signs of a leader instead of a follower.
In the war in politics, sometimes you have to pick your battles and again Payne should be commended for listening to his constituents in which they believe  these were battles worth fighting.
With a party that has been in power as long as the PCs have been, it can be easy to get lost in the party politics and stop partaking in the politics you were elected for in the first place.
Perhaps people would become a little more engaged in the political process if more people gave it a shot in the arm every once in awhile in challenging the status quo, giving the message politicians are really listening to their constituents concerns.