Just in time for the May 14 election, an Abbotsford man has registered a party based on Arthurian values.

Although he anointed the party after the legendary sword wielded by King Arthur, Michael Halliday says the British Columbia Excalibur Party is no work of satire.

“Our logo, with the sword Excalibur, symbolically represents the values of truth, honour, and justice, which I believe should be the guiding principles of political leadership,” Halliday, who previously ran for office in the 2009 B.C. election as an independent for the Vancouver-False Creek, riding says.

Halliday sees an analogy between Arthur’s time and today’s society, which he says is collapsing. After completing a recent survey, he found that 85 percent of the participants were either not voting or strongly opposed to the parties. This convinced him to create a party that, as he says, “would represent ordinary British Columbians.”

On their website, The Excalibur Party promises to implement social programs such as affordable childcare, skills training and labour opportunities for the homeless, and a restructuring of the Residential Tenancy Branch. Halliday says: “I started this political party because I do not see these values represented in today’s political climate of B.C., and I hope to gather many like-minded people from all walks of life, so we can build a strong and prosperous B.C.”

He adds that the Excalibur Party would also seek a role in revitalizing B.C.’s declining film industry.

Halliday says he was also inspired to start the Party by the egalitarianism and virtue of Arthur’s knights. “They sat at a round table, so everyone in the circle was equal. They were all knights with the mandate to live according to a high code of values and who were to go out to protect the land and the people. Isn’t that what politics should be all about?”

Halliday plans to run in Chilliwack, where he has a stronger support base, and is currently seeking candidates to represent the Excalibur Party elsewhere.

For more information about the BC Excalibur Party, visit <http://www.bcexcaliburparty.com/>.