"Canadians Want It.  Democracy Requires It.  The Country Needs It"

October 22, 2003

The proposal announced last week by Canadian Alliance leader Stephen Harper and Progressive Conservative leader Peter MacKay is creating quite a buzz throughout the country.  It’s refreshing to see Canada’s political scene rejuvenated as Canadians debate the prospects for a new nation-wide small-c conservative partnership. 

I believe the proposed merger between the two parties is the only way we can ever end the vote-splitting among conservatives that has enabled the Liberal Party of Canada to continue running the country.  Look what the Liberals have managed to do to our health care system, to our military, to our international reputation, to our trading relationships, to our justice system and to the very fabric of our society in just ten years.  Imagine the damage and havoc they could inflict with another ten years in power! 

Western Canadians, including those in Prince George-Peace River, can continue sending Canadian Alliance MPs to represent their voice in Ottawa, but that voice will resonate more loudly and clearly in government.  For the Canadian Alliance, this merger is another step in the fulfillment of the party’s founding objective – to bring together like-minded reformers and conservatives. 

In fact, this merger is another step in the evolutionary process that began with the creation of the Reform Party of Canada, which sought to get conservatism in Canada back on track.  Those political values – free enterprise and fiscal responsibility, social responsibility and accountability, and democratic reform and the renewal of our federation – are reflected in the principles outlined in the merger agreement.

Despite this, there are members of both parties that remain wary of a merger, fearing vast differences in policy.  However, by comparing the two party policies and based upon my experience at having worked for seven months with the PC caucus in Parliament, I can truthfully say that there is not a large policy divide.  

What is not widely known is that the PC party underwent its own significant reforms in the years following its 1993 election defeat.  The party’s constitution was re-written and more requirements were placed upon consulting with grassroots members – an end-product similar to the Canadian Alliance. 

As long as the leadership of the merged party, including the leader, the governing council and the caucus, is held accountable to the principles and direction of the grassroots members, then Canadians can take comfort that no matter what comes along, the new Conservative Party will not stray far from its origins. 

The coming weeks and months will be extremely busy as the memberships of both parties work towards ratification to establish the new party by December 12th and begin the process to select a new leader, culminating in a leadership vote on March 21, 2004.

I will be discussing the proposed merger at length at the Prince George-Peace River Canadian Alliance Annual General Meeting which will be held this Saturday afternoon, October 25th, at the Taylor Community Hall.  Deborah Grey will be the guest speaker at the event and I encourage everyone to attend to share their views about the future of the party.