Since 1997, the mantra has been that if only the Reform/Alliance and Progressive Conservatives would "get together" then "vote splitting on the right" would end. On the altar of this logic, the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was sacrificed. It was regrettable to bring to an end Canada's oldest political party, but necessary. One party rule would end, democracy would be restored.
Those who raised their voices in defence of the only party that has ever defeated the Liberals, were treated to a chorus of boos. Could we not do the math? Once the Alliance and PCs were merged, the new party would receive the total of the two parties' votes. In fact, we were assured, one plus one would equal more than two. The new party would exceed the combined total of the two parties. When Joe Clark stood against the Reform drive in the late 1990s to take over the PC party, he was admonished by Preston Manning to "think big."
In 2003, from the helm of the Alliance, Stephen Harper told Progressive Conservatives they must choose between "a coalition with David Orchard or with real Conservatives."
To help them choose, the PC constitution was mangled and 20,000 Alliance members were allowed to join the PC party and then vote twice, i.e. in both parties, in a sham ratification process quickly trumpeted to the nation as a 90 per cent endorsement of the merger.
Peter MacKay's signed pledge not to merge with the Alliance and to honour the PC constitution, given in exchange for the leadership, was tossed to the wind. Never mind the constitutional and ethical niceties, politics is a blood sport, and besides the end was worth it. Liberal rule would be over.
From a position of great moral superiority, Harper and MacKay attacked the Liberals for their lack of ethics. Brian Mulroney warmly embraced Stephen Harper and told us the merger was a good thing. He gave Canadians his opinion that this election had the hallmarks of his 1984 sweep.
Stephen Harper announced that his new party was headed for a majority. The Liberals, he said on the eve of the election, were about to receive "the most humiliating defeat" in their history.
As the votes were being counted, Elmer MacKay proudly told the nation, "This long, trying election night wouldn't have happened without Peter MacKay," his son's work was about to "bear fruit for the Canadian political system."
Perhaps, in the cold light of dawn, it is worth examining this fruit.
Stumble It!
Oh, and one other thing, this Party was NOT created mere weeks before the election. It was created over a decade ago, by Preston Manning. This is now, and always will be, the Reform party. No matter how many times they change their name.
I agree that this is the the new conservative party is really the reform/alliance and most Canadians recognize this. They also recognize that Harper was not being open and forthright about what his real agenda was, which was to Americanize this country. I mean, talk about attack ads, the cons talked nothing about what their policies were during the whole campaign but focused completely on the liberal party.
I certainly haven't been able to figure out why any party would embrace Brian Mulroney with the idea that he is some kind of asset to them. This has to be the most hated man in this country. He handed this country even more to the rich and left it in a shambles when he left office, leaving poor Kim Campbell to take the fall losing all but 2 seats from a previous majority government, as I remember.
Could it be because he is the man and ideology behind the party? He lost his party, he nearly lost us the country but he did not succeed in his plan, therefore here we go again. I believe there is a definite plan to overthrow the people of this country in favor of corporate rule and we are just beginning to see the signs that have been working for many years.
---
If I stand for my country today...will my country be here to stand for me tomorrow?
---
Dave Ruston
, and cozy up even moore to the U.S he was scaring peolpe into voting for martin who the continentals knew they had by the balls. If they had gotten the blanque check who knows where we would be? Is John Manley the next decoy?