David Orchard at Harbour Centre

Human Rights and Democratic Development David Orchard at decisions in Canada,” appear to be at all concerned about Harbour Centre: the “democratic deficit” about Churchill or Cassandra? which he is now speaking. —Donald Grayston But the phrase is a good one, because it describes the In July, in response to an article in The perception of many about Globe and Mail about the possible our present federal political departure of Joe Clark as leader of the situation, one in which Progressive Conservatives, I wrote an the Liberal government only half-kidding letter to the editor appears set to govern forever suggesting that since the NDP was Don by Grayston Photo because of the weakness and looking for a new leader, that under dividedness of the opposition whether they will listen or not. On the Alexa McDonough it had become an parties. strength of about ten days of publicity, increasingly ‘blue’ party, and that the about 200 people, half of them in their departure of many to the Alliance had The deficit, in Orchard’s view, can, teens and twenties, came to Harbour turned the Conservatives into even in the classical view, be made up if Centre to hear him—an instructive more of a ‘red Tory’ party than they had enough people will involve themselves testimony to his appeal. earlier been, that now would be the in the political process and work in that time for the NDP and the Tories to unite His theses are those that he repeats process to defend our sovereignty. The and choose David Orchard as leader. wherever he goes across the country: immediate goal would be the defeat of that Canadians are losing—perhaps have the Liberals by a Tory government; the The appearance of this letter generated lost—ownership of the greater part of the next step would be the abrogation of a phone call from the Orchard economy to Americans; that the Liberal NAFTA, something which the agreement organization (Citizens Concerned about government is gradually surrendering itself permits on the basis of six months’ Free Trade-Campaign for Canada), Canadian sovereignty to the Americans; notice. and this in turn to an appearance of that no national party other than the David Orchard at Harbour Centre As an individual, he is an unusual Tories has the capacity to form a national on July 23, 2002 co-sponsored by the person—transparently sincere and government; and that if those who share Institute under the ‘human rights and classically patriotic—to find in national his concerns will join the Tory party, as democratic development’ rubric in our politics in a time of widespread public he has, there is still a chance to maintain mandate. cynicism. I believe that it will be the sovereignty of Canada as the interesting and instructive to follow For those unfamiliar with him, let me northern neighbour of an increasingly his ‘Campaign for Canada’ and to see say that David Orchard is a fourth- angry and anxious United States. Here I whether his identification with Churchill generation Saskatchewan farmer (an should emphasize that there was no note turns out to have substance, or whether organic farmer since 1975) who in of gratuitous anti-Americanism. Rather, the figure of Cassandra, from an earlier 1985 began to organize against the free he believes that under past Conservative time and struggle, would be a more trade agreements entered into by the administrations—the Mulroney period appropriate parallel. Mulroney government. In 1998 he was excepted—Canada has managed both the runner-up in the Tory leadership to retain sovereignty and be a good For further information about David race, and in 2000 ran, unsuccessfully neighbour to the United States, and Orchard, his views and campaigns, send but respectably, in John Diefenbaker’s that this should be our objective for the an email to [email protected] old riding in Prince Albert. Since then future. he has continued as a nationalist He shares the feeling of Karin Litzcke gadfly in the Conservative Party, and in a recent article that Canada, having his articles warning of economic and dealt with its budgetary deficit, is political threats to Canadian sovereignty experiencing a ‘democratic deficit’—a have appeared in many papers. phrase much used this year by Paul Orchard is a modest, sincere, well- Martin (“Paul Martin on the campaign informed and well-spoken man of trail—or not,” The Republic of East strong conviction. A reference he made Vancouver, Issue 42, 11 July 2002, p. 4). to Winston Churchill suggested to me Litzcke’s point is that Martin did not as that he sees himself in the tradition of finance minister, and thereby “part of Churchill in the thirties, one who warns the small group of people who make the the people about unending disaster – 38 –.

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