FEDERAL POLITICS TRANSFORMED Introduction
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
UNITING THE RIGHT: FEDERAL POLITICS TRANSFORMED Introduction On October 16, 2003, after weeks of pated to be called shortly after Paul Focus prolonged, difficult, and on-again-off- Martin assumes the Liberal leadership This News in Re- again negotiations, a deal was an- in February 2004. They are confident view story focuses on the proposed nounced that could have profound and that a single, right-of-centre party will merger of the far-reaching consequences for Canadian be able to give the long-ruling Liberals Progressive Con- politics. Progressive Conservative what they have not had to face since servative Party and Leader Peter MacKay and Stephen 1993, a strong, unified opposition with the Canadian Harper, Leader of the Canadian Alli- broad support across the country, and Alliance into a ance, appeared to have achieved what with a very real chance of forming the single right-wing political force, and their predecessors in both parties had next government. the impact of this sought and failed to attain for almost a But the pro-merger euphoria has been merger on the decade. The right wing of the Canadian matched by some strong expressions of Canadian political political spectrum, split in two since the misgivings and warnings that the deal scene. dramatic federal election of 1993, was may not live up to its promise. A num- finally to be reunited into a single party, ber of prominent PC figures, including to be called the Conservative Party of former prime minister Joe Clark, have YV Sections Canada. Both MacKay and Harper, condemned the agreement as a sell-out marked with this symbol indicate along with those in their respective of core party principles, and view it as content suitable for parties who backed the deal, were full nothing more than a takeover by the younger viewers. of relief and satisfaction that it had at Alliance. Some Western Alliance last become a reality. But they were members worry that the new party also very aware of the fact that it was might downplay specific regional Did you know . likely to encounter considerable skepti- interests, along with socially conserva- The terms right and cism, if not outright resistance, from tive positions on moral issues, in an left wing origi- nated in the French many in the PC and Alliance rank and attempt to bolster its support in urban Revolution? In the file. The ink was hardly dry on the areas of Eastern Canada. With Paul seating plan of the proposed merger when a group of Martin positioned to move the federal French National disaffected PC activists led by former Liberals to the right, considering his Assembly, those party leadership candidate David Or- fiscally conservative record as finance who wanted greater democracy chard warned that it would take the deal minister, there is some concern that the and change tended to court in an effort to declare it legally new party might find it difficult to carve to sit on the left invalid. out its own right-of-centre stance in while those who The proposed merger is to be ratified opposition to him. preferred to main- by December 12, 2003. Members of There is also the issue of who would tain a strong both parties will have the opportunity to lead the new party. Both Harper and monarch and less change sat on the cast their votes on the deal. Following MacKay are expected to compete for right. Those in the that, a leadership campaign for the new the job. Along with them, other possible centre were more party will begin, with the new leader to candidates include former Ontario willing to compro- be chosen in March 2004. Pro-merger premier Mike Harris and New mise. In Canada, figures in both the PC and Alliance Brunswick Premier Bernard Lord. the Alliance and PC parties have gener- parties are hoping their efforts to unite Previous PC leadership candidates, ally taken a right- the right will come to fruition prior to Scott Brison and Jim Prentice, are also of-centre position. the next federal election, widely antici- not ruled out as potential contenders. CBC News in Review • November 2003 • Page 19 Whoever is to win the party leadership, decline from major- to minor-party “Our swords will one of the first priorities will be to give status. The proposed merger between henceforth point at the Liberals, not at the new party a real sense of identity the two parties appears to have taken each other.” — and unity in order to rally right-wing them both a huge step forward in the Stephen Harper, forces for the struggle against the goal of achieving right-wing political National Post, Liberals. Since the entry of the Reform unity. But whether or not their October 17, 2003 Party, the Canadian Alliance’s prede- grassroots members, to say nothing of cessor, onto the federal political scene the Canadian electorate as a whole, will in 1993, there has been a great deal of pass a positive judgment on the deal suspicion and hostility between it and remains very much an open question. the PCs, who blame it for their sharp To Consider 1. Why is the proposed merger between the PC and Canadian Alliance par- ties such an important development for Canadian politics? 2. What are the main advantages and possible drawbacks of the merger for both parties? 3. How do you think the merger will impact on the Canadian political scene, particularly in the run-up to the next federal election, which will probably be called sometime in early 2004? CBC News in Review • November 2003 • Page 20 UNITING THE RIGHT: FEDERAL POLITICS TRANSFORMED Video Review Activity Viewing and Reacting This video deals mainly with the Watch the video, and while doing so, make notes about why this story is consid- backroom negotia- ered to be so important for politics in Canada. Also identify and note your tions leading up to impressions of some of the individuals who are interviewed in it, indicating the proposed their views about the proposed merger between the two parties. After viewing, merger agreement form groups to share the information and impressions you gathered from the between two video. As a group, discuss why you think this story is so important for Canada, Canadian political and how you think it will influence the course of political events in the future. parties, the Pro- gressive Conserva- Viewing for Information tives (PC) and the Watch the video again, this time recording the following information: Canadian Alliance. A number of key 1. What are the two political parties that are considering a merger? figures involved in the deal give their ________________________________ and _________________________________ views about it, and what they think it 2. Who are their leaders? will mean for the future of their ________________________________ and ________________________________ respective parties and Canadian 3. Who is going to be the next leader of the Liberal Party? politics in general. 4. Name three prominent Conservatives who are opposed to the proposed merger. 5. What two communities are used as examples of how a “united right” party might be able to win against the Liberals in the next election? 6. How many seats did each of the following parties win in the 2000 federal election? a) Liberals _______ b) Canadian Alliance _______ c) Progressive Conservatives _______ 7. In how many ridings did the combined PC-Alliance vote exceed the total of the victorious Liberal candidate in the 2000 federal election? CBC News in Review • November 2003 • Page 21 8. How many elections did Brian Mulroney win as leader of the PCs in the 1980s? 9. What policy made Mulroney’s government very unpopular in the early 1990s? 10. What new political party won a large number of seats in the 1993 federal election at the expense of the Conservatives? 11. Who was its leader? __________________________________________________ 12. In what area of Canada was the Reform Party unable to gain much sup- port? 13. What was the name of the group of dissident Alliance MPs who formed an alliance with the Conservatives in 2001? 14. Name three major issues on which the PC and Alliance parties have adopted very different positions. 15. Who is being considered as a possible candidate for leadership of the new party? Viewing and Reflecting Watch the video again, and after doing so, form groups to discuss and respond to the following questions. 1. Do you think the merger between the PC and Canadian Alliance parties is a good thing for these two parties? Why/why not? 2. Do you think the merger is a good thing for Canadians and politics in general? Why/why not? 3. Do you think the new Conservative Party will have any realistic chance of defeating the Liberals in the next federal election? Why/why not? 4. Who do you think would make the best leader for the new party? Why? CBC News in Review • November 2003 • Page 22 UNITING THE RIGHT: FEDERAL POLITICS TRANSFORMED Anatomy of a Deal The negotiations leading up to the PCs will require a two-thirds majority Definition proposed merger between the Progres- in favour. This might prove difficult, Tory is an old name sive Conservative (PC) Party and the considering the fact that there appears for a member of the Progressive Canadian Alliance were painful and to be more grassroots opposition to the Conservatives. difficult. But on October 16, 2003, unity move among PC members than Liberals are some- Peter MacKay and Stephen Harper among their opposite numbers in the times referred to as announced that a deal had been made. It Alliance.