Salty Grassrooters Are Ready To Do Something

[tay]

Grassroots Conservatives in Canada are angry at their party.

They're angry at the way their party lost last fall's election.

They're angry that former leader Stephen Harper abused the power of the leader's office.

They're even angry that millions of dollars they donated were wasted on a computer system screwup at party HQ.

And they're ready to do something about it.

More than 3,000 party members in ridings from Victoria to St. John's have put forward dozens of proposals to change their party's constitution. If passed at the party's biennial convention next weekend in Vancouver, they will radically reshape the relationship between more than 100,000 of card-carrying Conservatives and their leader, party president, and governing council.

A 25-page package of proposed changes is filled with comments submitted by electoral district associations (EDAs) in support of those proposed changes. They are sharply critical of the way the party was run under Harper and its president of the last six years, John Walsh.

The riding association in South Surrey-White Rock specifically singled out Harper and the party leadership for ignoring policies, adopted by unanimously by the members, to treat Afghanistan veterans better. Instead, the Conservative government started taking veterans to court.

The same two associations were also sharply critical of Harper for naming one of his long-time aides, Dimitri Soudas, as the party's executive director. Soudas would end up getting dismissed for interfering in a nomination contest with this then-girlfriend and MP Eve Adams. Adams, too, would get disqualified by the party and she and Soudas bolted for the Liberals.

"The leader's pick ... was an absolute disaster," the two EDAs write in their submission.

And while there is no term limit for any federal politician, there is a proposal to place an eight-year term limit on any future Conservative leader who might become prime minister.

The obvious frustration and anger from so many riding associations stands to make for a slightly awkward convention opening Thursday night: The celebration of the one and only leader the party has ever known, Stephen Harper.

While Harper has declined all media requests for interviews since the election, sources close to him say he was reluctant to be feted at this convention. But he is said to have agreed to participate in an opening night celebration so long as it focuses on the accomplishments of the entire party during his decade in leadership.

Angry at party brass, grassroots Conservatives ready for change | AKIN | Canada

 

[Curious Cdn]

I big problem is that there are still two parties and they are not always on the same ideological page. The more right wing Western Reform party people have dominated the party for over a decade but the silent majority centerist PCs in the East get them elected and unelected.They had better figure that out if they don't want to spend the 21st Century on the outside looking in as the Conservatives did for most of of the 20th Century.

 

[Scooby]

The Canadian right has the same problem as the American right does, they are besieged by those who are sure that their way is the best way. Compromise is the work of the devil and they will have none of it.

 

[Curious Cdn]

The Canadian right has the same problem as the American right does, they are besieged by those who are sure that their way is the best way. Compromise is the work of the devil and they will have none of it.

It's the truth. Negotiated compromise is only way to govern a big, varied Confederation. Only sissies and weaklings will give that little bit needed to reach some middle ground. Tough guys die for their principles.

 

[tay]

I big problem is that there are still two parties and they are not always on the same ideological page. The more right wing Western Reform party people have dominated the party for over a decade but the silent majority centerist PCs in the East get them elected and unelected.They had better figure that out if they don't want to spend the 21st Century on the outside looking in as the Conservatives did for most of of the 20th Century.

What we are seeing federally is the Alberta situation between the WR and the PCs only it's the Reformers and the PCs.

Upon reading the article again I find it hard to believe that the pre-reform PC's would have treated the Veterans so poorly amongst many of their other poor decisions.

Yes I'm thinking the era of Joe Clark and Mulroney.

And there seems to be a lot of angst against Harper....

On May 26, 2016, Conservatives from across Canada will be gathering in Vancouver for the 2016 National Convention. It promises to be one of the most exciting and closely watched conventions in our Party's history - you won't want to miss it!


https://www.cpcconvention.ca/

The Canadian right has the same problem as the American right does, they are besieged by those who are sure that their way is the best way. Compromise is the work of the devil and they will have none of it.

Yes. Like the Tea Party mixing with the Republicans, the Reformers mixing with the PC the 2 will never meet in the middle....

 

[Walter]

Love the way the lefties always try and tell folks how to behave.

 

[Curious Cdn]

And there seems to be a lot of angst against Harper....

Harper seems to be an introvert and his reaction to any kind of controversy was to withdraw even more into secrecy. This doesn't mean that he is at all bad in any way but that lack of approachability in a man of high public office is potentislly poisonous. I'd say that introspection did him in, in the end. The people of a democracy expect and have a right to access to their leaders. Trudeau may be a bit if a ditz but he's approachable and that has been enough, up to now. It won't sustain him forever but I doubt that his natural instincts are to go to ground, as Harper did, either.

 

[taxslave]

For the most part they were one party before Reform came along. Had the East not continuously screwed Western Canada since Confederation this wouldn't have happened. The eastern establishment is responsible for the reform party. Many of us in the West voted Reform for years, not because we wanted them to form the government but as a protest against the Eastern political parties.
That being said a good convention where everyone says what is on their mind is good for the party. Hopefully the fiscal conservatives will win out over the religious right who are just as dangerous as the extreme left.

 

[Curious Cdn]

For the most part they were one party before Reform came along. Had the East not continuously screwed Western Canada since Confederation this wouldn't have happened. The eastern establishment is responsible for the reform party. Many of us in the West voted Reform for years, not because we wanted them to form the government but as a protest against the Eastern political parties.
That being said a good convention where everyone says what is on their mind is good for the party. Hopefully the fiscal conservatives will win out over the religious right who are just as dangerous as the extreme left.

Were you really screwed by the East or did you have quazi-fascist populists like the Aberharts and the Mannings using the generic "Easterner"as a handy scape goat, very much the way that Goebbels blamed the Jews for all of Germany's misfortune? The Reform people still haul around that useless "I am a VICTIM and you OWE me" bushyte decades passed its sell-by date.

Grow up, snap out of it or it's fifty more years of Liberals. Alberta's not a freakin. banana republic. Try to see beyond Granpa's perochial populism.

 

[damngrumpy]

The gong show continues do these people have any idea the country has left them behind?
the extreme right reform, the flaky elements of Wildrose and the red tories of the east plus the
radical born again movement and they are reading Republican do it manuals that are outdated
by a century

 

[PoliticalNick]

Were you really screwed by the East or did you have quazi-fascist populists like the Aberharts and the Mannings using the generic "Easterner"as a handy scape goat, very much the way that Goebbels blamed the Jews for all of Germany's misfortune? The Reform people still haul around that useless "I am a VICTIM and you OWE me" bushyte decades passed its sell-by date.

Grow up, snap out of it or it's fifty more years of Liberals. Alberta's not a freakin. banana republic. Try to see beyond Granpa's perochial populism.

Alberta sent $10 billion in equalization payments to Quebec this year. The net result was Quebec had a $2 billion surplus and Alberta had a $10 billion deficit. We got royally screwed!

 

[Curious Cdn]

Alberta sent $10 billion in equalization payments to Quebec this year. The net result was Quebec had a $2 billion surplus and Alberta had a $10 billion deficit. We got royally screwed!

Yeah, here is comes. we get the same song every thread. The question is, are you all going to hang on to this forever? If you want to fix the Conservative Party so that they are electable again, you had better get over your grievances, real or perceived. If you don't, it will just be another regonal rump, again as it was during the Reform party days. Like the similar Bloc Quebecois, it is an angry dog that can only bark. A party full of sullen membership who won't let go of the fact that their great grandfathers were ripped off by the CPR or that transfer payments are grossly unfair (when they flow in one direction, anyway) is not, cannot ever be a national party capable of forming a national government.

 

[tay]

#ThankYouStephenHarper: Tories' hashtag tribute to former PM goes awry

It was meant to be a tribute to the former prime minister and soon-to-retire MP, but the Conservative Party's #ThankYouStephenHarper hashtag took on a sarcastic and sometimes nasty turn overnight.

Have fun......

https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThankYouStephenHarper?src=hash

 

[Walter]

Grow up, snap out of it or it's fifty more years of Liberals. Alberta's not a freakin. banana republic. Try to see beyond Granpa's perochial populism.

Love the way lefties are concerned that the conservatives will be in opposition for forever if the conservatives don't change their ways.

 

[tay]

Too many immigrants coming for the Cons to ever win again.....

 

[Colpy]

Grassroots Conservatives in Canada are angry at their party.

They're angry at the way their party lost last fall's election.

They're angry that former leader Stephen Harper abused the power of the leader's office.

They're even angry that millions of dollars they donated were wasted on a computer system screwup at party HQ.

And they're ready to do something about it.

More than 3,000 party members in ridings from Victoria to St. John's have put forward dozens of proposals to change their party's constitution. If passed at the party's biennial convention next weekend in Vancouver, they will radically reshape the relationship between more than 100,000 of card-carrying Conservatives and their leader, party president, and governing council.

A 25-page package of proposed changes is filled with comments submitted by electoral district associations (EDAs) in support of those proposed changes. They are sharply critical of the way the party was run under Harper and its president of the last six years, John Walsh.

The riding association in South Surrey-White Rock specifically singled out Harper and the party leadership for ignoring policies, adopted by unanimously by the members, to treat Afghanistan veterans better. Instead, the Conservative government started taking veterans to court.

The same two associations were also sharply critical of Harper for naming one of his long-time aides, Dimitri Soudas, as the party's executive director. Soudas would end up getting dismissed for interfering in a nomination contest with this then-girlfriend and MP Eve Adams. Adams, too, would get disqualified by the party and she and Soudas bolted for the Liberals.

"The leader's pick ... was an absolute disaster," the two EDAs write in their submission.

And while there is no term limit for any federal politician, there is a proposal to place an eight-year term limit on any future Conservative leader who might become prime minister.

The obvious frustration and anger from so many riding associations stands to make for a slightly awkward convention opening Thursday night: The celebration of the one and only leader the party has ever known, Stephen Harper.

While Harper has declined all media requests for interviews since the election, sources close to him say he was reluctant to be feted at this convention. But he is said to have agreed to participate in an opening night celebration so long as it focuses on the accomplishments of the entire party during his decade in leadership.

Angry at party brass, grassroots Conservatives ready for change | AKIN | Canada

And, here's the truth:

The convention went off very well, showing a party surprisingly united and open to delegates and the media.

The left keeps panting in lust for a divided right.....and it ain't happening.

Too bad Boys, you'd best mind your own little disaster in the PM's office in Ottawa.