* As Posted on http://www.nationalpost.com

Three MPs abandon new Conservative party hours after its birth

JIM BROWN
Canadian Press
Tuesday, December 09, 2003

OTTAWA (CP) - The new Conservative Party of Canada lost three MPs on
Monday, hours after a proud announcement that it had officially registered
for business and begun operations.

Former Tory leader Joe Clark and fellow MPs Andre Bachand of Quebec and
John Herron of New Brunswick said they couldn't bring themselves to
participate in the new organization, formed through a merger with the
Canadian Alliance. "This is not my party," Clark said as he
arrived for what he called his last Tory caucus meeting. "This is
something entirely new. . . . I will not be part of this new party."

Herron, like Clark, said he had notified Speaker Peter Milliken that he
would serve out his current term but would keep calling himself a
Progressive Conservative - the old party name that was ditched in the
merger. "I sought a mandate to be elected as a Progressive
Conservative," said Herron. "I plan on fulfilling my
mandate."

In effect, Clark and Herron will be treated as Independents under Commons
rules, with reduced opportunity to ask questions, participate in debates
and serve on committees. Bachand, who has been courted by the federal
Liberals, said he hasn't decided whether to remain in politics, but if he
does it won't be under the banner of the new Conservative party. "I'm
not leaving the boat, the boat is not there any more," he said.

Tory Leader Peter MacKay, who had appealed to the dissidents to give the
new party a chance, was philosophical about his failure to persuade them.
"When you leave a welcome mat on the door, not everybody comes
in," said MacKay.
"There was a very, very emotional and open discussion (at caucus) and
a plea that everybody remain active. . . . I regret people leaving, but I'm
also aware that there are a lot of people who are joining, people who
haven't played any role in active politics for 10 or more years."

The defections came just after MacKay and Alliance Leader Stephen Harper
announced the new party had officially come to life with the filing of
registration papers with Elections Canada. "It is now legally in
existence and we're moving forward," said Harper. "The previous
parties have been merged, they are out of existence, they have been
amalgamated into the new body."

Senator John Lynch-Staunton, who heads the Tory forces in the upper house,
will serve as interim leader of the new party for purposes of the Canada
Elections Act, until a permanent leader is selected in March. For now,
however, Alliance and Tory MPs remain members of separate caucuses in the
House of Commons, with Harper and MacKay designated as principal spokesmen
in that chamber.

MacKay said he hopes the caucuses can be merged by the time the Commons
resumes legislative work in late January or early February. "That is
the intention," he said. "But those final decisions will be taken
in due course."

Harper was even less precise, noting that discussions are under way but
"it will be a matter of weeks rather than days in terms of us making
all of those announcements." The situation is complicated by the fact
that both Harper and MacKay are expected to be candidates to lead the new
party. Aides say that would likely mean designating an interim
parliamentary leader to handle things in the Commons while the campaign is
under way.

The two caucuses will also have to agree on a slate of House officers and
parcel out critics' positions to various MPs.

Grassroots Alliance members voted 96 per cent Friday to merge the two
parties, while Progressive Conservative delegates were 90 per cent in
favour Saturday

Jim Prentice, a Calgary lawyer and Tory organizer, was first off the mark
in the race to choose a permanent leader, announcing Sunday that he intends
to seek the post. Prentice, who has never held elected office, ran second
to MacKay at the last Tory leadership convention in May.

His entrance into the new race provides an Alberta-based competitor for
Harper, who had been seen as the odds-on favourite to head the new party
based on the greater membership numbers and financial strength of the
Alliance.
Prentice also provides an alternative for Tories who are uneasy with the
social conservatism espoused by the Alliance under Harper, but who don't
want to cast their lot either with MacKay.

Among the fence-sitters Monday were Manitoba MP Rick Borotsik and colleague
Rex Barnes of Newfoundland. Borotsik, who opposed the merger and has said
he would quit a Harper-led party, signalled that he's now willing to bide
his time until he sees which way the political winds are blowing.
"We're going to know pretty quickly who, in fact, is going to be the
front-runner in the leadership," said Borotsik. "We're gong to
know just what it is that the party's going to stand for."

Barnes, who voted for the merger, nevertheless declared it would be a
"disaster" for either Harper or MacKay to lead the new
Conservatives.
"If we're going to have a new party, let's have a total new leader . .
. . I firmly believe Jim Prentice is the person."

The winner of the leadership race will face the prospect of a spring
general election, with incoming Liberal prime minister Paul Martin expected
to call a vote as early as April. The new party has named a 12-member
interim governing council, composed of six Alliance and six Tory members,
to oversee the drafting of a party constitution and otherwise manage
internal affairs.
Organizers must also set up new riding associations across the country and
select candidates for the general election. It's unclear whether there will
be time to hold a policy convention before Martin decides to go to the
polls.


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