Party merger is doubtful, says local PC organizer
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby NOW assistant editor
Published Aug. 14, 2002

Mike Redmond says there is too much animosity for an Alliance- Tory consolidation
There is little likelihood of a merger between the federal Tories and the Canadian Alliance before the next federal election, says one of the Lower Mainland's most senior Progressive Conservative organizers.
"I don't think the Alliance is interested in a serious way to do what has to be done for a merger," said Mike Redmond, president of the PC riding association in New Westminster-Coquitlam-Burnaby. "It's pretty clear there's not enough of a trust base. I think there just isn't enough in common between the two parties."
While Redmond believes there are many similarities between the Tories and Alliance, he said there is simply too much animosity on the Alliance side to even consider a merger between the two right- of-centre parties.
"The Alliance was formed by people who developed what I think was an unreasoned hatred of the PC party under Brian Mulroney," Redmond said last week in the wake of a 'resignation announcement' from Tory leader Joe Clark.
Redmond, who intends to run for one of two B.C. vice-president posts on the party's national executive this month, said the movers and shakers in the Alliance, including its new leader Stephen Harper, are "too ideological driven" to make the moves needed to bring the two parties together.
"Conservatives realize you can't govern the country from a purely ideological base," Redmond said. "Any analysis of Canadian voters will tell you that 20 per cent consider themselves right wing and about 20 per cent consider themselves left wing. That leaves the vast majority of people who don't want a government that is ideologically driven.
"You can have principles, but you also have to be willing to listen to people."
Former Canadian Alliance candidate Ron Jack agreed with Redmond's assertion that many of his party's members are too strident to consider a merger. But he also believes there is room for the two parties in Canada.
"They (the Tories) shouldn't be looking at joining with the Alliance anyway," said Jack, who believes the two parties are fundamentally opposed to each other on issues such as immigration, official language policies and senate reform.
And, while Jack is critical of the Alliance's resistance to change, he does not necessarily believe that is a negative thing.
"The Alliance is too ideological. We've been trying to change people rather than serve people and that's the fundamental weakness of the party. But Canadians don't want less choice," he said.
Meanwhile, Clark is scheduled to be in Burnaby this Sunday, Aug. 18, for the annual Pacific region barbecue at the Scandinavian Cultural Centre. The event is open to the public, and last year attracted a large crowd that included Canadian Alliance MP James Moore.