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The Conservative Party of Canada
The Quest to Unite the Right

by Rhonda Lauret Parkinson
Update: November 21, 2003

In May 2003, Peter MacKay won the leadership of the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party after fellow candidate David Orchard threw his support behind MacKay. Later, it was revealed that MacKay made a deal with Orchard on the convention floor in order to gain his support, which involved a commitment by MacKay not to consider merging with the Canadian Alliance. However, less than a month later, journalists were reporting on “secret” meetings between Tory officials and their Canadian Alliance (CA) counterparts. After months of on-again, off-again talks, on October 16th, Peter MacKay and CA leader Stephen Harper held a joint news conference to announce they had reached an agreement in principle to merge the two parties. This agreement was followed by a vote by members of both parties, in which the agreement to merge into the new Conservative Party of Canada was approved. The party now faces the challenges of preparing for the next federal election, expected in Spring 2004. This will involve selecting a new leader, developing a new party policy, and stemming the tide of former Progressive Conservatives who are leaving the new party.

This feature explores the issues and difficulties in uniting the two parties. It is divided into the following sections:

Uniting the Right in Canada

What does the term mean?

Timeline of Efforts to Unite the Right

Historical overview, and what happens now

Opposition to Uniting the Right

Examination of sources of opposition to the merger, details of legal action taken to save the Progressive Conservative Party, as well as the exodus of former Preogressive Conservative members.

Selecting a Leader for the new Conservative Party of Canada

Summary of the leadership election process, and background on who’s in the election and who’s out

Can the Right Successfully Unite?

Comparing and contrasting Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance policies

Future of Canada’s Political Right

Will voters view the Conservative Party of Canada as a credible alternative to the governing Liberals?

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