Monday, March 22, 2004

Lessons Learned:

it looks as if the tories have their game tight, and they are going to pull themselves into one big party. this is a mature game plan by the harper team. stockwell and manning really hammered the unity message home....indirectly of course:

Conservatives prepared to think as one

Thoughts of victory bring party together as factions ignore past spats, officials say

By DREW FAGAN
OTTAWA BUREAU CHIEF
Monday, March 22, 2004 - Page A4


TORONTO -- Rod Love knows well that disunity within Canada's right-of-centre ranks can spell disaster.

Four years ago, he watched Jean Chrétien romp to a third majority government -- not just because the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives ran separate slates of candidates, but because the Alliance challenge under new leader Stockwell Day was held back by bitter factionalism between the Day camp and the camp of defeated leader Preston Manning.

"It was brutal. I was there," Mr. Love, who headed Mr. Day's campaign, said at this past weekend's Conservative Party convention. "Since then, I have apportioned the blame 50/50. . . . And I know enough Conservatives here saw that happen, and they realize it had better not happen again."

Alberta Premier Ralph Klein had planned a blunt statement in his rambling convention speech that anyone not prepared to unite behind the new party's first leader should head for the exit signs. He left it out. It didn't seem necessary, at a time when the merged party can smell opportunity in the coming election -- if not victory, then the chance to hold Prime Minister Paul Martin to a minority government.

It is now the Liberal Party, Conservatives charge, which is riven by internal bickering; between the Martin team and Mr. Chrétien's ancient régime over the sponsorship scandal, and at the riding level too -- witness the inability of former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna to dislodge Labour Minister Claudette Bradshaw from her seat so he could return to politics.

"The shoe is on the other foot," a Conservative organizer said. "We can watch that and enjoy it."

And hope they don't find a way to replicate the Liberals' distemper.

During his victory speech, leader Stephen Harper warned that the Liberals will try to "reopen old wounds" within the newly merged party. It cannot allow itself to take the bait, he insisted.

"They will try to divide Conservatives by region or ideology," the former Alliance leader said. "They will do this because it is the only way they can survive. . . . We must unite to win because it is the only way Conservatives can win."
-----------------------
after splitting the right to form the reform party and then splitting up again to form the rebel caucus, i'm glad they learned that "splitting up" is not good for the family...especially one that presumes to be pro family.

hey, they're not saying that divorce is bad, but for all the fundamentalists from alberta they have in the party, you might think that 'staying together for the sake of the kids' would be their mantra.

no more fights! okay you two?! harris, love, strahl, i'm looking in your direction.

No comments: