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Peter MacKay’s Expedient Past

As published in The Guardian / Saltwire Network: 7 February 2020

Before supporting federal leadership prospect Peter MacKay, you might wish to review his behavior during the Conservative Party’s 2003 creation.

According to former Progressive Conservative leadership candidate David Orchard, the ruling Conservative Party was founded,” … in a blatantly fraudulent manner.” (Orchard, 2004). Orchard claimed that he was betrayed by the other leadership candidate Peter MacKay on the advice of Stephen Harper.

Orchard and MacKay were the 2003 Progressive Conservative leadership candidates with the largest blocks of delegates. Orchard and his delegates decided to support MacKay as leader of the Progressive Conservative party. Orchard and MacKay agreed upon a deal in writing and signed it. “Point number one of our agreement was no merger or joint candidates with the Canadian Alliance.”

Subsequently, Harper, the leader of the Canadian Alliance party; “… urged him [MacKay] to abandon his commitments to the membership of the PC party and his agreement with me [Orchard], and to merge the party into the Canadian Alliance.” MacKay accomplished this surprise merger by subsequently allowing, “… tens of thousands of Alliance members to join the PC party to overwhelm our existing membership…”

Are you willing to support someone who behaved in such a cynical manner; demonstrating a belief that victory justifies ethical compromise and expediency? If so, then I may get the sort of government that you deserve.