Conservative Party of Canada

:Alternative meaning: Conservative Party of Canada (pre-1942)

Background

The merger to form the new Conservative Party of Canada was announced on October 16, 2003, by the two party leaders (Stephen Harper of the Canadian Alliance and Peter MacKay of the Progressive Conservatives), and was ratified by the membership of the Alliance on December 5 by a margin of 96% to 4%, and by delegates of the PC Party on December 6 by a margin of 90% to 10%. On December 8, 2003, the new party was officially registered with Elections Canada. On March 20, 2004, Stephen Harper was elected leader.

Related Topics:
October 16 - 2003 - Stephen Harper - Peter MacKay - December 5 - December 6 - December 8 - Elections Canada - March 20 - 2004 - Elected leader

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The merger was the culmination of the Canadian "Unite the Right" movement, driven by the desire to present an effective right-wing opposition to the Liberal Party of Canada, to create a new party that would draw support from all parts of Canada and would not split the right-wing vote. The splitting of the right-wing vote contributed, at least in part, to Liberal victories in the 1997 federal election and the 2000 election.

Related Topics:
Unite the Right - Liberal Party of Canada - Splitting - 1997 federal election - 2000 election

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The party is still referred to as "Tory" by the media and retains the tie to the historical Conservative Party of Canada founded in 1854 by Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir George-Étienne Cartier by virtue of the fact that the merged entity assumed all assets and liabilities of the Progressive Conservative Party. Peter MacKay and many other high-profile former PCs, including Brian Mulroney see the CPC as a natural evolution of the conservative political movement in Canada. MacKay has suggested that the CPC is a reflection of the reunification of conservative ideologies under a "big tent." MacKay has often said that fractures have been a natural part of the Canadian conservative movement's history since the 1890s and that the merger was really a reconstitution of a movement that has existed since the Union of Upper and Lower Canada.

Related Topics:
Historical Conservative Party of Canada - John A. Macdonald - George-Étienne Cartier - Brian Mulroney

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The party is often considered to be Canada's version of the United States Republican Party and the United Kingdom's Conservative Party due to their conservative positions. In reality, differences exist on various policies and the parties are only aligned through mutual membership in the international group of conservative parties, the International Democrat Union. Some advisors have worked for both the CPC and for the Republican Party of the United States.

Related Topics:
United States Republican Party - United Kingdom's Conservative Party - International Democrat Union

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