Three Progressive Conservatives Jump Ship as United Right Party Finally Emerges

OTTAWA, December 9, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Three Progressive Conservative Party members abandoned the party as soon as the merger with the Canadian Alliance became official.  The new Conservative Party of Canada was officially launched today and PC MPs Joe Clark, Andre Bachand, and John Herron announced their decision to quit the party.  The move came as no surprise to conservatives since all three were known to have a rather narrow conception of conservativism.  Ideas of a big tent, wherein both fiscal and social conservatives can come together to have their platforms move forward, were attacked by Clark. The former Progressive Conservative Party leader has often alienated social conservatives with outrageous gestures such as leading the homosexual pride parade and backing abortion on demand and homosexual marriage.  Despite the defections, the race for Leader for the new party is underway with Calgary lawyer Jim Prentice becoming the first official candidate.  Although not yet an official candidate, former Alliance Leader Stephen Harper is at this point seen to be the lead contender for the position.  See the CBC coverage:  https://calgary.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=ca_merger20031209