Democratic Representative Caucus

Last updated
Democratic Representative Caucus
Caucus démocratique représentatif
Former federal parliamentary caucus
Leader Chuck Strahl
Founded2001 (2001)
Dissolved2002 (2002)
Split from Canadian Alliance
Merged into Canadian Alliance
Ideology Conservatism

The Democratic Representative Caucus, also called the Democratic Representative Association, was a parliamentary group in the 37th Canadian Parliament consisting of Members of Parliament who left the Canadian Alliance in 2001 in protest against the leadership of Stockwell Day.

Contents

Formation

Following the Alliance's disappointing performance in the 2000 election, Day came under severe criticism from his own party, and several high-profile Alliance MPs began publicly calling for him to step down. Through the spring of 2001, several members of the Alliance resigned their shadow cabinet seats, the most high-profile resignation being that of deputy leader Deborah Grey.

On May 2, Art Hanger was the first Alliance MP formally suspended from caucus for criticizing Day. [1] Over the next two months, 11 other Alliance MPs were either suspended from caucus or resigned. On May 16, Hanger was followed by Chuck Strahl, Gary Lunn, Jim Pankiw, Val Meredith, Grant McNally, Jay Hill and Jim Gouk. [2] In late June, they were joined by Monte Solberg, [3] Andy Burton [4] and Brian Fitzpatrick, [5] and in the first week of July by Grey [6] and Inky Mark. [7]

At this time Day attempted to solve the crisis by offering to take a temporary leave of absence from the leadership if the dissidents returned to the party, but he withdrew the offer after the dissident MPs refused his conditions. [8] Through the summer, the MPs sat as "Independent Alliance Caucus", and were jokingly dubbed the "Rebel Alliance" by political commentators. [9]

In early September, a new offer was made to the MPs in which they would be readmitted to the Alliance caucus if they promised to refrain from criticizing Day's leadership. [10] The MPs surveyed their constituents, and the offer was accepted by Hanger, Gouk, Solberg, Fitzpatrick and Burton. [11] The remaining seven MPs refused, and formed the Democratic Representative Caucus on September 12, with Strahl as its parliamentary leader and Grey as deputy leader. [12] This was not intended as a new political party, but simply as a group caucus. The MPs immediately entered a coalition agreement with the Progressive Conservatives. [13]

Coalition with the Progressive Conservatives

The PC-DRC Coalition was intended to be PC leader Joe Clark's framework for proving that the two parties could be united on his terms rather than Day's. To that end, Clark and Strahl tried to propose common policies that would appeal to both PC and Alliance members. [13] Clark remained the leader of the coalition caucus, with Strahl as deputy leader and Grey as caucus chairwoman.

Two weeks later, on September 24, the "Progressive Conservative - Democratic Reform Coalition Caucus" made their formal debut in the House of Commons of Canada. [14] Speaker Peter Milliken ruled that the arrangement would be recognized as a coalition, but would not gain all of the parliamentary privileges of being a unified party; for example, although the coalition caucus now had more MPs than the New Democratic Party, Milliken ruled that the coalition would not outrank the NDP in party precedence matters, such as speaking order or seating. [14]

While the DRC members insisted that they remained loyal to the Canadian Alliance despite their opposition to Day's leadership, the group founded the Democratic Representative Association (DRA) to support their re-election campaigns as DRC Members of Parliament.

On November 19, Lunn left the DRC to rejoin the Alliance shortly after Day agreed to hold a new Alliance leadership race, although the party forced him to issue a public apology for his role in the schism before readmitting him to the caucus. [15] The remaining DRC members were formally expelled as members of the Canadian Alliance in December. [16]

End of the coalition

In March 2002, Day lost that leadership race to Stephen Harper. In April five of the seven DRC members returned to the Alliance caucus, terminating their coalition agreement with the PCs. [17] Pankiw's request for readmission to the Alliance caucus was denied, as he was embroiled in a political controversy involving a violent confrontation with a First Nations constituent. [18] Mark chose not to return to the Alliance caucus, instead sitting as an Independent Conservative, then joining the PC caucus in August. [19]

Conservative Party of Canada

Clark's successor, Peter MacKay, negotiated a merger with the CA in late 2003, and he, along with Mark and most of the PC caucus, joined with the CA caucus to form the Conservative Party of Canada, fulfilling the DRC's main goal of a unified centre-right. Clark and a few other prominent PC MPs and senators refused to join the new party, whilst Pankiw was again refused admission along with another Saskatchewan CA MP, Larry Spencer.

See also

DodgerBlue flag waving.svg Conservatismportal

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Alliance</span> Canadian political party

The Canadian Alliance, formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance, was a centre-right to right-wing federal political party in Canada that existed under that name from 2000 to 2003. The Canadian Alliance was the new name of the Reform Party of Canada and inherited many of its populist policies, as well as its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons of Canada. The party supported policies that were both fiscally and socially conservative, seeking reduced government spending on social programs and reductions in taxation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Clark</span> Prime minister of Canada from 1979 to 1980

Charles Joseph Clark is a Canadian businessman, writer, and politician who served as the 16th prime minister of Canada from 1979 to 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Progressive Conservative Party of Canada</span> Canadian centre-right political party from 1942 to 2003

The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a centre to centre-right federal political party in Canada that existed from 1942 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reform Party of Canada</span> Former federal political party in Canada

The Reform Party of Canada was a right-wing populist and conservative federal political party in Canada that existed under that name from 1987 to 2000. Reform was founded as a Western Canada-based protest movement that eventually became a populist conservative party, with strong Christian right influence and social conservative elements. It was initially motivated by the perceived need for democratic reforms and by profound Western Canadian discontent with the Progressive Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stockwell Day</span> Canadian politician

Stockwell Burt Day Jr. is a former Canadian politician who served as leader of the Canadian Alliance from 2000 to 2001 and later as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)</span> Position in the Parliament of Canada

The leader of the Official Opposition, formally known as the leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition, is the politician who leads the Official Opposition in Canada, typically the leader of the party possessing the most seats in the House of Commons that is not the governing party or part of the governing coalition.

André Bachand is a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Richmond—Arthabaska as member of the Progressive Conservatives from 1997 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deborah Grey</span> Canadian politician (born 1952)

Deborah Cleland Grey, is a retired Canadian member of Parliament from Alberta for the Reform Party of Canada, the Canadian Alliance, and the Conservative Party of Canada. She was the first female federal leader of the Opposition in Canadian history. She currently serves on the advisory board of the Leaders' Debates Commission.

The Unite the Right movement was a Canadian political movement which existed from around the mid-1990s to 2003. The movement came into being when it became clear that neither of Canada's two main right-of-centre political parties, the Reform Party of Canada/Canadian Alliance (CA) and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC), was independently capable of defeating the governing Liberal Party. The objective of the movement, therefore, was to merge the two parties into a single party. The goal of uniting the right was accomplished in December 2003 with the formation of the Conservative Party of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chuck Strahl</span> Canadian politician

Charles Richard "Chuck" Strahl is a Canadian businessman and politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1993 to 2011. First elected for the Reform Party, he was the leader of the Democratic Representative Caucus that left the Canadian Alliance in opposition to Stockwell Day's leadership. When the Conservatives won power in 2006, he became a prominent cabinet minister and served as Minister of Agriculture, Indian and Northern Affairs, and Transportation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election</span>

The 2004 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election took place on March 20, 2004, in Toronto, Ontario, and resulted in the election of Stephen Harper as the first leader of the new Conservative Party of Canada. The Conservative Party was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, in December 2003.

Arthur Hanger is a Canadian politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Solberg</span> Canadian politician

Monte Kenton Solberg, is a Canadian businessman and politician. Solberg is a former Member of Parliament, representing the riding of Medicine Hat in the House of Commons of Canada as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He was the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and later served as the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. He has also served as Critic for Foreign Affairs, National Revenue, and Human Resources Development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Reynolds (Canadian politician)</span> Canadian politician

John Douglas Reynolds is a former Canadian politician. He was the member of Parliament for the riding of West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country in the House of Commons of Canada from 1997 to 2006 and a former Federal Opposition Leader. He had also been an MP in the 1970s as well as a provincial politician in British Columbia in the 1980s and 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">37th Canadian Parliament</span> In session from January 29, 2001, until May 23, 2004

The 37th Canadian Parliament was in session from January 29, 2001, until May 23, 2004. The membership was set by the 2000 federal election on November 27, 2000, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 2004 election.

James K. Pankiw is a Canadian politician and former Member of Parliament.

Diane St-Jacques is a Canadian business person and former politician. St-Jacques served in the House of Commons of Canada from 1997 to 2004.

Richard M. Harris is a Canadian politician. He was a Member of Parliament from 1993 to 2015 and sat as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He was previously member of the Reform Party of Canada and the Canadian Alliance. From 2004 to 2015, he represented the electoral district of Cariboo—Prince George, and formerly represented Prince George–Bulkley Valley. He was first elected during the 1993 federal election and was re-elected in 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011. He challenged Reform Party leader Preston Manning for leadership when Manning proposed merging the party with the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He later campaigned for Stockwell Day to become leader. The most prominent position he held with his party was Chief Opposition Whip from 2001 to 2002. He generated controversy when he appointed an unelected, Conservative Party member to represent a neighbouring electoral district in governmental affairs, though the electoral district had an elected Member of Parliament, but from an opposition party. In Fiscal Year 2009-10 he was the top spending Member of Parliament, and had the largest hospitality and lowest advertising expenditures of any house member.

Andy Burton is a Canadian politician. Burton immigrated with his family to Canada from England in 1952 at the age of 10. He grew up in Prince George, British Columbia. In the early 1960s, he worked as a highway surveyor and then as a bulk plant manager for Shell Petroleum. He began his small business in 1964, and operated it until he was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 2000 federal election as the Canadian Alliance Member of Parliament (MP) for Skeena riding.

References

  1. "Alliance MP suspended for calling on Day to resign despite new strategic plan". Whitehorse Star , May 3, 2001.
  2. "Eight Alliance rebels are traitors, Day says: Leader vows to stay on, but Ralph Klein suggests it may be Joe Clark who unites the right". Vancouver Sun , May 16, 2001.
  3. "Day shuffles shadow cabinet". Waterloo Region Record , June 19, 2001.
  4. "Saskatchewan MP may be next to forsake Day". Nanaimo Daily News , June 27, 2001.
  5. "And then there were 11". Sudbury Star , June 28, 2001.
  6. "Grey joins Alliance rebellion; First Lady of Reform calls for Day's ouster". Windsor Star , July 4, 2001.
  7. "Day says he's not quitting: MP Inky Mark joins defectors; Alliance chief chides 'sore losers'". Montreal Gazette , July 5, 2001.
  8. "Dissidents reject Day's offer to take a `leave of absence': Leader proposes delayed departure as a way to avoid further divisions". Vancouver Sun , July 9, 2001.
  9. Ibbitson, John (2015). Stephen Harper. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart. p. 146. ISBN   9780771047091. Others joined the 'Rebel Alliance' as reporters dubbed it. The Democratic Representative Caucus, as the dissidents preferred to be called...
  10. "Rebel MPs' return risks party status; But 4 of 12 won't rejoin Alliance". Hamilton Spectator , September 7, 2001.
  11. "Rebels return to Alliance: PCs hope some still join parliamentary coalition". Kamloops Daily News , September 10, 2001.
  12. "Tories, rebel Alliance select Clark to lead Commons coalition". Kamloops Daily News , September 11, 2001.
  13. 1 2 "Clark to lead new coalition". Guelph Mercury , September 11, 2001.
  14. 1 2 "Right-wing coalition won't get recognition ; Doesn't qualify as an opposition party, speaker says". Toronto Star , September 25, 2001.
  15. "Alliance MP seeks party's forgiveness". St. Catharines Standard , December 6, 2001.
  16. "Alliance split over MPs ouster". Prince George Citizen , December 15, 2001.
  17. "Alliance welcomes back more dissidents". St. Catharines Standard , April 25, 2002.
  18. "Pankiw won't be allowed back into Alliance caucus, council says". Whitehorse Star , July 10, 2001.
  19. "Tories welcome former Alliance MP, adopt reform package but reject merger". Canadian Press, August 24, 2002.