The process that wouldn't die

• Published in: Alberta report Vol. 26; no. 30; p. 16
• Main Author: Gibson, Will
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Edmonton United Western Communications 09.08.1999
• Subjects: Canada
• ISSN: 0225-0519

First to test Mr. [Preston Manning]'s threat was Manitoba MP Jake Hoeppner, an outspoken UA critic who immediately announced he would run for the Reform leadership. Responding quickly, Reform whip Chuck Strahl suspended Mr. Hoeppner from caucus indefinitely July 23, just four days after Mr. Manning's letter was published and less than a month after the Reform caucus had pledged not to publicly criticize their leader. Mr. Hoeppner said in response he does not remember pledging allegiance to Mr. Manning and demanded that Mr. Strahl explain in writing why he was suspended. Until then, he insisted, he "[does] not accept the suspension and will be attending Reform meetings if they are held." The joint committees will report to both Reform's general assembly and a UA convention, scheduled to meet in quick succession in late January or early February next year. The UA convention will decide whether to move forward with a new party or advocate local riding co-operation, and the winning option will then be put to Reformers during a 40-day referendum campaign. To become Reform policy, the UA's preferred option will require approval from two-thirds of the party's members. Senior Reform strategist and UA organizer Rick Anderson says UA opponents were deliberately placed on UA committees to ease fears that the party's principles would be sold out. The UA platform will reflect the Reform Party's Blue Book principles, he says, a reference to the dated content of many of the party's specific policy planks. but will not plagiarize it line for line. "This is 1999, not 1989, and we are not fighting Brian Mulroney or the GST," Mr. Anderson says. "If Reform was starting over today, the platform would not be the same. The agenda has moved along."