Author: Stephen Taylor

The last day of the convention, Saturday was the most interesting day (at least business wise) of this “most successful gathering of conservatives in 20 years”.

Going on about 3 hours of sleep I arrived at the convention hall after checking out of the downtown Montreal luxury hotel known as the “Econolodge” by most and as “home away from home” by cheating spouses, high school lovers, thrifty travelers and students like myself. A relatively clean place, at a relatively cheap price… and what’dya know… just across the street from the Cool Blue Belinda dance party.

I was pleased to find out that I could check my luggage for the day at the convention centre. The Palais de Congrès is definitively world class and I was very much impressed by the extensive facilities loaned out to the Party last weekend. Toronto’s convention centre is on par with Montreal’s, however, Montreal’s convention centre was a lot more colourful while Toronto’s is drab and more ‘starched shirt’. In short, the Palais de Congrès reflected the fun, youthful, and yet professional tone of the convention.

The plenary session was progressing pretty well until the issue of the definition of marriage came up. “We’re going to reinitialize” the Chair said in a dry tone while, in contrast, the room’s attention peaked to the ‘hot button’ issue that was before them. Reinitialization is the process by which delegates must be sitting at the tables in order to be counted incase the vote is so close that it goes to the keypad vote. On the issue of traditional marriage the “yays” beat the “nays” clearly but for some reason they went to the keypad vote. 75% in favour of maintaining the traditional definition, 25% opposed.

This result was particularly surprising, in my opinion. Not that I expected a different outcome, but the numbers suggest that 1 out of 4 delegates (25%) are in favour of the redefinition of marriage, while 4 out of 99 CPC MPs (~4%) share the same sentiment. Are the MPs not representative of the delegates or are the delegates not representative of the MPs? The answer lies somewhere in between, I believe.

On the issue of abortion, another surprising result. 55% of delegates favoured the party not supporting legislation on abortion while 45% want our MPs to support limits on abortion. Perhaps social conservatives are simply more vocal on this issue than the silent majority of conservatives.

A cameraman and a reporter from CPAC rushed over to us (we were standing at the back, instead of sitting at delegate tables) and asked “Can we get your comment on this result on camera?” It didn’t take me any time at all to add up the situation. Speaking on camera about my reaction to a highly polarized issue? “No, I don’t think so” I said. Even Stephen Harper didn’t go on record about abortion until his speech Friday night. I certainly wasn’t going to that day.

The other interesting moment of the plenary was the youth wing debate. The best moment was when the Chair told the crowd that enough points were heard for option A (youth wing) and asked for someone to speak for option C (no youth wing). Tony Clement takes the microphone, (I’ll paraphrase) “I’d like to speak for option C”. I thought this was odd as Clement was the former president of the conservative youth at the University of Toronto. He went on to speak on option C labeling it the wrong option and he then brazenly encouraged the delegates to vote for option A. The ‘Yes for Youth’ crowd went crazy and I chuckled to myself having found new respect for Tony Clement and his sneakiness. The youth wing was voted down by perhaps the smallest margin seen that day.

The plenary session allowed me to meet some more interesting people including Amy Leindecker who marveled at the hawtness (yeah, that’s the ticket) that is liveblogging from the convention floor. She must have been inspired because she now has a blog of her own (check it out). In fact, she took a picture of me and Queen’s CPC club president Bryan Cowell, and sent it to me today. I’m liveblogging and he’s um… live surfing.

Thus, dear reader, I do now present liveblogging from the convention floor:

Blogging from the CPC policy convention – Click to enlarge

Perhaps next convention, we’ll have special credentials like our American blog brothers (and sisters) who blogged from the GOP and Dem conventions last year.

After the votes I had another chat with Peter Mackay. We found ourselves talking about the Belinda Dance Party(TM) and he told me about a party he was having that evening.

I laughed, “You’re tempting me away from my graduate thesis!”

Mackay replies, “Bah, what’s another night?”

It wasn’t to be. The Econolodge and I had already parted ways and I was able to score a ride home early anyways.

So, there you have it. The first successful policy convention of the Conservative Party of Canada. T’was a great time!

After the vote on the National Council and on Stephen Harper’s leadership had concluded, a leader’s cocktail party reception was held on the 7th floor of the convention hall. Most of the 2,900 delegates must have been there as the hall was absolutely packed.

The food consisted of cold cut platters with bread, while the drinks were $5.75 per bottle of beer / glass of wine. I also met a couple more MPs including two members of the young caucus of tories. Helena Guergis is the MP from Simcoe Grey and is very nice to talk with in-person. I asked her if she had heard of Blogging Tories. She had. Helena told me somewhat wryly that “It had been brought to [her] attention”. Of course, I thought this was great until I later ran the incident over in my head and speculated that she might have been referring to Anthony’s posting on the Meatriarchy. Uh oh.

The other member of the young Tory caucus that I met at the leader’s reception was MP for Desnethé, Missinippi and Churchill River, Jeremy Harrison. Jeremy also blogs, however, he complained that he hasn’t updated in about a month. I’ve added him to the Blogging Tories blogroll and encouraged him to keep it up.

Since the party was winding down, since there wasn’t any free booze and since Mr. Harper was still absent from his own ‘reception’, we decided to go to the Western Standard party at the Intercontinental Hotel and tear it up with Western Standard publisher Ezra Levant. With drink names like “Harper Collins”, “Stronach and Tonic”, “Same Sex on the Beach” and “Rona, I wanna”, you knew it was going to be a good party. The festivities were held on an ‘indoor street’ where the alley between two buildings was completely closed off by a glass ceiling and walls at either end. I circled the party a couple of times and met Ezra. “Stephen! Love the blog so much that we linked you a couple of times from the Shotgun!”. Ezra was having a blast as he was working the room greeting everyone at his party. Word is Laureen Harper stopped by to tell Ezra how much she loves the magazine. Good job Ezra! I also met David Frum and MP from Essex Jeff Watson whose business card includes Braille impressions.

Stockwell Day (who I met at Thursdays CIJA hospitality suite), Monte Solberg and James Moore were also in attendence. I joked with James that had read once that he’s still trying to drop Simpsons references into House debate. He admitted he’s tried but that it’s difficult to do. (I can’t help but think of this Simpsons exchange)

The other fete that everyone was looking forward to was Belinda Stronach’s “Cool Blue” party. It was held a short cab-ride away at the Godin Hotel. The party was very much of what you might expect from Belinda. Very hip and trendy. A cool… um… blue light permeated the reception area where revelers feasted on mini-hamburgers, french fries and chicken wings served in single serving cartons. The drinks were citrus martinis served with flashy blue LED ice cubes which were enjoyed by those who donated to the ‘Yes to Youth’ campaign. Next to the reception area there was a large heavy door that led into the other half of the party, the dance club.

I walk up onto the balcony of the club to survey the crowd below only to realize that Tom Cochrane is playing a set below and that the crowd is loving it. I enjoy the music for a couple of minutes and then go back to the reception area to get my friends and tell them Cochrane is playing in the dance club that I had just discovered. By the time we get back into the club, Tom’s done his set and the Belinda dance party is underway.

Working my way through the crowd is a somewhat surreal experience as hill staffers, MPs, members of the press, young delegates and Preston Manning are all hanging out, dancing to Snoop Dogg’s Drop It Like It’s Hot. So, this is where I meet, for the first time, one of our most influential political minds and greatest democratic reformers in Canadian history, Preston Manning.

I met Preston Manning in a dance club.

CTV’s Craig Oliver is hanging out in the lounge area flanked by some young Tory women engaged in conversation, and I hear that Don Martin was at the bar tearing off drink tickets.

Kiss’ I want to rock all night (and party ev-er-y day) blasts over the club’s speakers and I look over and see Tony Clement. I call over and get his attention “Hey Tony!”. He looks over, with a big smile and throws up the horns. I laugh, and do the same and then work my way over to the stage area.

Belinda Stronach and Peter Mackay were hanging out on the floor as well, chatting with people as they passed by.

It was getting late and the party started to thin out but that didn’t stop the most dedicated of us from keeping the party going. However, when it was time to call it a night — when the club owners were ushering us out — MPs that closed the club with us included Rahim Jaffer and Monte Solberg. These two guys were partying all night.

Three o’clock rolls by and my friends and I decide to wrap up the evening and I head back to the hotel to get some sleep before the dreaded wake-up call that would come at 7am.

Best. Party. Ever.

Brian Mulroney introduced Harper via video (he’s recovering from lung surgery).

Harper’s speech was very well written and kudos are in order for his speechwriter(s). I’ve been told that Harper writes many of his own speeches, so if this is true, he represents an oratory double-threat (he can write it and he can speak it).

He also brought it. The text and delivery had numerous hallmarks of a great speech. The use of contrast, the rule of three and the use of audience participation to reinforce and legitimize the message all contributed to make for an incredible speech.

“Promise made, promise broken” was said in unison by about 2,900 (delegates) and hundreds of observers. The outlining of Liberal silliness and broken promises one-by-one was quite effective as the line was repeated after each and every broken Liberal promise.

“They [the Liberals] promise to help us raise our children”,

Harper remarked and paused as we, the audience, erupted in laughter and then he joined with us laughing.

“So they’re creating a bureaucratic daycare program so expensive that young couples won’t be able to afford children”

“Promise made. Promise broken”

and so it went…

and then this:

“As prime minister, I will bring forward legislation that, while providing the same rights, benefits and obligations to all couples, will maintain the traditional definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.”

“And, while I’m at it, I will tell you that, as prime minister, I will not bring forth legislation on the issue of abortion.”

Bye-bye hidden agenda. That loud thud was the collective thud of Liberal strategists losing consciousness. Finally, an explicit declaration of Harper’s position on abortion. I didn’t expect it.

He continued…

“And I will tell you this. That, as your leader, if you disagree with me on these matters, I will not call you stupid or label you a threat to Canadian values.”

“As leader, I care less about your views on these matters than whether you are prepared to respect the views of those who disagree with you.”

“And that’s why I will always allow all of your MPs to vote freely on matters of conscience.”

I believe that Harper struck an appropriate balance between respect for people’s polarized opinions and respect for the rights and liberties of Canadians. The status quo was maintained concerning rights on marriage and abortion plus he offered an extension of equal rights with married couples to gay unions.

Inclusive, respectful and electable.

Harper then continued to outline his plan for government and delivered it as if the writ could be dropped tomorrow. He pumped up the crowd and ended the speech with a lot of energy.

And on that… delegates exited the hall to vote for national council and on Stephen Harper’s leadership.

[Text of speech]

My friend Peter and I made our way towards the stage as the delegates filed out. A crowd had surrounded Preston Manning and Peter lined up to meet him. I chatted with MP Diane Ablonsky while the people in the small crowd otherwise tried to get a few words in with Preston. Then I chatted with Peter Mackay and thanked him for getting me involved during our chat at Ottawa’s Terry Fox run. We also talked about riding equality in order to build the party across Canada and received his encouragement for the formation of a youth wing for the party. I then received a text message from fellow Blogging Tory Lanny Cardow because they needed help upstairs scrutinizing the Harper confidence vote.

As an non-voting observer I met up with Lanny to see what I could do to help out. I manned the Quebec ballot box for a while and delived my “separate your ballots and fold twice instructions” in English and French a number of times. Fun stuff.

Even better times were had at the leader’s cocktail reception and post-speech parties. Stay tuned.