Harper wants MacKay as his deputy: source - Globe and Mail

[Screaming Lord Byron]

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040316.wxconservatives0316/BNStory/National/

Ottawa — Conservative leadership front-runner Stephen Harper is poised to offer the No. 2 position to former Progressive Conservative Party leader Peter MacKay in a bid to unify the party should he win the top job on Saturday, The Globe and Mail has learned.

Mr. Harper is preparing to ask Mr. MacKay to take on the role of deputy leader, but first wants to clear the issue with Elsie Wayne, who currently holds the job, sources said. Giving the job to Mr. MacKay would go a long way toward healing whatever rifts are left within the party when the campaign ends on Saturday.

Mr. Harper is seen as the favourite to win the leadership, with some polls saying he can win it on the first ballot.

"I can tell you that Stephen's thinking of that," a source said. "I think that's something he would do ..... Peter would be a great spokesman for the party out there."

-Yeah, Stephen, don't worry about having to win the leadership election before you start handing out the spoils, eh?
Traitor-boy MacKay should look to his seat. I don't think he'll have one once this election is over. Good riddance.

[Spazito]

1. Is there anyone who doesn't think that this was already agreed to...

prior to the leadership race? It just proves that the Alliance is alive and kicking, the Conservatives are now subservient to them and they will not win in the upcoming election.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

3. Doesn't Mackay qualify for some sort of massive treachery award?

Could he be any more self-interested?

[Spazito]

5. Yep, he sure does, imo...

I am sure he knew that the Alliance was padding the Conservative membership prior to the "merger" vote and didn't do squat about it. He was bought and paid for, imo.

[MrPrax]

2. "Stephen and Peter sitting in a tree..."

Get a room fun boys!!!

'clear it with Elsie'--love that provisio (why bother with the membership!)

Jeez you figure the out-going Elsie will approve?

Thx to the Glob and Pail for the hard insight...

[Screaming Lord Byron]

4. What can Elsie Wayne do?

Oh, sorry, even though it's not my job anymore, I don't want you to have it?
What a load of shite.

[Holly]

6. funny how

I find myself feeling really bad for Joe Clark today. I suspect that Harper and MacKay planned this before MacKay won the PC Leadership. And to think, these two are going to try and make " honesty and integrity" the central issue of the election. Yuck!
I was watching "Politics with Don Newman" yesterday( yes I'm a dork), he and some reporters were saying that there are rumors in Ottawa that when Harper wins, the old PCs are walking. Apparently they feel that this is more than gossip.
Harper could be doing a pre-emptive strike, trying to keep the PCs in the party. It's the only reason that I can think of, that he'd choose a Deputy before he's won. How arrogant is that! Lets' hope it's true, and they all leave. Wouldn't Harper and MacKay be humiliated,hahahah!

[Screaming Lord Byron]

7. It's no rumour, those PC's are walking.

The process has already started, and you may be surprised as to where some of them are going.
Very few PC'ers are staying with the Reformers.

[Holly]

8. Hooray!

I can't wait. I can't believe how much I despise Harper. Every time I see this guy, he reminds of Bush*. He's one of those people who benefited when the media just ignored him. The more you see him, the more you dislike him.

[Spazito]

9. I hope they walk to the NDP....

that way it might give the balance of power to the NDP instead of the Bloc if there is a minority Liberal government. I want the Alliance to go down big time!

[Screaming Lord Byron]

10. There is a surprising middle ground between the Dalton Camp camp

(bad pun)/ nationalist wing of the PC's and the NDP, and it appears in the polls that at least a quarter, more likely a third of the old PC party is now supporting the NDP. I have heard rumours of a new Canadian Progressive Party (which I would guess David Orchard to be behind), but I have no hard facts yet.

[Holly]

11. Wow

I saw that too. I went to their web site yesterday. Is Joe Clark in? I suspected David Orchard. Is this a new progressive party, for NDP leaning Red Torys ( that won't move to NDP)? How exiting! Will the PCers who move NDP and other direction make it public, oh I hope so!

edited for clarity.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

12. What was the website?

I haven't seen that.

[Minstrel Boy]

13. I found this:

http://www.progressiveparty.ca/

Not much info there yet, though.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

15. Who would launch something like this right before an election?

Doesn't strike me as very good timing.

[Minstrel Boy]

17. Someone with delusions of influence.

Say, that could be David Orchard, Paul Hellyer or Mel Hurtig. Or all three. Wouldn't that be somethin'? ;)

[Holly]

18. Well Copps

is looking for a party, she could join too!

[Screaming Lord Byron]

20. DEAR GOD NO!

She'd only run for leadership, then bitch about it when she loses.

Then she'd run for leader again.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

19. Apparently Mel is going to be speaking at an NDP event in Victoria.

His daughter is in the party. We were considering inviting him to speak at our nomination meeting, but it seemed like a pretty dodgy idea. You don't want someone dissing the party at something like that.

I would suspect Hellyer behind this site, the phone number is in Vancouver, and as Hurtig is in Edmonton and Orchard is in Prince Albert, I suspect it has something to do with the CAP.

[Minstrel Boy]

21. So much, then, for Hellyer's "One Big Party" fantasy.

His mouse that roared dream of CAP "merging" with the NDP was quite the pathetic exercise. Layton handled it gracefully: welcoming CAP members (er, how many would that be?) to join the party, but declining Hellyer's condition of a name change. So Hellyer, in a fit of pique, quits as CAP's Dear Leader.

Jeesh. Get over yourself, already. Isn't the NDP the only party Hellyer hasn't joined yet? That's a feather in our, er, cap.

[Holly]

14. Here the link

<http://www.progressiveparty.ca/>

[Screaming Lord Byron]

16. I notice the phone number doesn't work.

That can't bode well.

[daleo]

22. Harper learned from the finest (Richard Perle, et al)

"What is the significance of Stephen Harper's attendance at the 2003 Bilderberg meeting in Versailles?

The 2003 guest list includes names such as David Rockefeller, Richard Perle, Klaus Schwab (World Economic Forum), Henry Kissinger, the King and Queen of Spain, Paul Wolfowitz and a host of other bankers, corporate heads and royalty. Some Canadians in attendance included Conrad Black, Mark Steyn (National Post) Heather Reisman (Chapters-Indigo), Anthony Fell (RBC Dominion Securities) and Stephen Harper, Leader of the Opposition."


Although to be fair, Chretien and Paul Martin are also reported to have been to these things.

http://alberta.indymedia.org/news/2003/06/7289.php