The cut-off date for membership is February 29, 2004. The vote is to take place March 19 - 21, 2004.

The following was taken from www.realwomenca.com site.  Please read and decide for yourselves.

THE NEWLY-FORMED CONSERVATIVE PARTY ENDANGERED

February 4, 2004

The Belinda Stronach Campaign, backed by massive money, is purchasing a large number of memberships, not only in Quebec, but also in city ridings in Vancouver and Toronto. It is also selling memberships over the telephone to all residents in Canada.

Although much of the coverage of her campaign is media hype, it is nonetheless a fact that her money and large paid staff of 50 individuals, as well as many highly placed advisors, have created the possibility that she may win the Conservative party leadership. Even if she does not win, she may still have enough support to position herself as the kingmaker after the first round of voting. Her supporters may then be in the position to determine the outcome of the Conservative leadership.

Ms. Stronach will probably receive support from all of Quebec due to the campaign now being carried out there by paid Brian Mulroney organizers. This means that Ms. Stronach can be assured that she will receive 7,500 points from Quebec with its instant members. She will also receive a significant number of points from the Atlantic provinces where the other candidates' (Stephen Harper and Tony Clement) campaigns are not strong. The West, which has fewer ridings, will support Mr. Harper. Mr. Clement, a former Ontario Conservative Cabinet Minister, will pick up strength in Ontario and some in BC. However, the race appears to be between Mr. Harper and Ms. Stronach.

The race has been intensified by the fact that the purchase of bulk memberships was approved by the Conservative Party's interim governing body on February 2nd. This may well open the door to abuse of the system, particularly when money is no object. Further, the future of the Conservative party may be determined by these "instant" members who will return to political limbo once they have cast their paid for vote - leaving the party under the control of the left-of-center (red) Conservatives.

As outlined in our previous bulletin, dated January 29, 2004, if Ms. Stronach is elected as leader of the Conservative Party, social conservatives will no longer have a voice in Canada, since the red Tories who are orchestrating Ms. Stronach's campaign will have acquired control of the party machinery. It also means that if Stronach is leader of the party, there is a likelihood the party will be demolished by the Liberals in the forthcoming federal election, as had occurred in 1993 under Conservative leader, Kim Campbell.

What Can be Done?

It is crucial that Ms. Stronach not be elected leader of the Conservative party. Consequently, it is important to look to the other two candidates, MP Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest) and Tony Clement, former Minister of Health in Ontario's recently defeated Conservative government. Mr. Clement lost his provincial seat in that election.
Although REAL Women is non-partisan, and cannot take an outright position on any of the candidates, we can, nonetheless, bring to the attention of others, information on the candidates. None of the three candidates is pro-life. Mr. Harper and Mr. Clement are on record as supporting the traditional definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Ms. Stronach supports same-sex marriage.

There are differences in the political history of Mr. Harper and Mr. Clement, however. The difference is that Mr. Clement was a member of the Ontario Conservative Cabinet in October 1999, when it amended the 67 provincial statutes to provide "marital" benefits to homosexual/lesbian partners. He was also a part of the Cabinet which appointed homosexual, Keith Norton, as Chairman of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, despite many letters protesting the appointment. Consequently, we can take no comfort from his present position on the same-sex marriage issue. Mr. Harper, on the other hand brought in the Motion on September 16, 2003, in the House of Commons, in support of the traditional definition of marriage. If Mr. Harper is elected leader, it is likely that most of its social conservative members will remain in the party. Should Ms. Stronach obtain the leadership, then the social conservatives would probably not have a home in the party.

It is important, therefore, that social conservatives become involved in this crucial leadership campaign if we wish to have conservative social values promoted in Canada.

The key battleground in this campaign, as usual, is the province of Ontario. This is not to suggest that the Atlantic provinces and the West are not also extremely significant. However, the population of Ontario and its 103 ridings will weigh heavily in the leadership race. The cut-off date for membership is February 29, 2004. The vote is to take place March 19 - 21, 2004.

It is recommended, therefore, that social conservatives obtain memberships in the conservative party. Memberships can be purchased from its website: www.conservative.ca