Ontario Party of Canada
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The Ontario Party of Canada was a political party in Canada that was founded in September 2002 by George Burns of London, Ontario to promote the interests of the Province of Ontario within the Canadian confederation. Burns, a former Liberal and past president of the London-North-Centre Canadian Alliance riding association, promised that a successful Ontario party would force the federal government to be run by a coalition of regions.
Burns, as organizer and interim leader, vowed to have 50 candidates in the next federal election. A founding workshop was held, a website was developed and the party applied to Elections Canada, the government elections agency, for party status.
The party issued two news releases, which resulted in articles in the National Post on September 9th, 2002 and September 16th, 2002.
But in February 2003, Burns wrote an article in The London Free Press newspaper endorsing the Canadian Alliance and promising that the Ontario party would live on, at least in spirit: "The Ontario Party of Canada will, for the time being, become an ardent advocate for the best interests of Ontarians and comment on national, provincial and municipal matters. Should the time ever arise when the electorate wants a regional representation in Parliament, we will be there. If this scenario never arises, advocacy and strategic support alliances will be the order of the day."
"Strategic support alliances" seems to be a lofty ambition for a "party" that never seemed to organize beyond setting up a website and sending out a couple of press releases.
In late 2003, Burns, the would-be defender of Ontario’s interests in Confederation, had moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he became active in the new Conservative Party of Canada. He was quoted as writing: "Several months ago we made the decision to fold the party and fully support Stephen Harper and the new and improved Conservative party. We are convinced that it will address Ontario's and every region's concerns."
The merger of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and the Canadian Alliance in late 2003 undermined the commitment of those who supported the Ontario Party.
Elections Canada reported on March 29, 2004 the party lost its eligibility to become registered because it failed to report a change of leader.
See also: List of political parties in Canada
External links
- Elections Canada: Eligible Political Parties (http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=pol&document=index&dir=par&lang=e&textonly=false#ontario)