Bella Bella, B.C. - Wednesday, February 18, 2004 - by: Ken Richardson
	Amidst the discussion of false Liberal Party membership and Liberal rule-breaking in matters of public finance, I am intrigued by recent Conservative Party of Canada internal correspondence which describes the Agreement-in-principle (PDF),  on the Progressive Conservative - Canadian Alliance merger, as "the Party Constitution."
	It seems to be forgotten that the original definition of qualification for membership in the party, in the Agreement-in-principle and thus in "the Party Constitution," was that
	"members who join or renew their membership in either the Progressive Conservative Party or the Alliance after October 15, 2003 will automatically become members of the Conservative Party."
	At its first meeting, the Interim Joint Council, realising that the writers of the Agreement made a major blunder and the new party would have very few members, took it upon itself to unilaterally disregard the "Party Constitution" and change the rule by dictate so that, without the constitutional requirement of membership fee or expressed intent to join the party,
	"membership in the Conservative Party of Canada to December 31, 2004 [would] be given to anyone who was a member in good standing in either the Canadian Alliance or Progressive Conservative Party as of December 7th, 2003."
	In effect, before the current sign up campaign of new members by leadership candidates, about 100,000 out of 120,000 on the membership list were -- and still are -- illegitimate members.
	But then, "What else is new?" This whole Conservative Party of Canada and so-called "conservative movement" thing has been a strange tragicomedy from the beginning.  In backroom decisions outside the public limelight, constitutional principles have been deemed very much secondary to misjudged issues of expediency, fraud and undemocratic procedures in establishing the new (neo) Conservative Party.
	The current disaster of specific mismanagement within the Liberal government is, alas! accompanied by a disaster of incompetence within Her Majesty's loyal opposition, and, in pursuit of power, by general disrespect for the rule of law, which is far worse for the future of our country.
	Ken Richardson
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