By: Cecilia Forsyth
Western Vice President
REAL Women of Canada
REAL Women of Canada is a non-partisan organization. However, it is within our mandate to encourage individual members to be active in the political party of their choice, particularly a party that has family friendly policies.
As a result, many of our members attended the Conservative Party Convention, held from November 13th – 15th in Winnipeg. We participated as individuals representing our local EDA’s (electoral district association) and as REAL Women supporting family friendly policies. Although this Convention had fewer identified pro-life/pro-family delegates than past conventions, we accomplished our goals by working with other delegates, Members of Parliament and the 4MY CANADA group.
As REAL Women coordinator for the Convention, I was ably assisted by another REAL Women member of Saskatchewan, Marcy Millette, who is a prominent leader in the pro-life movement. In fact it was the two of us, unknown to each other, who proposed the resolution Protecting Pregnant Women (Policy 207), which was submitted to the National Policy Committee by our respective EDA’s. Other REAL Women members who worked tirelessly before and during the Convention included Jeannine Lebel (Powassan, Ontario), Lorraine McNamara (Oshawa, Ontario) and Joanne and John Carroll (Thunder Bay, Ontario).
Having actively participated in five policy Conventions since 2000, I can honestly say that every Convention has its challenges, and the Winnipeg Convention was not different. For starters, the fall election brought the Conservative Party policy development process to a grinding halt. Instead of EDA’s ranking resolutions to go to the National Convention, this final process was performed by the Party’s National Policy Committee. Consequently, delegates did not know which policy proposals would be debated until about 10 days prior to the Convention. Most of the Convention delegates received the policy resolutions documents by e-mail. However, some of us, myself included, never did, but other people quickly forwarded the documents as needed.
The week prior to the Convention was short and busy. A chain letter type of communication process was implemented to contact individuals and groups across Canada soliciting support for Policy Resolution 207 (protecting pregnant women). Two Convention handouts were prepared and distributed under the name of “Conservatives for REAL Conservative Values” to reflect the wide range of people who supported our efforts.
Various MP’s were also contacted. Former Albert MP and sponsor of the Private Members Bill C-484 Unborn Victims of Violent Act, Ken Epp, agreed to be the second speaker in support of the Protecting Pregnant Women resolution. Each resolution was allowed two speakers for and two speakers against. The Convention guidelines further stated that the EDA, which submitted the resolution, would be the first speaker to introduce it, so I was the first speaker at the workshop and at the Plenary session.
Another bonus came by way of Winnipeg MP Rod Bruinooge (now the chairman of the all party Parliamentary Pro-Life Caucus), who notified me three days before the Convention that the 4MY CANADA group would prepare and distribute flyers in support of Policy 207. This was great news and we were grateful to have the assistance of the lovely young women from 4MY CANADA.
The Convention registration package contained four policy documents and two Constitution documents. Three of the policy packs contained resolutions for delegates to discuss and vote on during the Friday breakout sessions. The fourth package included 56 resolutions for handout ballot voting (i.e. no discussion). To add further interest to the handout ballot, resolution P-56 was an omnibus resolution which would either add or delete wording to 78 different policies. The instructions stated that this resolution was prepared by the National Policy Committee to ensure the 2005 Policy Declaration is sufficiently updated to reflect our years in Government. It was a trick way, however, to add or delete certain issues. The second Constitution package contained 16 resolutions for handout ballot voting.
The three policy workshops were:
Canada’s Economy;
Canada’s Social and Democratic Framework; and
Protecting Canada’s Health & Safety.
These workshops ran concurrently with the Constitution workshop. It was next to impossible to attend more than one workshop because at the conclusion of each session delegates in the room would choose their top five resolutions passed at that workshop. The top five resolutions from each workshop would go to the Saturday Plenary for final debate and voting.
Our focus was “Canada’s Social and Democratic Framework”. Our handout-voting guide for this workshop recommended delegates support five particular resolutions and oppose three. To pass the breakout session, a resolution had to receive more than 50% of the vote. The five policy resolutions we supported passed the workshop vote and the Plenary vote. The three we opposed were defeated in workshop.
The Policies REAL Women Supported and Opposed
Policy 202 – Affirm Charter – Passed Workshop and Plenary Vote
We supported P 202 which added a new clause to existing policy by stating that the Conservative Party re-affirms the legitimacy of the entire Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including Section 33 (Notwithstanding Clause) which allows Parliament or the legislature to “override” a decision of the courts for a five-year period, and which override can be renewed.
Policy 203 Human Rights Commission Jurisdiction – Passed Workshop and Plenary Vote
We supported P 203 which added a new clause to existing policy. The policy supports removing authority from the Canadian Human Rights Commission and Tribunals to receive, investigate or adjudicate complaints related to Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act. (S. 13 allows the Commission to determine whether “hate crimes” have taken place on the internet).
Policy 207 Protecting Pregnant Women – Passed Workshop and Plenary Vote
A curious thing happened immediately prior to the workshop discussion on Policy 207. The National Policy Chair entered the room to give his (unscheduled) Committee report which took 10-15 minutes. As he was speaking many delegates rushed into the back of the room. Clearly this manoeuvre was to give other Convention delegates time to enter the workshop room so they could vote against the resolution P 207. Fortunately, the Party robots did not achieve their goal. P 207 readily passed with a large majority of the workshop vote. The extra, on-the-spot voting delegates then left the workshop. Some would return at the end of the workshop when delegates voted for their top five resolutions. Apparently, this type of chicanery took place in other workshops as well.
Policy 210 Family and Marriage – Defeated in Workshop Vote
We opposed P 210 since it would have deleted two basic principles which we believe should be retained as Party Policy:
The Conservative Party believes that Parliament, through a free vote, and not the courts, should determine the definition of marriage; and
A Conservative Government will support legislation defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
I spoke against P 210 not only because it would have deleted these two major basic principles but also it was further flawed in that it only referred to the freedom of religious organizations to maintain the traditional definition of marriage, instead of respecting the freedom of all individuals to have this right.
Policy 211 Polygamy – Defeated in Workshop Vote
This proposal was similar to P 210 in that parts of existing policy would be deleted and new clauses would be added.
It would have deleted the existing clauses which provided that a Conservative Government would support the freedom of religious organizations to determine their own practices with respect to marriage and would support legislation defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
P 210 or P 211 would have been supported by REAL Women if either resolution had just added new clauses to current policy instead of deleting major portions of the existing policy. We later learned that the National Policy Committee intended to put the entire section on Marriage on the handout ballot recommending that it be deleted from party policy. However, since P 210 and P 211 would have essentially done the job for them, the policy on Marriage was left off the handout ballot.
Policy 212 Child Care – Defeated at the Workshop Vote
We opposed P 212, as it would have deleted the entire existing Policy section 66 on Child Care. In summary, section 66 provides that parents are in the best position to determine the education and care of their children, and that they should be able to do so in an environment that encourages as many options as possible and in a manner that does not discriminate against those who opt to raise their children in family, social, linguistic and religious environments. Jeannine Lebel spoke effectively against this resolution. The National Policy chair supported deleting Section 66 claiming it was the same as S. 64. What he failed to tell us was that the omnibus handout resolution would delete S. 64. Fortunately, P 212 was defeated.
Policy 213 Women – Passed at Workshop and Plenary Vote
We supported P 213 which removed feminist language from the existing policy. Gender equality was changed to “the full participation of women in the social, economic and cultural life of Canada”. Equal pay for work of equal value was changed to “equal pay for equal work”.
Policy 218 Diversity Principles – Passed at Workshop and Plenary
We supported P 218 as it improved the language of the existing policy supporting Canadian common values such as equality, democracy and the rule of law.
Policy 305 Income Splitting – Passed in Workshop and Plenary
P 305 was in the workshop on Canada’s Economy. It amended a clause under existing Policy, Section 20 on Family Tax Fairness by calling for income splitting for couples with children.
Policy 119 Human Trafficking – Passed in Workshop and Plenary
P 119 was debated in the workshop on “Protecting Canada’s Health & Safety”. It added new policy stating that the Conservative Party takes strong action to combat human trafficking and take a lead in developing international agreements and protocols against human trafficking.
Resolution Process
Resolutions at the Plenary session had to pass the double majority rule with the majority of delegates as well as the majority of provinces in support of the resolution. If the hand vote were close, an electronic vote would be taken to confirm the results.
The Plenary Session was supposed to have only two speakers for and two speakers against a resolution. However, all the resolutions prior to P 207 had three to four speakers on each side of the discussion. Beginning with Policy 207, only two speakers for and two against were allowed. It passed with 58% of the delegate vote and with the support of the majority of the provinces. The Human Trafficking resolution, P 119, passed the plenary with an unanimous vote.
Purpose of a Policy Convention
The main purpose at the Policy Convention is to support or oppose particular policy, but there are other added benefits of attending as well. A Convention offers a great opportunity to speak to many Members of Parliament and to expand our network of pro-family supporters. For example, at one MP information session, REAL Women member Corry Morcos from Edmonton, was able to question the new Health Minister about the HPV vaccine, Gardasil.
Leaving the Winnipeg Convention was a satisfying experience, knowing the pro-family, pro-life delegates passed all the resolutions that we wanted to pass! Of course, that does not mean our work is finished. We must continue being active within the local ridings of the Conservative Party of Canada (or the party of your choice) until Canada becomes a nation that respects the right to life of all human beings and recognizes and supports the traditional values of family and marriage. Even if it takes us the rest of our lives, we must continue working and praying to accomplish these goals.
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