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NDP DECLINES CAP’s MERGER PROPOSAL

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Hellyer Resigns as CAP Leader and Calls for Leadership Convention.

“It is with profound regret that I now realize the New Democratic Party has declined the proposal of the Canadian Action Party to merge in order to form the nucleus of a new mainline progressive pro-Canada party which would offer Canadians a real alternative in the next election,” Paul Hellyer said today.

“Both the Liberal Party under Paul Martin and the new Conservative Party, are committed to deeper economic and military integration with the U.S. leading, in my opinion, to ultimate annexation by that country,” he added.

“So I am still convinced that the ‘new party’ idea was a good o­ne and I know that the proposal enjoyed wide approval both with some members of the NDP and with progressives and patriots from other parties who felt it would provide them with a new and comfortable home.  But it is not to be because the NDP is not willing to give up its name, at least before the election, which was o­ne of the conditions of the CAP proposal,” Hellyer explained.

“Consequently, in accordance with my commitment to CAP when the merger resolution was unanimously adopted at its Biennial Convention in September, of last year, I am today submitting my resignation as leader of the party and asking the Executive to hold a leadership convention at the earliest possible date.  It has been an honour to serve with such a dedicated group of people but the time has come to move o­n,” he concluded.

Connie Fogal, CAP’s President said: “Paul Hellyer is o­ne of the great Canadian patriots of our time.  Anyone who has heard him speak or who has read o­ne of his two latest books, “Goodbye Canada” or “One Big Party: To Keep Canada Independent,” will understand the depth of his love for Canada and the passion with which he has fought to maintain its continued existence as a nation state.”

Paul Hellyer was first elected to the House of Commons 55 years ago this June.  He was the youngest MP at the time and the youngest cabinet minister when appointed to Louis St. Laurent’s government eight years later.  He subsequently held senior posts in the governments of Lester B. Pearson and Pierre E. Trudeau, who defeated him for the Liberal Party leadership in 1968.  The following year, after achieving the rank of senior minister, which was later designated as Deputy Prime Minister, Hellyer resigned from the Trudeau cabinet because it would not support his recommendations for affordable housing.

@ January 30, 2004