Winnipeg Free Press
Sat March 4 2006
REBUILDING the provincial Conservative party means giving it back to its grassroots, leadership hopeful Hugh McFadyen said yesterday.
The Fort Whyte MLA said before he can go to the people of Manitoba and ask them to vote for him as premier, he must turn the provincial Tories into a strong foundation from which to build a government.
"We need to re-engage the membership," said McFadyen at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.
It was the first campaign platform statement he has made since announcing his candidacy in the leadership race last month.
McFadyen was the second leadership candidate this week to suggest the party needs to give the grassroots more control over party policy. On Wednesday, MLA Ron Schuler said the party needs to stop running itself from the top down and must instead give party members a bigger say.
McFadyen unveiled a nine-point plan yesterday to give party members a feeling they are being heard.
Among his proposals are engaging the membership in policy development by putting a policy director on the executive committee of every Tory riding association, mandating an annual policy convention and allowing members to grill the party leader about policies at that convention. He would also reach out to Progressive Conservative youth and set up a PC party office in Brandon to give members outside Winnipeg easier access to party officials.
The Tory leadership race will be contested April 29 in Winnipeg. In addition to Schuler and McFadyen, Neepawa businessman Ken Waddell is in the race.
MLA Myrna Driedger, former cabinet minister Darren Praznik, Tory staffer David Langtry and MLA David Faurschou are all still considering joining the race.
They have until March 15 to decide.