Tories push party to right as policy convention wraps up

Tories push party to right as policy convention wraps up
Calgary Herald Sunday, November 16, 2008
Page: A4 Section: News Dateline: WINNIPEG

Grassroots Conservatives wrapped up a subdued policy convention Saturday by approving resolutions that would push the party farther to the right on several fronts, but that largely affirm existing government policies.

Just over 2,000 delegates gathered in Winnipeg this week to celebrate last month's election victory and to debate changes to the party's central policy.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper set the tone for the convention when he urged delegates to take a more pragmatic and less ideological approach to policy-making as the government focuses on the economic slowdown.

In the end, the rank and file urged the party to press ahead with its tough-on-crime agenda, and support some long-held causes of rock-ribbed conservatives, such as curbing the powers of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

In the most contested vote of the day, party delegates narrowly passed a resolution supporting legislation that would impose additional charges on individuals who commit violence against pregnant women.

There was also spirited debate on a motion that would impose dangerous-offender status on any person convicted of a third serious offence, a variation of the U.S. "three-strikes" regime.

Delegates eventually passed the dangerous-offenders resolution, as well as a proposal to repeal the "faint-hope" clause that allows criminals with life sentences to apply for parole after 25 years in jail.