EDMONTON — The Wildrose claims to be the party of free speech but has little credibility when some party members are muzzled by a $1,000 “good conduct” bond, says Thomas Lukaszuk, the PC candidate in Edmonton-Castle Downs.
“An election is exactly the time for dialogue with the voters, yet these party members are not allowed to talk?” said Lukaszuk.
“How can you reconcile that party policy with their claim to free votes and an open caucus?”
Lukaszuk said he was shocked when he first heard Wildrose Party holds on to a $1,000 cheque from each person who ran but lost a bid to become a Wildrose candidate.
The failed candidate will get the money back after the election — only if they do not criticize the Wildrose Party candidate or run for another party. (Those who won the candidate ticket received their $1,000 cheque immediately.)
This strategy is imported from the federal Conservatives who instituted it after the 2004 federal election, said Wildrose organizer and senate candidate Vitor Marciano.
In that federal election, some Conservative party members who failed to win their nomination race then went out in the election campaign and publicly endorsed the Liberals, said Marciano, who worked for the newly amalgamated federal party at the time.
“We thought it was a good rule so we brought into to our party,” said Marciano.
He also downplayed the “good-behaviour “ bond as an infringement of free speech.
“You can say what you want, but you will lose the $1,000,” said Marciano.
Also, “this has no bearing on how MLAs will act in caucus after the election,” he said. “This is about party discipline before the election.”
“Once they are elected, MLAs are obliged to represent everyone in the constituency.”
Marciano said for the Tories criticize the $1,000 bond is “ludicrous” since that party that has kicked out of caucus MLAs like Guy Boutilier who disagreed with the party line.
But Lukaszuk said the bond is to keep quiet “loose cannons” who would reveal the full character of the party if they talked. That’s also why all Wildrose candidates must check in the party’s headquarters before they can speak to the media.
Instead, the party relies on “a few trusted operatives” like Marciano who has been appearing at all party debates — even though he is a federal candidate, said Lukaszuk.
Lukaszuk that was especially apparent in three public debates in education in Edmonton during the campaign when Marciano spoke for the Wildrose instead of a local candidate.
“Education is 100 per cent a provincial responsibility, yet I was debating a federal candidate,” said Lukaszuk.
Marciano said since forums were not tied to local constituencies, it was decided he would be the spokesperson.
The Progressive Conservative party does not require a deposit from members running in a nomination race, party president Bill Smith confirmed. Some constituencies may require those who enter the race to pay $500 to help defray the costs of the nomination process.
The Wildrose good conduct bond is “highly unusual and speaks for itself,” he added.
The rules for a leadership race are different and the party requires a $15,000 deposit from the handful of candidates running in that contest, he added.
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