Appellation Tory misleading
Niagara Falls, Ontario - Monday, February 9, 2004 - by: Joe Hueglin
	1,500,000 Canadians cast their votes as Tories in Election 2000 rejecting both the Liberals and the Reform/Alliance. Reading the headline "Tory hopefuls woo Atlantic Canada"(1) is most unsettling, for though facile to transfer the appellation Tory to the new Conservative Party of Canada, doing so is misleading.
	All three leadership candidates were Reform/Alliance supporters, not Tories. All hold the neo-conservative values of lower taxes, a reduced role for governments in general, and particularly that of the Government of Canada. For them greater decision making power ought to be in the hands of the provinces, the parts of our country, rather than the national government.
	Specifics in the "Areas of Agreement Conservative Party of Canada Partial Policy Statement" (2) such as referendums and "an equal Senate" reflect Reform/Alliance directions, not those of Tories, yet they have been agreed to by those who expedited the merger with the Alliance.
	The name Progressive Conservative is gone from national politics. The Conservative Party of Canada owns the brand name Conservative. The Canadian Press article stating that John Herron, elected as a Progressive Conservative, a Tory "has refused to join the new Conservative Party of Canada" (3) illustrates the incongruousness of having Tory Party applied to it as well.
	In 2004 Tories must make the choice they rejected in 2000, voting for the Liberals and the Conservative Party of Canada, which to many is the re-re-named Reform/Alliance.
	It will most certainly not be between the Liberals and the Tory Party, for that choice is no longer available to them.
	Joe Hueglin
References:
1.	Broadcast News, Tory hopefuls woo Atlantic Canada, (PDF) February 6, 2004, National Post
2.	Area of agreement Conservative Party of Canada Partial Policy Statement (PDF)
3.	Cheadle, Bruce, Tory MP John Herron set to jump to Liberals(PDF),February 5, 2004, Canadian press
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