Ontario Party of Canada
The Ontario Party of Canada was a political party in Canada that was co-founded in September 2002 by George Burns and Bradley J. Harness of London, Ontario to promote the interests of the Province of Ontario within the Canadian confederation. Burns, a former Liberal and past president of the London-North-Centre Canadian Alliance riding association, and Harness, a former Progressive Conservative and regional organizer of the London area Reform Party of Canada and future party leader of the Reform Party of Ontario, both promised that a successful Ontario party would force the federal government to be run by a coalition of regions.
Burns, as interim leader, vowed to have 50 candidates in the next federal election. Harness, as the interim deputy leader and chief party organizer, quickly worked on the principles and policy for the Ontario Party of Canada. A founding workshop was held, a website was developed and the party applied to Elections Canada, the government elections agency, for party status.
The party issued two news releases, which resulted in articles in the National Post on September 9, 2002 and September 16, 2002.
But in February 2003, Burns wrote an article in The London Free Press newspaper endorsing the Canadian Alliance and promising that the Ontario party would live on, at least in spirit: "The Ontario Party of Canada will, for the time being, become an ardent advocate for the best interests of Ontarians and comment on national, provincial and municipal matters. Should the time ever arise when the electorate wants a regional representation in Parliament, we will be there. If this scenario never arises, advocacy and strategic support alliances will be the order of the day."
In late 2003, Burns, the would-be defender of Ontario’s interests in Confederation, had moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he became active in the new Conservative Party of Canada. He was quoted as writing: "Several months ago we made the decision to fold the party and fully support Stephen Harper and the new and improved Conservative party. We are convinced that it will address Ontario's and every region's concerns."
The merger of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and the Canadian Alliance in late 2003 undermined the commitment of those who supported the Ontario Party.
Elections Canada reported on March 29, 2004 the party lost its eligibility to become registered because it failed to report a change of leader.
Harness, as party leader of the provincial Reform Party of Ontario from 2007 to 2014, would use many principles from the federal Ontario Party of Canada within the provincial political party, including sovereignty regionalization.
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