CPAC's coverage of the afternoon of March 18 at the 2005 Conservative Party of Canada Policy Convention. Host Peter Van Dusen provides English language coverage, while host Pierre Donais provides coverage in French. The first segment of this coverage is primarily concerned with a resolution that was passed at a constitutional session earlier that morning. The resolution would change the weighting system for delegate representation from one that treated all ridings equally no matter how many members each riding had, to a system that allowed one delegate from each electoral district association for each ten members of that association, up to a maximum of ten delegates. The passing of this resolution sparked conflict, as an agreement that the system would not be changed was one of the key terms of the merger between the Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance parties. MP Scott Reid, who voted for the resolution, is interviewed, and comments are also provided by Senator Marjory LeBreton, SES Research President Nik Nanos, and former PC leadership candidate Michael Fortier. Van Dusen interviews Peter MacKay, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party and the strongest opponent of the resolution. Next, Van Dusen and CPAC's Holly Doan discuss some of the resolutions passed and rejected that morning, regarding the Kyoto Protocol, urban public transit, and daycare. This is followed by a lunch time program of speakers, with Conservative Senator Donald Oliver serving as MC. The speakers are Jim Prentice, Conservative MP, Michel Kelly Gagnon, President of the Montreal Economic Institute, and Monte Solberg, Conservative MP. After lunch, host Pierre Donais interviews Bernard Lord, Premier of New Brunswick, as well as Quebec delegates Michael Fortier and Andrea Paine. This is followed by coverage of the afternoon policy workshop titled “Creating Jobs and Prosperity,” where resolutions regarding the export of fresh water, border security and cost, transportation, rural development and support, agricultural supply management, food safety and security, and resource management are moved, spoken for or against, and voted on by the attending delegates. At the end of the workshop, each delegate chooses their top five most important resolutions from those that were passed during the workshop; the most popular resolutions will be considered at the March 19 plenary session. The coverage ends with Peter MacKay speaking to the press about the controversial weighting system resolution. <329mn 20s>
