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The Confederation of Regions Party was a Canadian political party founded in 1984 by Elmer Knutson as a successor to the Western Canada Federation (West-Fed), a non-partisan organization to fight the Ottawa Liberals. The CoR aimed to fill the void on the far right of the political spectrum left by the decline of the Social Credit Party of Canada and the growing unpopularity of the Progressive Conservatives of Brian Mulroney among westerners.
They took 2.1% of the vote, federally in 1984, in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Many former CoR supporters went on to support the Reform Party of Canada
The CoR captured about 2% of the vote in provincial elections in Ontario and Manitoba in 1990 and 1988.
In 1988, the CoR elected a new leader from New Brunswick. He led the party to 4.3% of the vote within the province in the federal election.
The party's greatest success came in the 1991 provincial election in New Brunswick where the provincial Liberals held all the seats in the legislature. The Progressive Conservatives in the province continued to be unpopular because of previous scandals when the party was in government. The CoR was able to capitalize on the situation and captured 21.2% of the vote (87,256 votes), while the Progressive Conservatives received only 20.7%. The CoR won 8 seats in the 58-seat provincial legislature, and formed the official opposition.
Lack of support from Acadians, and policies that were perceived by some to be extremist, led to the party's downfall. The party did not re-elect a single MLA in 1995, and fell behind the New Democrats in popular vote, receiving only 27,684 votes (7.1% of the popular vote).
In the 1999 provincial election, the party declined further, receiving only 2,807 votes (0.7% of the total. The party did not nominate candidates in the 2003 provincial election.
The CoR nominated candidates in the 1990, 1995, 1999, and 2003 Ontario elections (one candidate in each of the last two), and remains an official party in Ontario. This is ironic that the CoR survives only in Ontario when the original raison d'etre of CoR was to promote the rights of regions other than Ontario and Quebec.
COR wants to become a nationwide Federal Party, and wishes to represent all Canadians who want to live in a true democracy, restore Canada's prosperity and rebuild its National Institutions.
We want to become a egalitarian, populist party slightly to the right of center in the political spectrum
We aspire to be the elected representative of all Canadians who embrace these views about their nation.
A Canada that follows a policy of "CANADA FIRST"
A Canada that practices true democracy, where individual rights are paramount, majority rule is applied, minorities are protected by law and all citizens are equal
A Canada that teaches its people about their true history, celebrates their contributions, achievements and sacrifices and takes pride in its unique heritage and tradition
A Canada that is viewed by all as a land of "the true, north, strong and free
A Canada whose multi-racial and multi-cultural heritage is acknowledged but where Canadian nationality is neither divided or hyphenated and where on official language and one legal system based on common law serves to unite its people
We believe that Canada has evolved into four economic, geographic, commercial and political regions which, has the potential to become one strong and united nation once Canadians have been allowed to draft and ratify a true Constitution for Canada at a constituent assemble of elected delegates.
COR (whose name is derived from its belief) believes that in such a "CONFEDERATION of REGIONS" EACH REGION SHOULD BE FREE TO DEVELOP ITS POTENTIAL TO THE FULL WHILST COMPLEMENTING THE CANADIAN NATION AS A WHOLE
We believe that during the last 25 years Canadians have been unable to change things because of the political and economic bankruptcy of old line parties who encourage the enshrinement of flawed vision of Canada's future, a politically imposed Canadian Constitution, the greed of big business and the existence of an "establishment" comprised of institutionalized elites who strive to retain power by maintaining the status quo and perpetuating myths about Canada's past.
Our goals have been shaped by events of our times such as the latest recession that our politicians were eventually obliged to acknowledge and the presence of an ever growing number of homeless and hungry Canadian men, women and children who are now walking the streets and roads of this land in search of personal pride and dignity and a restored sense of what is means to be a Canadian.
Our policies have also been influenced by the cavalier attitude of the present government with regard to how its spends the taxpayer's dollar, its contempt for the nation's ever increasing national debt and its inability to address the rising unemployment that is eroding the foundations of Canadian society and which is now impacting negatively on Canadians from all walks of life.
THE OVERRIDING GOAL OF THE POLICIES IS TO RESTORE CANADIAN PROSPERITY AND BUILD CANADIAN DEMOCRACY.
See also:
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