Former federal cabinet minister Chuck Strahl says Conservatives need to “beef up efforts” at the municipal level to gain traction in jurisdictions where Conservative values and philosophy do not traditionally hold sway.
Strahl, who was first elected to Parliament with the Reform Party in the 1993 election and later as a Conservative held the Agriculture, Indian Affairs and Transportation cabinet portfolios, said in an interview Wednesday that Conservative ideals are badly under-represented in local politics.
“If you’ve been out of office for two or three elections in a row, we need to have discussions about what we can do to change that,” he said. “We just think it’s a mistake to hope for the best at the municipal level when not only is there a huge amount of money being spent but it’s also a training ground for people who want to move up to the federal level.”
Now a consultant, registered lobbyist and director and chairman of the Manning Centre, Strahl will speak on the state of conservatism at The Manning Networking Conference, which takes place Thursday through Saturday at the Shaw Centre, formerly the Ottawa Convention Centre.
Strahl, who left federal politics in 2011, said the purpose of his speech would be to challenge and stimulate Conservative-minded people to think about how the movement can improve.
The annual conferences have been held since 2008 to discuss policy and political strategy. The centre, based in Calgary, was founded by former Reform Party leader Preston Manning.
Finance Minister Joe Oliver will be part of a Friday morning discussion titled Strengthening the Confidence of Taxpayers and Investors. Oliver has delayed the federal government’s budget until at least April, blaming uncertainty caused by the sharp drop in oil prices creating a volatile economy.
The Supreme Court’s recent unanimous ruling to strike down assisted-suicide laws will be discussed at a Saturday morning panel featuring Manitoba Conservative MP and former cabinet minister Steven Fletcher, a quadriplegic who has said he favours assisted suicide.
On Friday afternoon, Industry Minister James Moore and Treasury Board President Tony Clement will lead a discussion on Technology and Politics in the 21st Century.
On Saturday afternoon, Kellie Leitch, minister of status of women, will take part in a Women in Politics discussion, and Defence Minister Jason Kenney will take part in a discussion titled Canada’s Role in a Dangerous World.
