CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA - NATIONAL CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT RESOLUTIONS - 2011 - EDA SUBMISSIONS
# SEC# SPONSORING EDA RESOLUTION
35093 - Toronto Centre 4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Membership in the Party is open to every citizen or permanent resident of Canada who:
4.1.1 has attained the minimum age as specified by by-law;
4.1.2 actively supports the principles of the Party;
4.1.3 signifies their intention to join the Party; and
4.1.4 has personally paid the Party’s national membership fee in the amount specified by by-law and in
1 4.1 the manner specified by National Council which shall set rules and procedures to provide reasonable
assurance that the membership fee was paid by the member personally; and
4.1.5 is not an individual holding a membership in another federal political party .
48005 - Calgary-Nose Hill 5.3 Electoral district associations shall comply with such requirements as to their governance, financial
management and reporting, as may be implemented by National Council by bylaw or otherwise. Set out by
2 5.3 their perspective Conservative Party of Canada Electoral District Association Constitutions.
47001 - Battlefords-Lloydminster All CPC Electoral District Association Board of Director Members shall sign a declaration supporting the
Constitution of the Conservative Party of Canada, National Council, the Leader, the incumbent MP or
Candidate, and fellow Board of Director members. All CPC EDA Directors will also acknowledge their
3 5.4 understanding that all disputes shall be addressed through the provisions of the Constitution of the CPC,
the Constitution of their local EDA, and any other documents that direct the Council’s, Leader’s, nominees’,
MPs’, Board’s activities and conduct..
48024 - Vegreville-Wainwright Add new 5.4:
Electoral district associations will be guided by the EDA Organization and Procedures Manual which
4 5.4 outlines the obligations and responsibilities of Board members. This manual will be updated on a regular
basis as required.
35069 - Parry Sound-Muskoka Add new 5.4:
To ensure that proper communication is made with other EDA's in the region it is a requirement that
national headquarters will organize a meeting of all area EDA presidents on at least a quarterly basis. This
5 5.4 meeting can be in person, or via teleconference or other method that allows the exchange of ideas and
issues that will allow EDA's to work together to promote conservative values The national party will also
make available a lists of contact information to all EDA's available to all EDA's on a quarterly basis.. .
24021 - Hochelaga Amend Part 6. Governance Objectives part 6.1.1
6.1.1 full representation of interests and views of members through a policy committee established in each
6 6.1.1 province which aims to gather input from members on an ongoing basis to directly influence the policy
direction of the party
35052 - Nepean-Carleton The National Council shall keep EDA’s well informed in a timely fashion concerning policy initiatives,
achievements or issues, and so enable EDA’s to better promote Conservatism at the local level and assure
party members that their voices are being heard.
7 6
Page 1
RATIONALE
The reason for proposing this amendment is as follows:
To "protect" the internal electoral processes of the Conservative Party of Canada
from interference by our political competitors.
While various bylaws have been enacted to protect the processes by which CPA
members elect their EDA Board of Directors, select their Candidate for the next election,
and nominate delegates for National Convention, we feel this would be less half hazardly
addressed if the Constitution clearly disqualified any persons who are a currently member
of another federal political party. A similar stipulation currently applies to those running for
National Council.
This will remove national council form the day to day operations of electoral district
associations. These responsibilities are already covered within the Electoral District
Association's Constitution AND within this doccument.
To ensure all Board Members are aware of their team and support systems, their
obligations, rights, and limitations. That concerns will be addressed internally, and so that
Board Members and the CPC will have the knowledge and confidence that their legitimate
concerns will be addressed appropriately through a mechanism for resolving disputes
among local boards, national council, the party membership, and the candidate/MP.
EDAs encourage the participation of new members. It would be helpful for Boards of
Directors, the Executive and the members to have a manual explaining organization,
procedures, responsibilities, etc. This manual would include the Bylaws of the Party for
easy reference.
Being as we are a grass roots party it makes sense to have regional meetings with all
EDA's in order that issues, problems and successes can be shared so that EDA's can
learn from the successes and failures of other EDA's. This will also help EDA's to work
together to promote conservative values. Good communication is the backbone of every
successful organization and as such it makes sense that the people at the national office
are involved in facilitating this in every way possible in order to allow the EDA's to work
together to achieve the goal of electing conservative MP's to Parliament.
Members can reflect and convey their opinions on issues on an ongoing basis rather than
waiting for the next conference. The committee would provide to members a means of
ongoing communication and thus enrich the ideas of the Conservative Party of Canada
The riding association has two fundamental and complementary roles. One is to mobilize
support and funds to elect the EDA candidate as the local Member of Parliament. The
other is to promote Conservatism in the riding. This includes the development of policy
and the distribution of news outlining successes in putting party policies into legislation
and government practices.
The Party is very good in supporting the first role but needs to develop a similar
proficiency in the second role. There is currently insufficient communication about policy
matters from the National Council to the EDA’s. Armed with better information, the EDA’s
would be in a far stronger position to promote Conservatism.
 CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA - NATIONAL CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT RESOLUTIONS - 2011 - EDA SUBMISSIONS
# SEC# SPONSORING EDA
59009 - Fleetwood-Port Kells
8 7.5
48007 - Calgary South East
9 7.5.1
48005 - Calgary-Nose Hill
10 7.6
35061 - Oshawa
35072 - Pickering-Scarborough East
35014 - Durham
35058 - Northumberland-Quinte West
11 13.7 35029 - Haliburton-Kawartha-Brock
35071 - Peterborough
35099 - Whitby-Oshawa
35001 - Ajax-Pickering
35061 - Oshawa
35072 - Pickering-Scarborough East
35014 - Durham
35058 - Northumberland-Quinte West
12 8.0 35029 - Haliburton-Kawartha-Brock
35071 - Peterborough
35099 - Whitby-Oshawa
35001 - Ajax-Pickering
35061 - Oshawa
35072 - Pickering-Scarborough East
35014 - Durham
35058 - Northumberland-Quinte West
13 8.0 35029 - Haliburton-Kawartha-Brock
35071 - Peterborough
35099 - Whitby-Oshawa
35001 - Ajax-Pickering
RESOLUTION
7.5 The following shall be entitled to vote as delegates to a national convention:
7.5.1 a equal scaled number not exceeding 10 of delegates based on membership from each electoral
district association, not to exceed 20 delegates, based on the following scale:
0 - 200 members: 10 delegates
201 - 500: 15 delegates
501+ : 20 delegates
elected in such number and in such manner as determined by National Council which shall include a
requirement that at least one such delegate reflect youth participation, and as an additional delegate the
president of the electoral district association as of a date set by National Council;
7.5.1 an equal number not exceeding 10 from each electoral district association Each electoral district with
100 or more members in good standing will be allocated a maximum of ten delegates, elected in such
manner as determined by National Council, which shall include a requirement that at least one such
delegate reflect youth participation, and as an additional delegate the president of the electoral district
association as of the date set by National Council. Electoral districts with fewer than 100 members in good
standing will be allocated one delegate per ten members up to a maximum of nine delegates, also elected
in such manner as determined by National Council.
7.6 Between national conventions, the governance, management and control of the activities of the Party
are vested in National Council, the Leader, and Conservative Fund Canada, as the case may be, subject to
general direction from, accountability to and review by the members at national conventions.
ADD 7.6.1 New by-laws must be voted on at the next national convention and passes with a simple
majority. 7.6.2 By-laws that are confirmed at national convention shall be numerically ordered.
A national newsletter shall be sent out to all CPC members by email on the subject of policy development,
at least on an annual basis, detailing all policy proposals that have been vetted in the prescribed
processes.
That Ontario Regional Councillors shall be elected on a Regional basis.
Provinces with more than 100 EDA's shall be allowed to elect one National Councillor for every 20 EDA's
Page 2
RATIONALE
To adjust the balance of elected delegates to a national convention to reflect the relative
size of EDAs across the country. The strength of the Party is found in its membership and
the participation of that membership in the democratic processes in place. This is better
reflected when more members have an opportunity to give voice to the will of the
membership at the Party's national convention. By placing a minimum and cap on the total
number of delegates elected ensures appropriate levels of participation from all sizes of
EDAs so as not to limit participation while avoiding domination of the process by a few
large EDAs.
The article 7.5.1 has served the party well. Notwithstanding, seven years have passed
since the party was founded, and now, with almost five years in government, the
Conservative Party of Canada is not a new brand. The article, therefore, requires review
and reform.
The suggested change is relatively minor. Indeed, it recognizes that the party has
advanced considerably beyond its formative days. The change will serve to motivate
smaller EDAs to recruit more members to the modest level of 100 members so as to
achieve a full 10-delegate level for attending the national convention and for electing the
leader. The change will not disadvantage smaller EDAs to the point where they will have
no influence at the national convention or in electing the leader; however, it recognizes
that the bar for full equivalency in sending delegates to the convention and for electing the
leader is a minimum of 100 members in the EDA.
The suggested change is more representative of a maturing and growing party, and one,
which now forms government than the status quo of the present article. The change
introduces greater fairness to all EDAs, both small and large, when sending delegates to
the national convention and when electing a leader under the underpinning principle set
out in Article 10.9.1, which states “Each member of the Party will have one vote”.
This process will add time for discussion and legitimacy to by-laws as they are often
situation and time sensitive in their inception. Secondly, by-laws that are no longer
relevant, or do not have the support of the membership can be removed. finally, a better
system of organizing the most current by-laws is beneficial to all party members.
This amendment will improve communications in the party, and facilitate the involvement
of all members in the policy process
Ontario is the largest Province in Canada, both in terms of population and land. This
amendment guarantees that each of the distinct Regions will be represented, going
forward.
This amendment gives Provinces representation on National Council somewhat more
fairly representative of their population and number of EDA's
 CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA - NATIONAL CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT RESOLUTIONS - 2011 - EDA SUBMISSIONS

# SEC# SPONSORING EDA RESOLUTION RATIONALE

35011 - Cambridge 8.1 National Council shall be composed of:
8.1.1 four six members elected from a province with more than 100 seats in the House of Commons;
8.1.2 four members elected from a province with 75-99 seats in the House of Commons
8.1.3 three members elected from a province with 51-100 51-74 seats in the House of Commons;
8.1.4 two members elected from a province with 26-50 seats in the House of Commons;
8.1.5 one member elected from a province with 4-25 seats in the House of Commons;
14 8.1 8.1.6 one member elected from each territory;
8.1.7 the Leader;
8.1.8 the Chair of Conservative Fund Canada or his or her designate, in a non-voting capacity; and
8.1.9the Executive Director or his or her designate, in a non-voting capacity.
Whereas Ontario currently has 4 National Councillors representing a total of 106 EDAs,
which translates into approximately 1 representative per 27 EDAs, this compares
significantly unfavourably to every other province except Quebec (1 representative per 25
ridings) where representation ranges from 1:4 (PEI) to 1:18 (BC) Therefore, be it resolved
that Ontario have 6 National Councillors rather than the present four. This would reduce
our councillor to EDA ratio to 1 representative per approximately 18 ridings, which puts
Ontario on par with British Columbia. By the same process, Quebec should have its
representation increased to 4 national councillors (1 per approximately 21 ridings) as a
part of this proposal. This would more equitably represent the membership and
population of the Party and Canada at our National Council level while maintaining an
effective voice for the smaller provinces at National Council.

47009 - Saskatoon-Humboldt 8.1 National Council shall be composed of: The composition of National Council should be based on the principle of equality of the
provinces which means equal representation from each province. Three members from
8.1.1 four members elected from a province with more than 100 seats in the House of Commons; each province is a fair and workable number.
8.1.2 three members elected from a province with 51-100 seats in the House of Commons ;
8.1.3 two members elected from a province with 26-50 seats in the House of Commons;
8.1.4 one member elected from a province with 4-25 seats in the House of Commons;
15 8.1
8.1.1 three (3) members elected from each province
8.1.2 one member elected from each territory;
8.1.3 the Leader;
8.1.4 the Chair of the Conservative Fund Canada or his or her designate, in a non-voting capacity;
8.1.5 the Executive Director or his or her designate, in a non-voting capacity

59034 - Vancouver South 8.16 The presidents of the electoral district associations of the Party in the territories, a territory, a province, National Councillors are elected by secret ballot at conventions (7.2.3) so the vote should
59033 - Vancouver Quadra or a region of a province if as applicable, shall elect by secret ballot, members to National Council to fill any also be held that way to elect their replacements. It also would alleviate rancor between
vacancies in elected positions between conventions. Where a vacancy occurs for a province, territory or the newly-appointed councilor and EDA Presidents.
16 8.16 region of a province, where its members of National Council were elected at the last national convention on
a regional basis, a any new member shall be ordinarily resident in the same province, territory or region of
the province as the former member.

35099 - Whitby-Oshawa
35090 - Thunder Bay-Rainy River
47009 - Saskatoon-Humbolt
17 8.19
8.19 Members of National Council shall be reimbursed for all reasonable (pre-authorized) expenses and
travel incurred while fulfilling their responsibilities on National Council including travel to and from EDA
events.
National Councillors are unpaid volunteers and as such receive no wage and in most
cases no remuneration for basic travel to and from EDA events. Reimbursement of travel
should be a given. EDAs are supposed to be responsible for travel expenses of National
Councillors if the EDA invited them to attend an event but EDAs do not adhere to this
policy.

35011 - Cambridge The Ontario National Councillors shall develop a bylaw and submit it to the ratification process which
substantially follows the guidance of:
8.2.4 The Province of Ontario shall divide the EDAs into regions representing the Toronto and Greater
Toronto Area, Burlington-Hamilton-Niagara, South-Western Ontario, Eastern and Northern Ontario. The
18 8.2 regions will be amended as and when additional National Councillors shall be elected from Ontario. Each
region will elect a single representative to National Council and will not vote for representatives from other
regions of the province. This Bylaw will be presented for ratification following each national convention to
be in place for the following national convention should it be approved.
Whereas electing councillors-at-large generally favours candidates who are from urban
areas where many ridings are in close proximity to each other, this makes it easier for
candidates from urban areas to campaign and harder for quality candidates from rural
areas to have a reasonable opportunity for election. Therefore, be it resolved that the
party regionally divide Ontario into suitable sub-regions (e.g. City of Toronto, GTA, South
Western Ontario, Hamilton-Niagara, Eastern Ontario, Northern Ontario)

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 CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA - NATIONAL CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT RESOLUTIONS - 2011 - EDA SUBMISSIONS

# SEC# SPONSORING EDA RESOLUTION RATIONALE

35011 - Cambridge Strike Section 8.2 in its entirety. Replace 8.2 in its entirety with:
8.2 For any province that elects more than one member to National Council, National Council will divide
the province into a number of sub-regions equal to the number of councillors to be elected, with one
member to be elected for each region by delegates of the electoral district associations within that region,
subject to the following:
8.2.1 The number of electoral district associations assigned to each region will be approximately equal
19 8.2 and will be continuously joined geographically. National Council will consult with the presidents of the
electoral district associations of the province(s) effected to establish the boundaries of each region.
Whereas electing councillors-at-large is problematic in a province such as Ontario
because the province is politically diverse, the needs of Northern Ontario, for example, are
best understood by a National Councillor from that area of the province. Similarly, non-
Toronto representatives would have a hard time understanding the political needs of
Toronto. Therefore, be it resolved that the Conservative Party eliminate the election of
councillors-at-large and provide for the election of one member per Ontario sub-region to
better reflect the diversity of the province, the electoral districts in which Conservative MPs
have been elected, and the needs of the membership in all parts of the province.

8.2.2 The provisions of Article 8.8 shall not apply.

8.2.3 The distribution of electoral district associations will be reviewed in consultation with the presidents
of the electoral district association after each national convention and after any change in the number of
national councillors to be elected by a province.

35011 - Cambridge Strike current Section 8.6 in its entirety. Insert a new 8.1 and renumber the current 8.1 through 8.5 to be
8.2 through 8.6 and the new 8.1 shall be:
8.1 The President, Vice-President and Secretary of National Council being our parties highest internally
elected positions shall be elected by secret ballot of the membership in advance of each national
convention. The Secretary is accountable for the encouragement and development of membership in the
Party, and for the oversight of the National Membership Program on behalf of and subject to the direction of
National Council and for reporting to National Council and national conventions. The election of these
positions shall be subject to;
Whereas grassroots members of this party have no direct say on who will be president of
this organization, nor any other executive officer position, this appears to be contrary to
the sort of democracy we envision for our country, which should be reflected in our party’s
governance structure. Therefore, be it resolved that we implement a process whereby we
are directly electing our executive officers, including the President. This direct input from
the members of the party will ensure that the party both respects and reflects the values of
the membership and is seen to clearly respect and reflect the values of the membership.

8.1.1 Each candidate shall fulfill all requirements necessary to sit on National Council, including signing
and providing to the current National Council with their nomination for a position the following affirmation: “I
have read, understand, and do hereby affirm my personal commitment to the principles and policies of the
Conservative Party of Canada and the Constitution of the Conservative Party of Canada.” The candidate
will provide their nomination and affirmation at least 90 days in advance of the national convention. The
National Council shall begin to accept nominations no more than 120 days in advance of the National
Convention.

8.1.2 In order for a candidate to be nominated they must submit their names and qualifications in writing
20 8.6 along with the affirmation of section 8.1.1 and have their nomination seconded by a member of the party in
good standing. The nomination documents will be reviewed and endorsed by the president of the electoral
district association in which they reside prior to forwarding to National Council. The date of submission will
be deemed to be the date of receipt by the president of the candidate’s electoral district association.

8.1.3 Election of the President, Vice President and Secretary will be by secret ballot and will be
completed at least 28 days in advance of the national convention.

8.1.4 Conservative Fund Canada shall appoint the returning officer for elections for President, Vice
President and Secretary. The returning officer shall set out rules and procedures for the conduct of any
election, subject to review by National Council. The rules shall provide that no one may be elected to more
than three consecutive terms of office and that the election shall be by way of a preferential ballot.

8.1.5 Each successful candidate will represent their province or provincial region, as the case may be, on
National Council. In the event that two persons from the same province or provincial region receive the
highest number of votes for different positions the higher office, in the order of President, Vice President
and then Secretary, will be deemed the successfully elected member and the member receiving the next
highest number of votes for the lower position will be deemed elected to that position.

35011 - Cambridge 8.6 Immediately following the election for National Councillors at each national convention at which an
election of National Council occurred, National Council the delegates to the national convention shall elect
by simple majority from its the newly elected members of National Council who have expressed a desire to
hold office and who have presented themselves to the delegates and who have received and answered
questions from the delegates in an open forum, a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and such Vice-
21 8.6 Presidents and other positions as it may determine has been determined are required. The Secretary is
accountable for the encouragement and development of membership in the Party, and for the oversight of
the National Membership Program on behalf of and subject to the direction of National Council and for
reporting to National Council and national conventions.
Whereas grassroots members of this party have no direct say on who will be president of
this organization, nor any other executive officer position, this appears to be contrary to
the sort of democracy we envision for our country, which should be reflected in our party’s
governance structure. Therefore, be it resolved that we implement a process whereby we
are directly electing our executive officers, including the President. This direct input from
the members of the party will ensure that the party both respects and reflects the values of
the membership and is seen to clearly respect and reflect the values of the membership.

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 CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CANADA - NATIONAL CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT RESOLUTIONS - 2011 - EDA SUBMISSIONS

# SEC# SPONSORING EDA RESOLUTION RATIONALE

59033 - Vancouver Quadra ADD to 8.1: • to ensure provinces with a single National Councilor are fully represented.
• to ensure the President is accountable to the membership and not solely National
8.1.9 the President elected by a majority of delegates Council
• to allow the President of the party to be elected by a broader membership of the party
22 8.1.9 ADD to 7.2: • to ensure that the operational side of the party remains independent from the political
side in fact and in appearance.
7.2.4 elect the President by secret ballot • to remove the necessity for the Leader to cast the decisive ballot in the event of a tie.

35099 - Whitby-Oshawa
35090 - Thunder Bay-Rainy River
35037 - Kitchener Centre
47009 - Saskatoon-Humboldt
23 8.7.6
8.7.6 the establishment of a finance committee and such committees as National Council may determine
for the conduct of its responsibilities;
A finance committee, made up of councillors from National Council, will ensure that the
funds that it is entrusted with are spent wisely and fairly. As it stands now the President
on National Council has complete control over the National Council budget and it is at his
discretion who on National Council has his or her expenses covered. This type of control
can be abused and used to favour or disfavour individuals on National Council. Also the
President needs to be accountable to National Council for his or her expenses and a
finance committee of National Council would ensure that this is the case.

48005 - Calgary-Nose Hill 8.8 rules and procedures enacted under Article 8.7.7 and by-laws enacted under Article 8.7.8 shall be
circulated to all electoral district association presidents within 7 days of enactment by National council and
shall take effect on the date of enactment. If Written notice of objection from more than 99 electoral district
association presidents has been received by National Council within 30 days of the rule and procedure or
by-law being distributed to the electoral district associations, it shall be deemed repealed. If written notice
24 8.8 of approval is not received by National Council within 90 days of enactment by the electoral district
association presidents, the rule, procedure or by-law shall be deemed repealed. Alternatively, National
Council may must propose all rules and procedures and by-laws to a national convention, which, if not
approved by a simple majority of delegates voting, will not be subject to subsequent review and repeal by
the presidents of the electoral district associations.
1. Negative marketing techniques are not an effective way to achieve a majority.
2. 30 days is not a common or useful time frame to communicate with electoral district
associations as they at best hold meetings monthly and often are not active over the
summer.
3. By-laws, rules and procedures that have a large effect on the governance of the party
must be passed by the Party at a convention, the basic grassroots function within the
Party.

35099 - Whitby-Oshawa That more than one National Councillor be on the board of the Conservative Fund. By increasing this number, National Council will have more input in to decisions on
35061 - Oshawa spending the money of the Party. This will mean an improvement in accountability.
35072 - Pickering-Scarborough East
35001 - Ajax-Pickering
25 9.0 35014 - Durham
35058 - Northumberland-Quinte West
35029 - Haliburton-Kawartha-Brock
35071 - Peterborough

48005 - Calgary-Nose Hill ADD NEW 9.6 and revise-numbers for current 9.6 to 9.7, et al to fit: The concern for members privacy is often being violated by overlapping fundraising
activities at the different levels of the party. This has a large negative effect on both
9.6 The Conservative Fund of Canada shall notify affiliated organizations of fundraising activities taking donations and memberships and has begun to erode the trust members give to the party
26 9.5 place within the jurisdiction of their own electoral district. when they divulge their contact information. this effect has already and will continue to
have a negative impact on fundraising and the volunteer pool.

48017 - Edmonton-Spruce Grove 9.9 The Leader shall nominate the Executive Director of the Party subject to ratification by National Council Section 9 is concerned with financial organization. The nomination of an Executive
. Move this article to section 10 to become 10.4 and re-number subsequent articles accordingly. Director is not a direct financial matter but is a responsibility of the Leader of the Party.

27 9.9 10.4 The Leader shall nominate the Executive Director of the Party subject to ratification by National
Council.

59008 - Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca 10.6 At the first national convention following a federal general election when the Party does not form the The leader must always remain accountable to the Party, whether an election has been
government and when the Leader has not indicated, prior to the commencement of the national convention, won or lost. Frequent and regular leadership reviews prevent disconnect between the
an irrevocable intention to resign, the delegates will vote by secret ballot if they wish to engage the leadership and the rest of the Party.
28 10.6
leadership selection process.

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# SEC# SPONSORING EDA RESOLUTION RATIONALE

35040 - Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox &
Addington
10.6 At the first national convention following any general election where the Party does not form the
government and the leader has not indicated, prior to the commencement of the national convention, an
irrevocable intention to resign, the delegates will vote by secret ballot if they wish to engage the leadership
selection process.
If, within thirty days of a general election where the Party does not form the government, the Leader does
not indicate an irrevocable intention to resign, National Council shall initiate a leadership review
referendum, which shall have the following features:
This amendment speeds up the leadership review process, which could prove important if
the Opposition were to form an unstable coalition or were to form a minority government
following a future election. The current review process could take up to two years, since it
can only happen at a convention. As a result, determining whether the membership wants
a new leader could take up the better part of an entire Parliament.

10.6.1 The referendum question shall be: "Should the Conservative Party of Canada conduct a leadership
election? ".

29 10.6 10.6.2 The referendum shall be conducted by postal ballot, and shall take place within 90 days of the date
of the general election.

10.6.3 Only persons whose Party membership was valid during all or part of the writ period for the general
election shall be eligible to vote.

10.6.4 National Council shall set the rules and procedures of the leadership review referendum to ensure a
fair and effective process.
...
10.7.3 more than fifty percent (50%) of the votes cast in a leadership review referendum at a national
convention as provided for in article 10.6 are in favour of engaging the leadership selection process

59034 - Vancouver South
59003 - Burnaby-New Westminster
59033 - Vancouver Quadra
30 10.8
10.8.2 The leadership election organizing committee shall determine the rules and procedures for the
conduct of the leadership selection process, including a dispute resolution procedure which shall be final
and binding. Ballots shall be cast in person in at least one polling station set up in each electoral district for
that purpose, except in those electoral districts as designated by Elections Canada in Schedule 3 where
some or all ballots may be cast by postal ballot. Where The the rules shall provide that a member may
cast a postal ballot; the minimum membership period established for eligibility to vote in the leadership
election shall be set so as to permit adequate time for ballots to be mailed to members and returned by
mail. Voting by way of faxed ballot shall not be permitted.
Membership in the Conservative Party of Canada involves many rights and responsibilities
and among them voting for the leader is one of the most important roles that our
constitution gives to members of our Party. Members must vote in person for the
candidate of their choice in a nomination race and the Directors of the Association
annually with no facilities for proxy votes, and yet, the constitution currently allows for
members to simply mail in a ballot rather than have to present themselves at a polling
location with appropriate ID. This leaves the process for the selection of our leader open
to manipulation and in a tight race could quite possibly bring the result into question.

59008 - Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca 10.9 The election of the Leader shall be by way of a direct vote of members in every electoral district, as Every eligible member of the party deserves one vote in leadership elections that is equal
follows: to that of another member. Eradicating the point system will unite the party as one whole,
10.9.1 Each member of the Party will have one vote. rather than divide it between EDAs with large memberships and EDAs with small
10.9.2 Each electoral district will be allocated 100 points. memberships.
10.9.3 Leadership candidates will be assigned a point total based on their percentage of the vote in each
electoral district.
31 10.9 10.9.4 To win the leadership, a candidate must obtain a majority of points votes from across the country.
10.9.5 Voting will be by preferential vote (single transferable ballot).
10.9.6 Each leadership candidate is entitled to have scrutineers present at all stages of the vote count.
10.9.7 At each count round, both the weighted national results and the results by electoral district shall be
made public.

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47009 - Saskatoon-Humboldt 10.9 The election of the Leader shall be by way of a direct vote of members in every electoral district as The principle of one eligible member, one vote through direct election is the most
follows: transparent and accountable of all electoral systems. It is understandable, easy to
10.9.1 Each eligible member of the Party will have one vote. administer and fair to all members. One member-one vote direct election discourages
10.9.2 Each electoral district will be allocated 100 points. single-issue groupings, corruption or other questionable practices.
10.9.2 Balloting will be by direct voting by mail, telephone or electronic means.
10.9.3 Leadership candidates will be assigned a point total based on their percentage of the vote in each
electoral district.
10.9.3 Ballots shall be so designed that each voter will indicate their choice for their preferred candidate.
10.9.4 To win the leadership, a candidate must obtain a majority of points from across the country.
a candidate must obtain more than half of the total valid ballots cast.
10.9.5 Voting will be by preferential vote (single transferable ballot).
10.9.5 If there are three (3) or more candidates and no candidate receives more than half of the valid
32 10.9 ballots cast, a second ballot shall be held between the two (2) candidates who received the most votes.
10.9.6 In the event a second ballot is required, National Council shall have made provision in advance for
a second ballot to be conducted no sooner than five (5) days and not later than fourteen (14) days, from the
date of the first ballot.

10.9.6 is renumbered to become 10.9.7 Each leadership candidate is entitled to have scrutineers present at
all stages of the vote count.

10.9.7 At each count round, both the weighted results and the results by electoral district shall be made
public.

35040 - Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & 10.9 The election of the Leader shall be by way of a direct vote of members in every electoral district, as This amendment would allow a more equal weighting of votes, which is more democratic
Addington follows: than the status quo. It would also reduce the likelihood of a leader being elected with
fewer votes than his / her opponent.
10.9.1 Each member of the Party will have one vote.
33 10.9
10.9.2 Each electoral district will be allocated 100 points - and, in the case of EDAs where more than 100
ballots were cast, one point per additional vote, up to a maximum of 300 additional points .

59034 - Vancouver South
59003 - Burnaby-New Westminster
59008 - Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca
59033 - Vancouver Quadra
34 11.0
Create a new Section 12, renumber original Section 12 and subsequent Sections accordingly: 1. The Young Conservatives of Canada will greatly assist in identifying and integrating
Young Conservatives of Canada students into their respective electoral district associations.
12.1 The National Council will work with youth and campus organizations to establish a Young
Conservatives of Canada youth organization at a founding meeting held in conjunction with the next 2. Constitutionally entrenching a youth organization guarantees longevity and consistency
National Convention. Voting membership at the founding meeting will be any Party Member under the age in student recruitment by the Party, and ensures the focus will be on student integration
of 30. into the electoral district association – not “youth politics”.
12.2 The National Council will recognize the Young Conservatives of Canada as a single national
Conservative youth organization, which actively promotes the principles and objectives of the Party, and 3.The Conservative Party of Canada is the only major political party in the G-8 without
conducts its own business in a democratic manner. some form of youth or student network.
12.3 The Young Conservatives of Canada will encourage the participation and recruitment of youth though
organization in electoral district associations, and secondary and post-secondary institutions.
12.4 The Young Conservatives of Canada shall not:
12.4.1 Hold any special status or special voting rights on National Council.
12.4.2 Send Delegates to National Conventions independent of electoral district associations.
12.5 The Young Conservatives of Canada shall:
12.5.1 Work to ensure continuity of campus clubs between semesters.
12.5.2 Coordinate Conservative participation in model parliament organizations.
12.6 Membership will consist of Party Members under the age of 30.
12.7 Notwithstanding the adopted constitution and bylaws of the Young Conservatives of Canada, the
organization will comply with the Party Constitution and bylaws where any conflict may exist.
12.8 Young Conservatives of Canada business affected by the Elections Act, including funds, will be
subject to the ultimate governance of the National Council.

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59006 - Delta-Richmond East Article 13.4 of the Party Constitution states: "Between national conventions, interim policies may be
developed by the Parliamentary Caucus and Leader." We recommend that article 13.4 be amended as
follows: "Between national conventions, where exigent circumstances necessitate departure from the
national policy declaration, interim policies may be developed by the Parliamentary Caucus and Leader."
35 13.4
Since the Conservative Party was elected to form government in January, 2006 an
imbalance has developed in the process of making policy. Delta-Richmond East and
neighbouring EDA's are of the opinion that an excessive amount of power has been
concentrated in national headquarters to create, alter and rescind policy in a rather
arbitrary manner. We recognize that minority governments are inherently unstable and
that the executive branch of the party must have a reasonable amount of latitude to adjust
policy when emergencies make our stated plans and priorities impractical. For example,
the recession occurred in the middle of September, 2008 only one week after the election
campaign had begun. Obviously, the Prime Minister and the Caucus were in the best
position to determine what course to take. That does not mean that the EDA's must be
completely excluded in such circumstances. If the Leader, Caucus and National Council
determine that it is necessary to adopt interim policies then they should state their reasons
for doing so. This amendment is intended to clarify the authority, the circumstances under
which it may be used and restore some equilibrium to the national policy development
process.

47009 - Saskatoon-Humboldt 13.2.4 the same number of two representatives from each province as the number of members of National The composition of national committees should be based on the principle of equality of the
Council from that province, selected by the presidents of the electoral district associations in each province; provinces, which means each province should have an equal number of representatives
36 13.2.4 and on these committees. Otherwise, it is a matter of discrimination favouring provinces with a
larger population over the provinces with less population

47009 - Saskatoon-Humboldt 13.2.5 one representative for from each of the three territories elected by the presidents of the electoral The composition of national committees should be based on the principle of equality of the
district associations from those territories. territories, which means each territory should have an equal number of representatives on
37 13.2.5 these committees.

35061 - Oshawa
35072 - Pickering-Scarborough East
35014 - Durham
35058 - Northumberland-Quinte West
35029 - Haliburton-Kawartha-Brock
35071 - Peterborough
38 14.1 35099 - Whitby-Oshawa
35001 - Ajax-Pickering
47009 - Saskatoon-Humboldt
14.1 National Council shall create rules and procedures for the selection of candidates. The rules shall
provide that only a member of the Party may seek nomination as a candidate. In cases where the
candidate(s) has not been a member for the minimum 6 month period National Council, by majority vote,
may grant a waiver.
(The next sentence should be a section by itself and the remaining paragraphs renumbered)
14. 2 National Council shall establish the National Candidate Selection Committee that shall have the right
to disallow the candidacy of any person before or after nomination by the electoral district association,
subject to the appeal of such a decision to National Council whose decision shall be final and binding or
who may refer the matter to the Arbitration Committee for decision by a panel.
The granting of waivers, sometime in the past, was delegated away from National Council
and the granting of waivers now resides with only two people - the President of National
Council and the head of Political Operations. Also National Councillors of the affected
province were to be consulted when granting waivers but this in fact is not happening. The
granting of a waiver is a membership issue and should reside solely with National Council
as a whole as is the case when revoking a Party membership.

35093 - Toronto Centre 14.1 National Council shall create rules and procedures for the selection of candidates. The rules shall
provide that only a member of the Party who has not held a membership in another federal political party
for twenty-one (21) days prior to the date of their application may seek nomination as a candidate. National
Council shall establish the National Candidates Selection Committee that shall have the right to disallow
the candidacy of any person before or after nomination by the electoral district association, subject to the
39 14.1 appeal of such a decision to National Council whose decision shall be final and binding or who may refer
the matter to the Arbitration Committee for decision by a panel.
The reason for proposing this amendment is as follows:
To "protect" the candidate nomination process from interference by our political
competitors.
We believe the Constitution should clearly disqualify any persons who have been a
member of another federal political party within the recent past (which we defined as 21
days) from the candidate nomination process. A similar stipulation (without the time limit)
currently applies to those running for National Council.

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35098 - Wellington-Halton Hills 14.1 National Council shall create rules and procedures for the selection of candidates. The rules shall
provide that only a member of the Party may seek nomination as a candidate. National Council shall
establish the National Candidate Selection Committee that shall have the right to disallow the candidacy of
any person before or after nomination by the electoral district association, subject to the appeal of such
decision to National Council whose decision shall be final and binding or who may refer the matter to the
Arbitration Committee for decision by a panel.
14.11 The National Candidate Selection Committee shall authorize and approve every person seeking the
nomination for an electoral district before the person may stand for the nomination.
40 14.1 14.12 The National Candidate Selection Committee shall have the right to request a review of any
candidate after the nomination process has been completed. Said review shall consist of a meeting of the
Board of Directors of the Electoral District Association for the purpose of confirming or disallowing the
candidate. In the interest of a timely decision and cost considerations this meeting could be done via a
teleconference.
Currently even if an EDA has a full and proper candidate nomination process, political
operations and or National Council can decide that they want a candidate gone. There is
no requirement for the EDA board or executive to be informed of the reasons. The
decision can happen and the only appeal would be to the National Council Arbitration
Committee. As 14.1 is currently written, this is the process that can and has taken place.
This amendment adds a step in the process for removing a candidate that has been
approved and elected by the membership of the Electoral District Association. The final
decision remains with the National Council or Arbitration Committee as the constitution
currently sets out. This amendment ensures that the local association board is aware of
the concerns that are leading to reconsideration of the candidate. The association feels
that these admendments allow for a grass roots contribution to the review of the local
candidate which will help the membership feel that they are not completely removed from
the process.

14.13 The National Candidate Selection Committee and/or the candidate shall have the right to appeal the
decision of the Board to the National Council whose decision shall be final and binding. The National
Council may refer the matter to the Arbitration Committee for decision by a panel.

35040 - Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & The following new Article would be added, after 14.1 This amendment ensures that candidate nominations will be more accessible to all party
Addington members, and that no party member will be denied the ability to vote by reason of being
14.2 In the case of rural and remote electoral districts, the rules shall provide that polling stations for the too far from the polling station.
candidate nomination vote be located so that no inhabited part of the district shall be more than fifty
kilometres from the nearest polling station or, at the discretion of the candidate nomination committee in
41 14.2 the electoral district, that the nomination be conducted by postal ballot.

Current Articles 14.2 and 14.3 will be renumbered as 14.3 and 14.4.

47001 - Battlefords-Lloydminster 14.4 In minority government situations:
in a riding where the party candidate is non-incumbent (not a sitting member of the House of Commons),
the EDA shall hold nomination contests every 12-16 months.
The EDA shall hold a review of incumbent MP by party members in the EDA every 12 – 16 months.
In majority government situations with fixed election dates:
42 14.4 Where the party candidate is non-incumbent (not a sitting member of the House of Commons), a
nomination contest shall be held 6-12 months prior to the writ being dropped.
Where the party candidate is an elected MP, a nomination contest shall be held 4-6 months prior to the writ
being dropped.
The Conservative Party of Canada strives to ensure that the candidates selected to serve
as Members of Parliament are of the highest moral fibre, are hard-working, honest citizens
who will work hard to balance their duties and obligations in our nation’s capital with their
duties and obligations in their local ridings. To ensure continued achievement of this
objective, democratic safeguards must be put in place. Democracy demands responsibility
in the systems and processes in which its citizens engage, to reduce possibility of
confusion, errors, or abuse by any individuals involved in . These processes must hold
members of parliament and candidates accountable to their local party members. Reviews
are necessary to ensure the will of the party members is reflected in the choice of
candidates offered to voters. The EDA must be assured the incumbent is performing the
required local riding duties, and the incumbent must be assured of the confidence of the
riding association and membership.

48020 - MacLeod 14.4 In keeping with the principles set out in this Constitution, the Party recognizes the need for a candidate The existing Constitution does not provide for set timelines for nomination meetings.
nomination selection process that is democratic and respects the will of its membership. As such, a
candidate nomination selection meeting shall take place:
(a) at least every fifty-four (54) months, which time shall commence from the date this amendment
43 14.4 is proclaimed, and which shall not be extended by any event; and
(b) where an EDA has not held a candidate nomination selection meeting in the fifty-four months
prior to the date this amendment is proclaimed, the EDA shall conduct a candidate nomination selection
meeting within eighteen (18) months of the date this amendment is proclaimed.

47012 - Souris-Moose Mountain 14.4 Notwithstanding 14.1 or 19.6 in the case where a National Selection Committee disallows the This amendment proposes to return final say on candidate selection to the grass roots
candidacy of any person and that decision is upheld in an appeal to National Council or in a reference to associations (the principle that this party was built on.) while making sure that the
the Arbitration Committee at a meeting called within 10 days of such final decision the members of an selection is important to the riding. (2/3 of eligible voters will not be an easy mark to hit.)
Electoral District Association may reverse or change such decision on approval of 2/3 of the membership
44 14.4 entitled to vote (as at the time of the decision of the National Selection Committee) at a meeting called for
that purpose. Notice of the meeting shall be no less then 10 days and no more then 15 days. A meeting
may be called by the president of the association or by the secretary upon written request of at least 5
directors or 50 members of the Electoral District Association.

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59034 - Vancouver South NEW ADDITION TO THE CONSTITUTION In practice, some of this is already happening, i.e. abridgement of the notice rules just
59033 - Vancouver Quadra before or after the writ is dropped or candidates carrying on as the nominated candidate
14.4 The Leader, in consultation with National Council and the affected Electoral District Association, may after a by-election without being re-nominated. There are legitimate special
select the Party’s candidate in up to ten (10) percent of the electoral districts that do not have a current circumstances where desirable candidates are not able to announce their candidacy until
sitting Member of Parliament who is a member of the Parliamentary Caucus of the Party. the writ is dropped, i.e. their current employment situation or stature in the community.
45 14.4 The leader is required by the Elections Act to sign the nomination papers of each
candidate. This amendment would let him/her off the hook by making the decision in
conjunction with the National Council. The National Council would also be required to
consult with the Electoral District Association in making this decision.

48017 - Edmonton-Spruce Grove 16.5.3 within three (3) months after each national convention at which delegates approve amendments to The wishes of Conservatives across Canada that have been approved by Council, must
the Constitution, ensuring that a consolidated version of the Constitution is prepared in both official not be held up for months/years while lawyers wordsmith a translation.
languages for approval by National Council, incorporating all of the amendments made at the national
46 16.5.3 convention, and following legislative practice in preparing such a consolidation by correcting any numerical,
typographical, grammatical, syntax or translation errors that may otherwise exist in the text.

47009 - Saskatoon-Humboldt 16.7.3 the same number of two representatives from each province as the number of members of National The composition of national committees should be based on the principle of equality of
Council from that province selected by the presidents of the electoral district associations in each province. provinces, which means each province should have an equal number of representatives
47 16.7.3 on these committees. Otherwise, it is a matter of discrimination favouring provinces with a
larger population over provinces with less population.

47009 - Saskatoon-Humboldt 16.7.4 one representative for from each of the three territories elected by the presidents of the electoral The composition of national committees should be based on the principle of equality of the
district associations from the territories; and territories which means each territory should have an equal number of representatives on
48 16.7.4 these committees.

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