Unite the Right in Ontario

PGIB has not only made a contribution to the 'Common Sense Revolution' that perpetuated Mike Harris to power in Ontario, but was the organization that kept the right united in Ontario that assured his victory!

Of course, we can only give you a small snapshot of our dedication to unity of the right, so we will start with the year 1993. PGIB had existed for a year and was growing at an exciting rate.

Our president Craig B. Chandler was well known in political circles at all levels of government and came second for the Reform Party of Canada at the age of 23 in the Liberal stronghold of Hamilton Mountain, Ontario. Mr. Chandler ran one of the most effective billboard campaigns and was predicted to win by local radio and television stations.

Reform, which at that time stood for (Regular Everyday Folk Out to Remove Mulroney) existed because the federal Progressive Conservatives had let Canadians down and the Reform Party was needed to provide a real conservative alternative.

Further, many felt that Ontario Progressive Conservatives had also let them down and were correct. Ontario Tory Premier Bill Davis was a Red Tory and as Liberal as his successor David Peterson.

Ontario a normally conservative province rather than embracing the Conservatives again jumped into bed for a quick affair with Bob Rae and his socialist NDP.

PGIB initially formed to rid Ontario of the NDP, had very close ties with various conservative parties including Mike Harris and the Ontario Progressive Conservatives. In a letter dated November 3, 1993 Mr. Harris makes it clear that the discussions on a unified front and "Common Sense Revolution" started with discourse with Mike Harris and PGIB national President Craig B. Chandler. Following are some quotes from the letter November 3, 1993 letter written to Mr. Chandler.

"I wanted to write to you after our meetings regarding provincial matters, which occurred prior to the federal election. At the time of our meetings, and as a representative of The Progressive Group For Independent Business, you had expressed an interest in furthering the goals of the free market and greater opportunity for Ontarians by assisting us in defeating the Liberals and the NDP in the next provincial election.

I can tell you that the federal election results only confirm in my organization and me the absolute necessity in presenting an organized and unified front against the Liberals and NDP in the next election. The alternative is a split conservative vote and continued governance by the taxers and spenders."

"... I welcome you and your colleagues continued and increased involvement. It is only by working together that we can achieve our policy goals. Let us start now on common crusade, to build the team and the organization, which will carry the message in every riding in the next election. I look forward to getting that process started now."

And some quotes from the August 25, 1994 letter from Mr. Harris to Mr. Chandler: "I wish to invite you to participate in a policy forum that I am personally organizing...Your personal participation in this forum will greatly assist us in examining and developing policy alternatives of how we might best achieve the goals that we have established as a Party..."

Many more letters were written back and forth and Craig B. Chandler and Mike Harris formed an open channel of communication and a unified slayer of the left. PGIB held a meeting of small 'c' conservatives such as: Mike Harris (Leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives), Leslie Noble (Ontario Progressive Conservatives), Tony Clement (Ontario Progressive Conservatives), Dick Field (Voice of Canadians), Thom Corbett (Ontarians for Responsible Government), John Furedy (Society for Academic Freedom), Doug Hindson (Ontario Taxpayer's Federation), John Thompson (The McKenzie Institute), Ron Leitch (APEC), Ron Horne (The Reform party), Ken Parsons (Employment Excellence), representatives of the Freedom Party, Libertarians party and COR Parties of Ontario. The purpose of the meeting was to have open and frank discourse with Mike Harris to unite the right in Ontario.

PGIB had secured much support for Harris, but, the PGIB assault was yet to be waged within the Reform Party of Canada. Stepping back to 1993 when the Reform Party had been in the province of Ontario for three years and the players in the Reform movement in Ontario were very apparent. Reg Gosse of Kitchener Waterloo and Craig B. Chandler of Burlington were seen as two of the most dedicated contributors to the building of a new Canada.

After Ontario was decimated, Reg Gosse a close political ally of PGIB National President, Craig B. Chandler felt the only way to save Ontario was to create a new and untainted small 'c' conservative party based on less government, lower taxes and political accountability.

The PGIB has been working diligently and loyally with the Ontario Progressive Conservative's (OPC) to rebuild at Constituency Associations levels in Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Markham and Toronto. PGIB had members on strategic Tory executives and had PGIB policies adopted which were then passed on convention floors and aggressively lobbied in many grassroots policy conferences.

When all was said and done, 17 of the PGIB policies created at the 1992 founding convention of the PGIB became the basis of the "Common Sense Revolution."

PGIB does not stop with policies, but encouraged members to seek office under the OPC banner and supported other PGIB friendly Members of Provincial Parliament like Peter Gilchrist, Gary Carr and Bob Wood. We also maintained healthy relationships with MPP Cam Jackson and Tony Clement (a recent leadership candidate in the 2002 OPC elections who lost to Ernie Eves.)

Unlike, Reg Gosse and his cohorts who thought starting a brand new party was the best way to revive Ontario the PGIB felt helping rebuild the OPC was the fastest way to gain electoral success and rid Ontario of Premier Bob Rae and his socialist NDP.

The PGIB knew of Reg Gosse and his agenda and had reliable sources feeding us regular intelligence on the Reform Association of Ontario (RAOO). As Reg Gosse organized so did PGIB. In fact, the OPC looked to PGIB for help not only to bridge the gap between the OPC and many federal Reformer's, but, we were asked to stop the proposed provincial Reform Association in it's tracks!

Further, many federal Reform Party Constituencies in Ontario even the national office of the Reform Party in Calgary appealed to PGIB to stop Reg Gosse and the RAOO. Up to 95% of the federal Reform Party support in Ontario came from the OPC and there was a great fear of collapse for Reform if they challenged this coalition at the provincial level.

The answer to unity was PGIB tactics and the PGIB Executive unanimously agreed to reform Focus Federally For Reform (FFFR) and created a coalition of riding Presidents, provincial Tories and Reform Party candidates from Hamilton, Waterloo, Mississauga, Bruce Grey, Don Valley, Brant, Brampton, Etobicoke, Nippising, Burlington and other areas throughout Ontario.

The Reform party's national office in Calgary applauded and encouraged the PGIB's offshoot organization and the party's Executive Director, Glen McMurray requested the names of all those representing FFFR and wanted to FFFR releases before they were disseminated to the media.

Many have said the PGIB is the fiercest but most necessary political lobby group in Canada because it will do whatever is necessary for the conservative movement to flourish. Stephen Harper, the new leader of the Canadian Alliance stated at the 1999 PGIB AGM that: "If you want cocktails join the group downtown. If you actually want something done join PGIB."

The following are quotes from various newspaper articles relating to PGIB's offshoot group Focus Federally For Reform (FFFR):

"Chandler... is paying close attention to the provincial element of politics in Ontario and intends to turn his fire hose on the brushfire lit by Reg Gosse." (The Ottawa Citizen, April 16, 1994)

"Reformers have become some of our most ardent supporters... said Conservative president Steve Gilchrist." (Toronto Star, 1994)

"A few faction called Focus Federally For Reform is threatening to have it out with activists like Reg Gosse... Focus members are planning to crash an association meeting..." (Canadian Press, April 6, 1994)

"Loyal Reformers like Mr. Chandler have pledged to hold the line the manning policy." (Hamilton Spectator, April 9,1994)

"The federal wing of the Reform party will launch an attack today aimed at wiping out the creation of a provincial division of the party. Focus Federally for reform, led by former Reform candidate Craig Chandler, will outline the assault at a Queen's park news conference." (Toronto Sun, April 1, 1994)

"Ontario conservative leader Mike Harris is wooing a not so reluctant political paramour. "Mike Harris has seen the light and is moving towards the Reform Party of Canada way of thinking" Craig Chandler, a well-connected federal Reform candidate who ran last fall in Hamilton Mountain and who has been courted by the Tories. Mr. Chandler has promised to put his campaign team to work behind the Conservatives in the provincial election expected the spring of 1995, but he turned down the opportunity to seek a Tory nomination." (Canadian Press, 1994)

"Ontario Tory Leader Mike Harris said he's seeking support for the Conservatives... He was a guest speaker at a Hamilton meeting of The Progressive Group For Independent Business (PGIB)... Mr. Harris said Mr. Chandler might make a good candidate." (Hamilton Spectator, January 18, 1994)

"When Reformers fall out, the grass gets trampled, Craig Chandler, leader of the Reform Party of Ontario and supporter of Mr. Manning, is a scornful of the efforts of the renegades, the wanna-bes whom he dismisses as "a dead issue." For his part Mr. Chandler is throwing his weight behind Conservative Leader Mike Harris and he is part of an organization that is erecting billboards that say, "Bob McLeod and Lyn Rae: We don't see a difference." (Globe and Mail, May 4, 1995)

As you have read from some of the minor samplings of the newspaper articles it was PGIB's offshoot organization that delivered the defeat of the Reform Association of Ontario. After the negative attention brought to the RAOO and the brokering displayed by PGIB between the Reform party and the OPC the motion to expand the Reform Party into provincial politics was soundly defeated on the party's convention floor that same year. Needless to say, PGIB was in full force at the convention.

We have been doing the front line grunt work for the conservative movement for years. The blatant rip off's of ideas and conferences etc...have been at our expense, yet we continue on because it is not about egos!

It is very apparent that PGIB has been long uniting the right before the failed and copy cat "Winds of Change", or even the United Alternative that birthed the Canadian Alliance were ever thought of!

It seems that the Globe and Mail in describing the PGIB on March 14, 1997 as "...the group known as the brains behind Mike Harris's Common Sense Revolution" were quite correct. It shows that they do consult grassroots, not just hacks, and they actually do their research.

PGIB members can take pride in the various accomplishments of the organization. Focus Federally For Reform was just another campaign and another tactic used by PGIB to achieve our objective. PGIB has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are the most effective brokers of the right in this country!

PGIB policies did help create an attractive Ontario Progressive Conservative platform very palatable for Ontario voters. PGIB tactics insured the OPC had no enemies on the right and allowed a massive majority government for Mike Harris.

We appreciate the thanks we received from various Reform Party Constituency Associations and Ontario Progressive Conservatives throughout Ontario.

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