A former PPC candidate and long-time organizer has left the party, saying its lack of a constitution has failed members.Kelly Lorencz made the announcement in an email blast on Friday."As the People’s Party of Canada continues to fall in the polling it is apparent that there are significant issues both internally and externally that must be addressed. Having tried on several occasions over the past five years to address the internal issues related to the PPC I believe that things have run their full course, and it is time to reconsider my association with the PPC," Lorenz wrote."The People’s Party of Canada was supposed to be about putting the people of Canada first and it has become abundantly clear that this is not the case."In 2019, Lorencz got 1,089 votes (2%) in the Calgary Nose Hill riding won by Michelle Rempel. He did much better in Red Deer--Mountain View in 2021, taking 7,581 votes (12%) and third place behind NDP candidate Marie Grabowski and Conservative winner Earl Dreeshen. Lorencz also spent years as the regional "lieutenant" in Western Canada.“When this party lost sight of the fact that this was about the people of Canada, especially those who are sacrificing the time to help grow this party, it was time to leave," Lorencz said.“Our membership and teams must feel like they are part of this organization and NOT simply viewed as excess baggage or irrelevant. I have heard from and worked with too many great people across Western Canada who have been made to feel that their voice does not matter."The former Canadian Armed Forces member told Western Standard more about why he resigned."It's just a whole bunch of things. It's the lack of leadership from the headquarters team to poor organizational skills, and it was causing conflict. I've reached out to headquarters a number of times, and it just was going unheard. And when you're trying to stand up for your members and the membership, you need to have responses," he said."I was looking for leadership and I wasn't finding that."Lorencz resigned a week prior to making his departure public and talked with leader Maxime Bernier before sharing the news abroad."I felt that just out of respect, I would hear him out. . . . But in listening to [him] I just don't see this being fixed."Lorencz said PPC members did not have clear rights to participate and express their views, except to talk to regional organizers or email party headquarters.The party did not respond to Western Standard to comment.
