HANNAFORD: Chuck Strahl remembered as a Conservative unifier

The death has occurred of former Conservative cabinet minister and Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon MP Chuck Strahl, of mesothelioma. He was 67.In 2002-3, Strahl played a vital role in the sequence of events that led to the formation of the present Conservative Party of Canada. As leader of the so-called Democratic Reform Caucus, he orchestrated the crisis of weekly MP resignations from the Canadian Alliance through which party leader Stockwell Day was forced to relinquish the party leadership, clearing the way for Stephen Harper to seek and finally become, Canadian Alliance leader. He also played a guiding role in the unification process, as the Alliance tried to work out a joint strategy with the Progressive Conservatives. Although the Progressive Conservative party had been reduced to a rump with the rise of the Reform Party and the Canadian Alliance that succeeded it, it still retained some brand name recognition and one influential sitting member, Peter Mackay. However, leader Joe Clark saw the approaching reunification as the Reform rebels 'coming home,' whereas Strahl and Harper knew that the entire Canadian conservative movement needed to be rebuilt.In the months that followed, Strahl's vision was instrumental in countering the Clark agenda. He consistently communicated that he doubted the sincerity of the Progressive Conservative Party in pursuing cooperation with the Canadian Alliance. "Symbolically important elements such as a name change... are being resisted," he advised. "If you wish only to have us attempt to sell the status quo PC Party, we cannot be successful."It turned out to be a key insight very much in line with Stephen Harper's own analysis and when the two parties achieved unity, it was indeed under the new Conservative Party of Canada name.Despite his stint as a conservative rebel, Strahl was quick to mend fences with the new management when Harper took over as leader of the new party. He would go on to serve in the Conservative government that was elected in 2006 as successively the Minister of Transport, Indian Affairs, Northern Development, Agriculture and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, of which he was a vigorous critic and whose chairman he would dismiss within his first year as minister. (The Harper government would ultimately dismiss the entire board in 2011, during Strahl's last year as a member of the government, ending the board's monopoly on western Canadian wheat sales.)Strahl first entered Parliament in 1993, and would go on to win six successive elections. Harper comments of Strahl, "I would just say that he was a consummate professional. He was one of the best ministers in my time in government. He was also a natural leader, had he ever chosen to go that route. I might add that Chuck and I spoke shortly after I became leader of the Alliance in 2002. He wanted to reintegrate into the caucus with his group after the split of the previous year. Bringing him back was one of the best decisions I ever made."Strahl's son Mark Strahl entered Parliament in 2019 as MP for Chilliwack-Hope. In a statement released by the Strahl family today, "Dad’s deep and abiding Christian faith was at the heart of who he was. He and Mom were members of the Chilliwack Alliance Church, where they grew in their faith together and served in many different leadership roles. Dad lived out his values in every aspect of his life, and was known for his honour, integrity and faithfulness to all those who knew him.".This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.

HANNAFORD: Chuck Strahl remembered as a Conservative unifier

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