National Party of Canada
The National Party of Canada was a short-lived Canadian political party that contested the 1993 federal election. The party is not related to the earlier National Party that was founded in 1979.
This article is about the Canadian political party 1993–1997. For the 1980s party, see National Party of Canada (1979). For other uses, see National Party.
National Party of Canada Parti national du Canada
Paul Reid
William Stephenson
1993
1997
teal
Formation[edit]
Founded and led by Edmonton, Alberta, publisher Mel Hurtig (best known as publisher of The Canadian Encyclopedia), the National Party was created in 1992 to oppose the Canada–U.S. Free Trade Agreement, an increase in continentalism, and the privatization policies of the Progressive Conservative government of Brian Mulroney. The party ran in the 1993 election on a platform of economic nationalism, lowering the value of the Canadian dollar relative to the American to encourage exports, and social responsibility.
The National Party promoted the idea that electoral campaigns should be funded by individual Canadians each contributing a small amount each year, thus taking away what the National Party considered was the undue influence of large, multinational corporations funding political campaigns.[2]
Internal dissent[edit]
After the 1993 election, Hurtig and the party's chief financial backer, Winnipeg entrepreneur Bill Loewen, disagreed about the direction the party was taking. Hurtig and Loewen developed rival factions within the party, and battled for control.
Meanwhile, plans for internal elections continued and were carried out at the June 1994 Convention. Loewen ran a slate of candidates that he supported in an effort to regain control of the party, including Kurt Loeb as party leader and Daniel Whetung as President. Loeb, National Party candidate in 1993 in the Toronto-area riding of York Centre, reportedly sought the leadership on an interim basis, to hold a new leadership convention within about 18 months. Whetung was a relative unknown at the time. Party members were reportedly dissatisfied with the incumbent President, Andy Boyle, who was defeated by Whetung. Hurtig defeated Loeb. Loewen called for the vote to be made unanimous to demonstrate party unity.[3]