CALGARY — Most members of a Calgary riding association held by a controversial Conservative MP have resigned, saying they can’t function under the “arbitrary and absolute control” of the national wing of their own party.
The two groups had been arguing over the candidacy of five-term MP Rob Anders in the next federal election.
National Tory policy makes it difficult to hold a nomination contest if a sitting MP wishes to run again, and those opposing Anders hadn’t been able to meet the requirements.
But the riding association planned to push ahead with attempts at a nomination battle anyway before the national wing of the Tory party stepped in last week to take control.
Sixteen Calgary West board members said in a letter dated Wednesday that they couldn’t continue after the council restricted the board’s access to funds, took away control over elections at an upcoming general meeting and cut off access to the riding’s membership.
“We feel that democracy is being neither recognized nor served by the arbitrary and absolute control being utilized by the national council in attempting to minutely direct both the actions and thoughts of the local board,” reads the letter sent to John Walsh, president of the national council.
The members said the Conservative party hasn’t responded to the board president’s attempts to talk since the actions were taken Feb. 4.
Fred DeLorey, director of communications for the Conservative Party of Canada, said in an email Thursday that the party “will not be commenting on internal party matters.”
Anders has won the riding five times, but corporate lawyer Donna Kennedy-Glans wants to run against him for the Tory nomination in the next election.
The federal party ruled last spring that the only way incumbent members of Parliament can be ousted is if two-thirds of all members in the riding vote to hold a nomination contest. That number was not achieved in Calgary West. Anders was declared the candidate for the next election, but the board still wanted an open nomination meeting. It voted at its last meeting to bring the matter to a vote at the upcoming annual general meeting.