Power to the People...

Thanks to Shaw I'm blogging live from the PC AGM and Convention here in Edmonton. I wanted to mention a few thoughts that arose from the heated discussion at our AGM earlier this evening regarding raising our membership fees, which our Provincial Party Executive had attempted to do already (and without consultation) at an executive meeting.

The strength in our Party lies within it's core - at the grassroots level - with it's constituencies and their members. These members have long resisted raising membership dues, especially as a method of fundraising, and with good reason: a $5.00 fee makes membership in our party available to anyone and everyone who wants it. I think it is of utmost importance that everyone who wants to participate in the democratic process be able to do so, and the price of a membership to a political party should never be a barrier to this.

In attempting to raise our fees in a closed meeting (and inform us of it later), our executive forgot about the most important people in our party - us. Today, the grassroots members of the PC Party of Alberta sent a clear message in voting down the proposed fee elevation... we know that power lies within our voice, our vote and we will not tolerate anyone trying to take this away from us. Power to the People.