The Consensus Party is a democratic grassroots party designed to eliminate patronage.

The National headquarters exists solely to obtain party status and to comply with the Canadian Elections Act. It will file the nomination forms under the Consensus Party of Canada for the successful candidate in each riding. Any voter in a riding who wishes to run for the party will collect endorsements from voters in that riding and submit them to a designated representative who will submit the winning name to the party clerk who will file the appropriate forms for election under the Consensus Party of Canada.

The Administration of the Consensus Party will consist of a clerk, secretary, treasurer and an office manager. The clerk’s position will be hereditary similar to the British system. There is no foreseeable reason why the clerk would withhold consent for a legitimately approved candidate.

To register for this party a minimum of 250 members are required. The cost of membership is $20.00; this supports the office expenses and includes a certificate of membership.

Note: Conventions are not necessary in this concept.

The elected member with the highest percentage of votes will chair the first meeting.  This meeting will choose a chair person and fulfill the necessary position.

The consensus party is a political party for all citizens of Canada whose purpose is to eliminate patronage political baggage and hero worshipping.

• Each constituency would have a separate identity
• Each citizen could obtain the candidacy by collecting the most signatures
• There would be a counter and comptroller for each constituency

The national party would be administered by the clerk of the Consensus Party. The clerk would do the paper work for the party and coordinate democratic function of one person, one vote. It is hoped that no lobbies will ever send the clerk a christmas card.

A party has to have 250 members to apply for registration. Any eligible voter that sends the $20.00 to the Consensus Party of Canada will receive a membership certificate.

Most often asked questions:

Does the Party have a policy?  Yes, just like surveys are random, they will reflect the voter’s wishes.  Therefore at the caucus meetings there will be an element of Green, NDP, left and right.  This represents proportional government without being hung up on a singular ideology.

Who will represent the various departments and who will be prime minister?  The elected candidate with the biggest percentage of votes from all the ridings will chair the first caucus meeting  until all the positions are filled, even who is going to be acting prime minister.

What are the advantages?  There will be no expensive national campaigns and therefore big donations do not have to be politically rewarded.  This would be the end of patronage and greatly slow down lobbying.

Will this lack of a unified platform affect our system?  No, basically the deputy ministers will run the country.  Only limited changes are affected by various governments.  The basic Canadian values will continue.  Change will happen in controlled environments.

Proposals to be considered:

The Auditor General should have the budget increased ten fold.  This is the main department to investigate government misconducts such as the Montgomery inquiry and the R.C.M.P. problems.

Self regulating professions should have their power greatly reduced; to an advisory position.  The medical profession would not be able to restrict the numbers of doctors on the pretence that they do not meet their standards.  How many syringes and surgical instruments have been left inside of patients and how many wrong limbs have been amputated?  How many operating room nurses have been silenced?  Why are not doctors drug tested?  This should be more important than athletes.  Lawyers should definitely not be self regulated.

Whistle blowers should be rewarded and protected.

Elected people should not be tempted with too much power.

If a citizen is nominated for a federal office and declines this person shall lose their citizenship.

Peter Steiner, Clerk clerk@consensuspartyofcanada.ca Consensus Party Of Canada P.O. Box 2559 Banff, Alberta T1L 1C3