JOE

Throughout your career, people have tried to paint you as a "Joe Who", a mitten-wearing clown, irrelevant. But you have always taken it in stride, and as the past few week's events have shown, you are neither a "Joe Who", nor are you irrelevant.



I was in Grade 3 when you were first chosen leader of the Party. I was lucky enough to have had a teacher who made it a point to ensure that we were all informed and knew who our leaders were. You were my favourite (remember I was viewing politics through the eyes of an 8-year old) of the three federal party leaders, although I respected and still respect Mr. Trudeau and Mr. Broadbent.



You were the reason I joined the PC Party of Canada before I was old enough to vote.



Later, I worked for a while in the office of Mr. Harvie Andre, your colleague from Alberta. I met a lot of politicians during the time I worked on the hill and at PCHQ, but the moment I will always remember as the fondest of my days of political involvement, was the first time I met you (I’m certain you don’t remember, it was only a handshake).



It was at a Charest rally at the Ottawa World Exchange Plaza during the leadership race in 1993 (it was the night the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup). Charest was speaking and, it being a rally, we were all cheering. All of a sudden the atmosphere in the crowd was changed, electrified, and there were rumours that you were in the building. There is no appropriate way to describe how I felt when I saw the man whom I had always called my “political hero” walking down the escalator to the area where we were rallying. Even Mr Charest was forgotten for a few minutes as the crowd shouted “Joe, Joe, Joe” in that mindless way that political events often turn to name-chanting.



During the past several years, with you at the helm of the party, you were the rudder that kept the party from straying, from drifting into the dangerous Reform Alliance waters on the one hand, while at the same time maintaining the relevancy of what could otherwise have easily become nothing more than a fringe party. You were (and even in retirement you still remain) the voice of conservative Canadians who are uncomfortable with the Reform/Alliance. With one interview a few weeks back you captured the attention of Canadians in a way that Stephen Harper has not been able to do in 2 years as the leader of his party. You are respected in this country.

I'd be proud to be a member of a party led by Joe Clark again.



Thank you Joe