Hill makes move to support Tories

By Pamela Roth
Staff reporter

Macleod MP Grant Hill demonstrated just how strongly he supports banding the Progressive Conservative (PC) and Canadian Alliance party’s last week by choosing to sit as a Tory member until formal unification of the two Parliamentary caucuses is finalized.
In an effort to maintain their official party status in the House of Commons, Dr. Hill, along with three other Canadian Alliance caucus members, made the move to replace former PC members who left the caucus early last week.
“The four of us moved over to fill the gap since we don’t have all our intra-parliamentary joining together completed yet,” said Hill, 59. “I am absolutely delighted with what has taken place. We are going to focus all our attention on the Liberals.”
Despite words from an outspoken ‘No’ advocate Joe Clark, delegates of both parties projected a powerful display of unity as 91 per cent of Conservatives and 96 per cent of Canadian Alliance members voted in favor of uniting the two parties to form a new Conservative Party of Canada.
Before the final votes were tallied earlier this month, the former Tory leader, Clark, clearly stated the merge would be a ‘very serious mistake for the party and for the country’ that would ‘destroy’ the Progressive Conservative Party altogether.
“I think it’s a shame that somebody like Joe Clark, who has been around politics a lot, wouldn’t stay in the new party and fight for what he believes in,” said Hill. “He’s just giving up, taking his marbles and going away.”
But Hill, and an overwhelming majority of members from both parties, view the merger through much different eyes.
“I am 99.99 per cent in favor,” said Hill. “It means there is a better chance that the Conservative Party will form the government rather than being an opposition. We’ll be able to reform our ideas rather than just talk about them.”
The leadership race for the newly formed Conservative Party is already taking shape with Calgary lawyer Jim Prentice announcing his intentions of seeking the position, along with current Tory leader Peter MacKay and current Alliance leader Stephen Harper.
Although 2004 is promising to be an event-filled year in the world of Canadian politics, especially with the newly crowned Prime Minister Paul Martin already in position, Hill still vows to stick to his plan of returning to medicine in only a few short months.
“When I left medicine I left with a specific goal in mind and I set 10 years as the time I would serve in Parliament. Now the 10 years are up so I will be coming home to my real profession, which I am just absolutely delighted about,” said Hill. “I have no regrets about leaving and my wife says I am happier than I have been in quite a while.”
Hill, who announced his retirement on Aug. 22, is a former town councillor of Okotoks and was first elected as MP in October 1993 and re-elected in 1997 and 2000. In April 2001, he was appointed as Official Opposition Deputy Leader by Stockwell Day and still remains in the position, re-appointed by Stephen Harper in March 2002.