The Conservative Party of Canada holds its second ever policy convention this week in Winnipeg and, after quickly glancing over the social calendar, there's no denying the Conservatives know how to put the party back into Conservative Party!
In addition to a National Caucus Meeting (Thursday afternoon), a speech by the One, the Only, the Right Honourable Prime Minister Stephen J. Harper (Thursday night), and lots of policy discussions, there will also be lots of social or semi-social things to do for the 700 or so delegates who will attend. For one thing, I've heard a certain Environment Minister has a hospitality suite if you care to pop by and discuss the future of the Conservative Party of Canada when the One, the Only has moved along. Members of the national executive council, I'm told, may also be organizing their own hospitality suites. And don't forget: At every gathering of Conservatives or Progressive Conservatives for what seems like the last two decades, you can always count on Peter Van Loan – recently put in charge of the country's police forces and spies, I might add — to put on his own hospitality suite.
In addition the to the hospitality suites, there's lots of events, such as:
- Rahim and Helena Wedding Social Rahim Jaffer was a surprise loser on election night, going down to defeat in his Edmonton riding to the NDP's Linda Duncan. The big consolation prize came from his fiancé, Conservative MP and Minister of State Helena Guergis who showed up the next day ready to get hitched. Conservatives in Winnipeg can celebrate these celebrity nuptials with the Boogie Nights Band at the Delta on Saturday night. (Question: If the Power Couple at the first ever Conservative Convention in Montreal was Peter and Belinda, are Rahim and Helena the Power Couple for this second-ever convention? Who will it be at the third convention?)
- The Canadian Private Copying Collective Suite The Canadian Private Copying Collective cordially invites Conservative Party of Canada delegates to our hospitality suite to meet some of Canada’s outstanding musicians, performing artists and songwriters. (Thursday all night at the Radisson. Bring your iPod!)
- Canada-Israel Committee Part-ay All night Thursday at the Delta.
- UPDATE: Canada India Foundation and the Canada India Interparliamentary Association does the hospitality suite thing all night Friday. Location unknown, I'm afraid, but if you ask around, shouldn't too hard to find.
- Lunch with Jason Kenney Our new Citizenship and Immigration Minister is the keynote speaker at lunch at the Marlborough on Thursday.
- Eggs over easy with Monte Monte Solberg — you remember him, don't you? — headlines the Conservative Club of Winnipeg's breakfast at the Norwood Hotel. You need tickets for this one on Thursday morning.
- The next premier of Manitoba? Hugh McFadyen is the leader of Manitoba's Progressive Conservatives and the Manning Centre for Democracy is presenting Hugh teamed up on an exciting double bill with Dr. Frank Plummer who will talk about infectious diseases. (Add your own punchline here …). All the action from the Manning Centre is at The Winnipeg Millenium Library. That's right, the library! On Friday, from 4 till 6 pm.