PC Leadership Review... let the people speak!

This just in from the folks at www.draftaleader.com... it seems there's even more funny business going on in an effort to support what seems to be a doomed leadership.

January 17, 2008
Andrew Lawton
Southwestern Ontario District Chair,
Ontario PC Youth Association
alawton2@uwo.ca
(519) xxx-xxxx

In reference to recent events regarding delegate selection meetings for the Ontario PC Party Convention, I urge all members of the Ontario PC Youth Association to re-evaluate their decision in the matter of the leadership review. I did have some doubts about the notion of a review, however, as an executive member of the OPCYA, I did not have much opportunity to form an educated decision, as members of said executive were forced to sign a letter supporting Mr. Tory at the risk of losing their positions. This was an open letter to Ontario PC Party Leader John Tory on behalf of all members of the OPCYA explaining the level of support that members of the OPCYA executive had for keeping Mr. Tory in the position of leader of the party. Although that opinion was shared by many, executive members and the youth membership were spoken for in a manner that did not represent their personal morals.

At a post-election executive meeting, OPCYA President Andrew Brander threatened the political futures of those directors who were uncomfortable with signing the document at that time. With my dedication to the organization, I signed the letter to Mr. Tory at the risk of being removed from the board and not having a place within the PCPO in future elections. This act of force not only opposed the principles of democracy, but opposed my right and wish to remain neutral in the matter of the review. My wish is that all party members are able to make an informed decision regarding a matter of such magnitude, without being privy to threats and injustices from within the organization.

My wish was to remain neutral for the entire campaign. However, my "signing" of this letter put me in a position where I became a vocal opponent to the review, and was forced to silence my personal leanings at the risk of being removed from the party. To this point, I have not yet taken an official position on the review. However, with the manner in which those opposed to the review have conducted themselves, I will certainly be supporting a leadership review. I call upon all other members who may have been strong-armed in one direction or another to come forward to allow for a clean race, where individuals may vote according to their own conscience, and not that of their association's president.