Unionest Party
Encyclopedia
The Unionest Party was a provincial political party
in Saskatchewan
, Canada
, in the early 1980s, that advocated union between the four western provinces of Canada (British Columbia
, Alberta
, Saskatchewan
and Manitoba
) and the United States
.
The party’s name was a contraction of ‘best union’.
The party was founded in March 1980 by Dick Collver
, a former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
, who resigned from the PC caucus when he announced the formation of his new party.
A few days later, another PC member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
(MLA), Dennis Ham, also left the PC caucus
to join Collver. (Ham was the brother of Lynda Haverstock
, who later became the leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party
and later Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
.)
The Unionest Party was formed at a time when several western separatist parties (such as the Western Canada Concept
) were being formed and attracting considerable attention and support because of dissatisfaction with the federal Liberal
government.
Collver and Ham formed the legislative caucus of the Unionest Party. The Unionests then qualified as the official third party under the legislative act then in existence. This entitled the Unionests to special perquisites: Collver was to receive an additional $27,000 for office staff expense and an additional $11,000 in extra allowance as Leader of the Third Party. Ham was to receive an additional $16,000 for office expenses and $2,700 in an extra allowance.
Collver and Ham’s new party was met with derision, and there was great concern that two “crack pots” were able to obtain funding from the legislative assembly
’s budget for their "folly".
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
government of the day introduced and passed retroactive legislation entitled to restrict third party status to a party with at least two sitting members affiliated with a political party that was registered under the Election Act on the day of the last general election
.
Collver claimed this law discriminated against the Unionests on the basis of their political beliefs and took the government to court, but the provincial Court of Appeal disagreed.
The Unionest Party soon fizzled, and did not field candidates in the next general election. Collver retired to his ranch in Arizona
.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, in the early 1980s, that advocated union between the four western provinces of Canada (British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
and Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
) and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The party’s name was a contraction of ‘best union’.
The party was founded in March 1980 by Dick Collver
Dick Collver
Richard Lee "Dick" Collver led the Saskatchewan Progressive Conservative Party from 1973 to 1978.Having earned an arts degree in economics from the University of Alberta, he articled as an accountant for Price Waterhouse in Calgary before moving to Saskatchewan in 1965...
, a former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan is a right-of-centre political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Prior to 1942, it was known as the Conservative Party of Saskatchewan. Members are commonly known as Tories....
, who resigned from the PC caucus when he announced the formation of his new party.
A few days later, another PC member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
The 25th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan was in power from 2003 until November 20, 2007. It was controlled by the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party under premier Lorne Calvert.-Members:-By-elections:...
(MLA), Dennis Ham, also left the PC caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
to join Collver. (Ham was the brother of Lynda Haverstock
Lynda Haverstock
- External links :***...
, who later became the leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party
Saskatchewan Liberal Party
The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.-Early history :The party dominated Saskatchewan politics for the province's first forty years providing six of the first seven Premiers, and being in power for all but five of the years between the...
and later Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
The Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan is the viceregal representative in Saskatchewan of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the...
.)
The Unionest Party was formed at a time when several western separatist parties (such as the Western Canada Concept
Western Canada Concept
The Western Canada Concept was a Western Canadian political party founded in 1980 to promote the separation of the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and the Yukon and Northwest Territories from Canada in order to create a new nation.The party argued that Western...
) were being formed and attracting considerable attention and support because of dissatisfaction with the federal Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
government.
Collver and Ham formed the legislative caucus of the Unionest Party. The Unionests then qualified as the official third party under the legislative act then in existence. This entitled the Unionests to special perquisites: Collver was to receive an additional $27,000 for office staff expense and an additional $11,000 in extra allowance as Leader of the Third Party. Ham was to receive an additional $16,000 for office expenses and $2,700 in an extra allowance.
Collver and Ham’s new party was met with derision, and there was great concern that two “crack pots” were able to obtain funding from the legislative assembly
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch.The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as a number of Latin American countries....
’s budget for their "folly".
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It currently forms the official opposition, but has been a dominant force in Saskatchewan politics since the 1940s...
government of the day introduced and passed retroactive legislation entitled to restrict third party status to a party with at least two sitting members affiliated with a political party that was registered under the Election Act on the day of the last general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
.
Collver claimed this law discriminated against the Unionests on the basis of their political beliefs and took the government to court, but the provincial Court of Appeal disagreed.
The Unionest Party soon fizzled, and did not field candidates in the next general election. Collver retired to his ranch in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.