Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams is promoting the notion that voters should vote Anything But Conservative... its as easy as ABC.

It looks as if the ABC movement now has an official website.

http://www.anythingbutconservative.ca/

Four parties are suggested as potential alternatives to the Conservative Party:

• Liberal Party of Canada
• New Democratic Party of Canada
• Green Party of Canada
• Progressive Canadian Party

The first three are well known. I'd like to introduce readers to the Progressive Canadian Party, the PC Party on ballots where candidates are running.

The party was founded by those who have always objected to the merger between the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and the Canadian Alliance. I myself was a former Progressive Conservative and while I was most unhappy with the merger, I elected to come along with the new Conservative Party hoping that the influence of Progressive Conservatives would ensure the new party looked like the old.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The Conservative Party with Harper at the helm does not resemble the former federal Progressive Conservative Party, and I honestly believe that if unchecked Stephen Harper will shape Canada into a form the majority of Canadians will not want to see.

This is why Premier Williams, a Progressive Conservative premier, is promoting the Anything But Conservative movement.

I myself am supportive of any action which will deny Stephen Harper a majority. More to the point I believe it in Canada's best interest to see Harper defeated in this election. If the Conservative Party is ever to look more like the Progressive Conservative Party, while still honouring the valuable pro-democracy roots of the Reform Party which Harper has all but jettisoned, it must rid itself of Harper and his core team. This can only happen if Harper faces electoral defeat.

The right choice for progressive conservative voters, for pro-democracy reformers, is to vote Anything But Conservative. Lets do what Harper won't allow: take back the party and merge the best the Progressive Conservative and Reform parties had to offer.

Related media:

Strange bedfellows: Williams's ABC campaign heads to trenches (Sept. 16 2008, CBC)

A Newfoundland and Labrador cabinet minister campaigned door-to-door with a St. John's-area Liberal candidate Monday night, as Premier Danny Williams denied his 'anything but Conservative' campaign is intimidating provincial Tories.

Though a Progressive Conservative, Williams is encouraging Newfoundland and Labrador voters to boycott federal Conservative candidates in the Oct. 14 general election.