PC Party considers lower taxes, democratic reform at AGM

With the resignation of Progressive Conservative Party Leader Paul Davis, the focus of the party's weekend AGM in Gander now turns to policy and setting rules for choosing a successor.

The party has to choose a process for selecting someone to replace Davis, and one of the proposals to be voted on proposes to expand the voting beyond PC party members to any supporter of the party, "to demonstrate that the party is truly committed to the most democratic of principles," reads the motion written by the Corner Brook district association.

Several of the people considering a run at the leadership, including MHA Steve Kent, lawyer Ches Crosbie and former cabinet minister John Ottenheimer are expected at the convention.

When Davis announced his resignation he encouraged the party to adopt a more open process that allows all party members to help choosing the leader. The process the party used to elect Davis involved a traditional delegated convention.

Fiscally conservative and socially progressive policies considered

The party is also considering policy changes, one of which aims to push the party in a more fiscally conservative direction.

The existing MHAs are pushing to adopt policies that would push for tax cuts, eliminate the recently introduced deficit reduction levy and have more public private partnerships. It doesn't layout how the party would pay for the lower taxes.

The caucus is also proposing what it calls a "comprehensive social plan" to reduce poverty, prevent violence and make the province a national leader in mental health care.

The party will also decide whether to adopt positions to limit corporate and union political donations, encourage more trade with the UK, as it exits the European Union, and grow more food locally.

Many of the leadership contenders for the federal Conservative Party are also expecting to visit the convention looking for support in their bid to replace Stephen Harper.