Progressive Group for Independent Business
Encyclopedia
The Progressive Group for Independent Business (PGIB) is a membership-funded right-wing business group in Canada
founded in 1992 with the goal of promoting "less government, lower taxes and political accountability" in Canada. The PGIB claims to have a membership of roughly 6500. Its CEO is Craig Chandler
.
Since the mid-1990s, the PGIB has claimed to have influenced the development of some of the policies of the Common Sense Revolution
platform that elected Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
leader Mike Harris
to provincial government. The PGIB also claims that in its 1995 campaign "Focus Federally for Reform" (FFR), it successfully restrained the Reform Party from creating a provincial party in Ontario, thereby splitting the right-wing provincial vote. In the 1997 election, the PGIB gained notoriety for running attack ads against Liberal
candidates Sheila Copps
and Jane Stewart.
In 1998, under the auspices of the PGIB, Chandler organized a controversial "Unite the Right
- Roots of Change" conference in Toronto
, Ontario
. The conference included social conservative delegates from the Reform
and Progressive Conservative Parties
. It was criticized for also including representatives of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada
, Confederation of Regions Party, Freedom Party of Ontario
, Renaissance Canada
and the Alliance for the Preservation of English in Canada
. Attendees also included conservative commentators Michael Coren
and Linda Leatherdale
.
The PGIB has also been criticized internally by members who have suggested that the top-down organization has essentially become Chandler's personal lobby machine for his own SoCon agenda and that the PGIB does not do enough to canvass and promote the will and agenda of its general membership. The PGIB claims to survey its membership from time to time. Furthermore, in recent years, Chandler purposely moved towards separating his fiscal and social conservative agendas by forming Concerned Christians Canada Inc. (CCC), a social conservative Evangelical Christian lobby group. Some have suggested that the uses of the members' dues of the PGIB, which range from $60 CAD
to $350 annually are largely unaccounted for to the general membership. However, others argue that this claim is false and that Chandler is transparent and provides financials to all members at bi-annual conventions.
In 2003 the PGIB launched the "2cards.ca" initiative that called for a United Alternative. Chandler ran as the PGIB candidate in the Progressive Conservative leadership convention, 2003
.
Since their founding, PGIB Offices in Burlington, Ontario
and Calgary have received threatening calls, and the Burlington office has received at least one bomb threat.
In June 2009, Mark Dyrholm the group's National Vice President and a Calgary
Chiropractor. Ran for the Leadership of the newly former Wildrose Alliance Party to succeed Paul Hinman
in their 2009 Leadership Convention
. In the end Dyrholm lost to Danielle Smith
an Alberta journalist and broadcaster.
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...
founded in 1992 with the goal of promoting "less government, lower taxes and political accountability" in Canada. The PGIB claims to have a membership of roughly 6500. Its CEO is Craig Chandler
Craig Chandler
Craig B. Chandler is a Canadian businessman, pundit, and political and religious activist. He is a co-founder and executive director of the Progressive Group for Independent Business...
.
Since the mid-1990s, the PGIB has claimed to have influenced the development of some of the policies of the Common Sense Revolution
Common Sense Revolution
The phrase Common Sense Revolution has been used as a political slogan to describe common sense conservative platforms in Australia and the U.S. state of New Jersey in the 1990s. Based on the Singapore Model of economics, its main goal is to reduce taxes while balancing the budget by reducing the...
platform that elected Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
leader Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
to provincial government. The PGIB also claims that in its 1995 campaign "Focus Federally for Reform" (FFR), it successfully restrained the Reform Party from creating a provincial party in Ontario, thereby splitting the right-wing provincial vote. In the 1997 election, the PGIB gained notoriety for running attack ads against 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...
candidates Sheila Copps
Sheila Copps
Sheila Maureen Copps, PC is a former Canadian politician who also served as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from November 4, 1993 to April 30, 1996 and June 19, 1996 to June 11, 1997....
and Jane Stewart.
In 1998, under the auspices of the PGIB, Chandler organized a controversial "Unite the Right
Unite the Right
The Unite the Right movement was a Canadian political movement which existed from around 1996 to 2003. The movement came into being when it became clear that neither of Canada's two main right-of-center political parties: the Reform Party of Canada or the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada...
- Roots of Change" conference in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The conference included social conservative delegates from the Reform
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
and Progressive Conservative Parties
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
. It was criticized for also including representatives of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada
Christian Heritage Party of Canada
The Christian Heritage Party of Canada, also referred to as CHP Canada, is a federal political party that advocates that Canada be governed according to Biblical principles...
, Confederation of Regions Party, Freedom Party of Ontario
Freedom Party of Ontario
The Freedom Party of Ontario is a provincial political party in Ontario, Canada. It was founded on January 1, 1984 in London, Ontario by Robert Metz and Marc Emery, as a successor to the Unparty....
, Renaissance Canada
Renaissance Canada
Renaissance Canada was a lobby group founded in 1974 by Christian activist Ken Campbell to promote "parent power" in education. It is known for its involvement in its attempt to remove from school curricula works such as novels of Margaret Laurence and for its public condemnations of Martin...
and the Alliance for the Preservation of English in Canada
Alliance for the Preservation of English in Canada
The Alliance for the Preservation of English in Canada was a group in Canada, which campaigned against the Canadian government's policy of official bilingualism....
. Attendees also included conservative commentators Michael Coren
Michael Coren
Michael Coren is an English-Canadian columnist, author, public speaker, radio host and television talk show host. He hosted the television talk show The Michael Coren Show on the Crossroads Television System from 1999 to 2011 when he moved to the Sun News Network to host an evening talk show, The...
and Linda Leatherdale
Linda Leatherdale
Linda Leatherdale was a columnist for the Toronto Sun specializing in financial matters. In May 2009, she was appointed Vice President of Business and Marketing Development in Canada by natural quartz company, Cambria.- External links :*...
.
The PGIB has also been criticized internally by members who have suggested that the top-down organization has essentially become Chandler's personal lobby machine for his own SoCon agenda and that the PGIB does not do enough to canvass and promote the will and agenda of its general membership. The PGIB claims to survey its membership from time to time. Furthermore, in recent years, Chandler purposely moved towards separating his fiscal and social conservative agendas by forming Concerned Christians Canada Inc. (CCC), a social conservative Evangelical Christian lobby group. Some have suggested that the uses of the members' dues of the PGIB, which range from $60 CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
to $350 annually are largely unaccounted for to the general membership. However, others argue that this claim is false and that Chandler is transparent and provides financials to all members at bi-annual conventions.
In 2003 the PGIB launched the "2cards.ca" initiative that called for a United Alternative. Chandler ran as the PGIB candidate in the Progressive Conservative leadership convention, 2003
Progressive Conservative leadership convention, 2003
The 2003 Progressive Conservative leadership election was held on May 31, 2003 to elect a leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. Peter MacKay was elected as leader to replace former Prime Minister Joe Clark who had retired as party leader. In the end, five candidates emerged as...
.
Since their founding, PGIB Offices in Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
and Calgary have received threatening calls, and the Burlington office has received at least one bomb threat.
In June 2009, Mark Dyrholm the group's National Vice President and a Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
Chiropractor. Ran for the Leadership of the newly former Wildrose Alliance Party to succeed Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman is a provincial politician and small business entrepreneur from Alberta, Canada. He was formerly the leader of the Wildrose Alliance. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2004 to 2008 representing the electoral district of Cardston-Taber-Warner...
in their 2009 Leadership Convention
Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta leadership election, 2009
The 2009 leadership election for the Wildrose Alliance Party of Alberta began on June 6, 2009, when leader Paul Hinman officially announced his resignation as leader of the party.-Announcement:...
. In the end Dyrholm lost to Danielle Smith
Danielle Smith
Danielle Molles Smith is one of five martial artists who developed the women's self-defense system known as "Model Mugging" and is the current head teacher dojo cho of Aikido of Monterey in California."...
an Alberta journalist and broadcaster.