David Orchard

David Orchard is a Member of the Progressive Conservative Party. He is a fierce Economic Nationalist and believes strongly of Canadian institutions such as the Monarchy.

Orchard was born in Borden, Saskatchewan in 1950 and is a 4th generation grain farmer of British Heritage.

Orchard is a "Red" or moderate Tory and claims to be ideologically inspired by his political idols Former Prime Ministers John Diefenbaker, Robert Borden and John A. MacDonald. However many of his critics, both within the Conservative party and elsewhere, accuse him of being little more than an opportunist socialist who belongs in the New Democratic Party. THey also accuse him of trying to hijack the weak PC Party and steer it in a more radical direction, However he describes his own views as being in the "Historical Mainstream" and "Centrist" of the Tory Party and would appeal to moderate Canadians.

He is not an elected member of the Canadian House of Commons, but he did run in the Federal riding of Prince Albert in the 2000 election. He came in a distant third.

Orchard ran two times for the leadership of the PC once in 1998 and in 2003. In 1998 he did poorly, but attracted a very different group of supporters to the Tory party. In 2003 he came in third behind Calgary Lawyer Jim Prentice and MP Peter MacKay. Orchard helped Peter MacKay win the leadership with a deal. The deal promised a review of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, no joint candidates with the Canadian Alliance and to rebuild the Progressive Conservative Party. This agreement prompted much outrage and controversy. It was soon abandoned, and in the fall of 2003 Peter MacKay agreed to merge the PC with the Alliance party. Orchard is working to kill the merger with the Canadian Alliance and prevent Canada's founding party from being merged. Some other notable Tories such as former Prime Minister and last PC Leader Joe Clark, sides with Orchard on the merger issue. Orchard has called for Mr MacKay's Resignation.