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within the cualition. Already, there is some positional jockey- ing by the parties.

Referring to the B.C. Reform Party, Spencer Acker, Socred party director-at-large, said, “Wes ve picked off all their moncy people who've support- ed (their) party. We're just wet. ting started. We only had 500 to 600 members 13 vears ago.”

Acker estimated current Socred membership to be approximately 12,000.

“We have to have a third option,” he said, referring to the Liberals and NDP. “If we don’t, we're sunk. (Social Credit) ran this province for 30 years (and) it was the best province in the country. (B.C.) went from the top of the pile to

the bottom.” “But,” he added, “things

Yate happening; j just keep an cye

on us.” . “We've been very quict, which h has been to our advan- « tage,” said party vice-president Carrol: Woolsey in: explaining the absence of Social Credit candidates in the last election. ““When you've had the rug pulled out from under you, you must regroup.”

Socred president Mike Culos failed to show up to the mecting, due to business oblig- ations. :

-An- audience ° of 4 proxi- mately 60 people turned out to the.-Cheers. meeting to hear soft-spoken Socred leader Dr. Eric. Buckley preach the party message.

Buckley, blazer: and tic, was. the lone

“suit”: in a room filled chiefly with casually dressed retirees.

The issues he raised centred © “on debt management, the need. _ 210 ‘replace | the NDP as the offi-”

cial opposition in the event of a Liber p.

and immigration,”

¥ But, feelings ‘of disappoint-.-

‘ wearing a’ blue’

party victory in the next” provincial election, joblessness.

Buckley has a more humble estimate of the party’s current membership numbers than Acker.

Lifetime members aside (of

which there are thousands from earlier days), Buckiey esti- mated current Socred member- ship to be between 3,000 and 5,000.

“Not overwhelming. bur growing,” he said.

The party also suffers trom a dearth of business sponsors.

Astonishingly, the party of

W.A.C. Bennett and Phil Gagliardi — when business was booming and B.C. was a capi- talist’s paradise — can’t find a corporate donor.

“We have some (compa- nies) taking the position, ‘Show us your substance first and then we'll come forward,” Bucklcy said.

In the meantime party rep- resentatives passed the hat to the assembled faithful who

eeled cut 10- and 20-dollar ills, which gave the room the aura of a revival meeting.

Buckley wants the coalition, which is still in its embryonic stage, formed as soon as possi-

FACTORY FUT

ble. He urged audience mem- bers from the other parties to carry the message.

Buckley remains confident the parties will form a single entity, but he said he believes that defining the entity will be complhicaed.

Noting that the coalition would have to rauif¥ a constitu- tion, Buckley pointed out that Social Credit is the only coali- tion member to have served in yovernment,

He added that she Socred constitution is “tested,” which makes it, “by fr che most logi- cal one to choose.”

Otherwise, Buckley said the various parties were fairly close on policies, with the exception of issues under federal junsdic- tion. As for his own leadership future with the new party, he said, “I’m under no illusions to believe I would be the leader of the (coalition).”

Buckley said the “reality of the political landscape of the province” is that there are

“only two erediole parties for which to vote in electing a gov- ernment.

“The net effect is that over the years, far more people did

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and ‘only: the: press was to blame for the party’s woes. His’, speech. drew. the evenirig’s loudest applause. | Still, ~ Buckley: knows :: the * spectre ‘of Vander Zalm contin- ues. to” play:on the minds of “some. of. the ‘party’s - faithful. However, he remains commit- : ted to the democratic process. “That's always there and it

influence’ certain people, -: “who: are’ concerned . Vander -

Zalm may aspire.to the leader- ship,” Buckley agreed.

“But he’ added that the fore

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” NEWS photo Cindy Goodman SOCIAL Credit Party leader Dr. Eric Buckley spoke to the gathered faithful

Tuesday night at Cheers Restaurant in North Vancouver.

not vote in the last election than voted for either party.”

Buckley said he hupes to convert cnough of the 640,000 non-voters to allow his party to springboard back ta power.

“In the meantime, he said he wishes the Liberals and NDP well in their twin strategy to convince people not to vote for the other party.

“We have a solenin duty,” Buckley said, “to provide a cred- ible third alternative. Even if the Liberals do form the govern- ment, we do not want the NDP to form the official opposition.”

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