Sen. Plett retires after ‘good years, good moments’

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A Manitoba senator who was one of the key architects of what is now the Conservative Party of Canada retired Wednesday, but not before reflecting on Pierre Poilievre’s downfall and ways to make the Senate legit again.

Don Plett, who is from Landmark, reached the Senate’s mandatory retirement age on Wednesday, when he turned 75. He was appointed by then-prime minister Stephen Harper in 2009.

“I’ve had a lot of good years, good moments, both in government and opposition, and I am forever grateful for having had the opportunity,” said Plett in a phone interview from Ottawa.

Plett was the second-generation owner of a heating and ventilation company. Earlier in life, his father encouraged him to volunteer in politics and, when he was 17, he worked on Tory MP Jake Epp’s federal campaign in 1965.

He later managed Vic Toews’ successful 2000 federal campaign with the Canadian Alliance party. When that party merged with the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada three years later, Plett became founding president of the Conservative Party of Canada.

During his time in the Senate, Plett served as opposition whip and rose to be the leader of the Senate’s opposition party.

Harper called to congratulate Plett on Wednesday and he told the former prime minister how when he was first appointed he told a fellow senator he wanted to be in opposition, just for one day “so that I had the freedom to do and say what I wanted.”

“That really didn’t take a full day, when we lost government, for me to get tired of that. As (Harper) said to me (Wednesday), “Don, one day in government is better than all the days in opposition.” He is correct about that.”

The Tories remain in Opposition after last month’s federal election, a place they’ve been since 2015. Things could have been different if the party reached out to others and worked together on issues where there was a common denominator.

“The fact of the matter is, I believe we would be in government today, quite frankly, if some of our campaign team would have taken the same approach, put out an olive branch to just a few different leaders in the country, and say let’s work together. We decided not to do that.”

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston did not attend a rally when Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was in town prior to the election campaign amid tension between the two, media sources said at the time. That was due to a terse phone call by the Conservative national campaign director to Houston’s staff. Jenni Byrne said if Poilievre became prime minister, he would do nothing to help the provincial party. That call came after Houston told reporters during the provincial campaign he wouldn’t invite Poilievre to campaign with him because he isn’t a member of any federal party.

Ontario Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford also announced prior to the election he wouldn’t endorse Poilievre and was staying out of the federal campaign.

“Pierre Poilievre is one of the reasons we did as well as we did,” Plett said. “But, at the end of the day, (he) did not quite finish the job and bring it home.”

Despite that, Plett said the Tory leader continues to have his support.

“But he needs to make some changes at the very top of his team in order for us to move forward. If he doesn’t do that, it will be a difficult row to hoe.”

Steinbach PC MLA Kelvin Goertzen said it doesn’t surprise him how blunt Plett is with his opinion on the campaign. He met Plett more than two decades ago when they worked on Toews’ election campaign.

“He is a really dedicated organizer, somebody who would literally go through the wall to get things done,” Goertzen said.

“But he is also somebody who is very frank, very clear in their opinion, which sometimes, for people, can be a little shocking… (but) people liked the fact that you might not always agree with his stand, but you always knew where he stood.”

Goertzen said Plett’s biggest legacy was helping warring Tory parties — the PCs and the Alliance — come together.

“I think Don deserves a lot of credit for getting us back under one tent and seeing you can’t really make a difference unless you are the government.”

Provencher Tory MP Ted Falk said in a statement Plett has “dedicated his life to public service, guided by unwavering conservative values and a deep commitment to his community and country.”

Paul Thomas, professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba, said Plett served the conservative cause well in many roles.

He noted Plett was appointed under the “traditional patronage basis” before prime minister Justin Trudeau made changes.

“Plett hated the Trudeau use of an independent advisory committee to recruit potential senators,” Thomas said. “He rejected in the strongest possible terms the claim by Trudeau that senators appointed after 2016, under the new system, were independent and non-partisan. He believed most were Liberal wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

Plett said he believes Trudeau’s changes have resulted in a dysfunctional Senate chamber.

“What has happened, with this Senate, is it has become a glorified echo chamber,” he said.

“The Senate itself has lost its legitimacy and it’s purpose and we either need to clean it up or we need to abolish it. I’m actually hopeful (Prime Minister) Mark Carney will do two things: one, he will establish a Liberal caucus again and, two, he will make sure that the Conservatives stay relevant.

“I’m hoping he will have some sober second thought and make that correction.”

In retirement, Plett looks forward to golfing, watching his granddaughter compete in the world junior curling championships in Denmark this winter and spending more time with his wife and family.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca