He鈥檚 a lifelong Conservative, but now Vernon鈥檚 Art Robatzek is leaning towards Canada鈥檚 potential new political party.

Maxime Bernier, who lost the Conservative leadership nomination bid to Andrew Scheer, announced Friday he was going to be forming his own political organization, the People鈥檚 Party of Canada. An informational meeting on the party drew Robatzek and about 2o others to Vernon鈥檚 The Green Pub in the Village Green Hotel Monday.

鈥淚 think Mr. Scheer is a really nice person but I just don鈥檛 believe he鈥檚 really a leader,鈥� said Robatzek, 83, who just returned from the Conservative Party convention in Halifax. 鈥淲ith all due respect, I think he鈥檇 like to be but I think he sold himself down the river by associating himself with supply management because that鈥檚 the No. 1 issue in this country.鈥�

Topping the list of Bernier鈥檚 principles and policies is ending supply management, a Canadian system that permits special commodity sectors like dairy, poultry and eggs to limit the supply of its products to what Canadian citizens are expected to eat in order to have stable, predictable prices.

The system has been supported by the federal government in its agricultural pricing policies for more than 100 years, but the current system can be traced back to the 1960s.

鈥淚 feel that people in Canada are not getting their fair share,鈥� said Robatzek, a 61-year auctioneer who also owns and operates a construction company 鈥渢o get his daily physical exercise. 鈥淭he majority of people are struggling, trying to make end鈥檚 meet. We鈥檝e got costly dairy products which are a product every family should have growing up. Chickens and eggs, their prices are exceptionally high, making it more difficult for people to make end鈥檚 meet.

鈥淪upply management, as an organization, is outdated.鈥�

Glen Walushka, founder of the Wild Rose Party in Alberta, co-hosted Monday鈥檚 meeting along with Janet Green. Both are former Conservatives and former members of the North Okanagan-Shuswap Conservative Riding Association.

Walushka feels Bernier gives the People鈥檚 Party of Canada instant credibility.

鈥淗e鈥檚 walked the talk,鈥� said Walushka. 鈥淵ou have to have a person who鈥檚 had to earn a dime the hard way. Have some business insight and background, make some tough decisions, and do what鈥檚 the greatest good for the greatest number. You have to put some of your emotions aside and actually govern and manage a country. Have to have somebody with strength.

鈥淏ernier does that. And we鈥檙e looking for somebody with the same quality and attributes who can challenge legitimately in this riding in 2019.鈥�

The party can鈥檛 become official until a by-election is called somewhere in Canada, and the party can roll out a candidate.

鈥淲e鈥檒l start building a group and sharing information,鈥� said Walushka, who said his digital equipment has been going non-stop with messages since Bernier announced the news on Friday.

鈥淲e鈥檝e had people signing forms but the party will be idling until we become official. We anticipate sometime in the next three-to-six-months that opportunity will come up.鈥�

Asked if Bernier could make a dent in the next federal election, Robatzek didn鈥檛 hesitate.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be a bit surprised if he鈥檒l have more seats than the Conservative Party,鈥� he said.

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