Fonds F952 - Progressive Conservative Association fonds

The Progressive Conservative Party, a political party, began as a coalition of Liberals and moderate Conservatives in 1854. Brought together under the titular leadership of Sir Alan MacNab and the active direction of John A. Macdonald and George-Etienne Cartier, this Liberal-Conservative coalition was regarded at first as just another of the shifting alliances of the period. The party was broadened at Confederation by the addition of the Conservative parties of the Maritime Provinces. The Party retained the name "Liberal-Conservative" from its inception in 1854 until its national convention in 1938. At that convention the name was changed to "The National Conservative Party". At the convention of 1942 in Winnipeg the name was changed to "Progressive Conservative Party". At no time from 1854 to the present has the single name "Conservative" ever been used as the official designation of the Party.