About OPCCA
The Ontario Progressive Conservative Campus Association (OPCCA) is the campus youth wing of the PC Party of Ontario: an organization that links together conservative campus clubs across the province. Our campus clubs provide the opportunity for conservative students to meet like-minded individuals from across the province and get involved in the political process through election campaigns, party activities and conservative activism in general.
Our organization has four main goals:
- To study, discuss, and propose the policies of the Ontario PC Party through active participation in the policy process.
- To promote the ideas and ideals of conservatism on our campuses, in our communities and province.
- To promote and assist in the election of Ontario PC Party candidates to the Ontario Legislature and Conservative Party of Canada candidates to the Parliament of Canada.
- To promote and assist in the election of conservative politicians on our campuses and in our communities.
To achieve these goals OPCCA has a focus on recruitment on campus to bring youth into the PC Party of Ontario and the Conservative Party of Canada, as well as to run youth training programs for election skills, campus activism and club development. We recognize the potential that youth have to make a big difference to help win elections and help shape the future of our party, and feel it is important to develop conservative thought on campus to provide a more balanced and healthy academic environment.
If you share conservative principles, and want to meet like-minded individuals, sign up as a member of your campus club today!
Your Executive
Eric Merkley – President
Eric attends Wilfrid Laurier University, where he is enrolled
in double Honours Political Science and History. He is Vice-President of the Kitchener-Centre PC Riding Association, and sits as Youth Chair on the executive of the Kitchener-Waterloo Conservative Electoral District Association. Last year, Eric served as Director of Training for OPCCA, and President of the Laurier Campus Conservatives.
Eric oversaw the creation of an OPCCA-OPCYA Training Committee with the task of organizing a weekend election training conference, to train youth with campaign techniques and strategies needed for them to fill the critical shortage of volunteers at the highest level of campaigns. This project was just completed with resounding success: almost 70 youth attendees.
Eric has also been heavily active in election campaigns. Most recently, he took off the fall term of school to serve as Deputy Campaign Manager for Peter Braid in Kitchener—Waterloo. He oversaw voter identification and GOTV efforts among other things, which proved crucial in Peter Braid’s 17 vote upset of Andrew Telegdi, closing nearly a 13 000 vote gap.
Jeff Farncombe – Vice President
Jeffrey Farncombe is the current Vice President of the Ontario Progressive
Conservative Campus Association and Past President of the Carleton Campus Conservatives. Prior to becoming President of the CCC he served as both the Vice President (07-08) and Finance Director (06-07). He is currently in his fourth year majoring in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and Political Thought. Prior to attending Carleton University, Jeffrey attended Mohawk College where he graduated from with Honours in 2006.
On campus Jeffrey is involved in a plethora of other activities including: Past President of the Carleton Political Science Society, Past President of the Carleton Public Affairs Society, Prime Minister of Carleton’s Model Parliament, and is a member of the United Nations Society, Model NATO Society and Classics Society.
Cynthia Tran – Secretary-Treasurer
Cynthia first witnessed the importance of government while she worked
as a Legislative Page at Queen’s Park during the previous PC government. Cynthia now studies as an Outstanding Scholar in the Honours Arts & Science program at the University of Windsor where she pursues her passion for both Biochemistry and Political Science. In addition to her academic studies, Cynthia remains politically active, serving as Secretary on the executive of the Essex Conservative Electoral District Association.
Cynthia has also worked hard to re-establish and re-energize the University of Windsor Conservative Association. Currently serving as President of the club, Cynthia has spurred club growth and interest in on-campus conservatism. With the onset of an autumn federal election, she quickly recognized the significance of channeling interest in campus activism to local federal campaigns. As the Volunteer Coordinator of the Conservative federal election campaign in Essex and a self-admitted canvassing enthusiast, Cynthia directed an effective canvassing plan and student effort.
Alexia Forrester – Director of Communications
Alexia, also known as Ally, is currently in her 3rd year at the University of
Ottawa, where she is studying Political Science and Communication.
She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, UK and grew up in Brampton, Ontario. She became politically aware at a young age and immediately identified with and advocated conservative ideals. She was voted in her high school yearbook as the most likely to be the Premier of Ontario. During the 2008 federal election, Alexia worked with the Department of Fundraising and Membership at Conservative Party of Canada Headquarters. She also worked at the local level for Patrick Glémaud in Ottawa-Vanier, and for Kyle Seeback in Brampton-West.
Alexia has also been active with the University of Ottawa Campus Conservatives, where she is the present VP of Administration on the executive. In addition, she works in the House of Commons for Greg Kerr, Member of Parliament for West Nova & Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs.
Dan White – Director of Training
Dan is a fourth year student at Wilfrid Laurier University completing
his degree in Political Science with a CO-OP Option. Last year he was the Vice-President of the Laurier Campus Conservatives, the President of the WLU Political Science Association, student representative to the Political Science Department, and worked as a Teaching Assistant.
Politically, Dan has worked as a Constituency Assistant in the riding of Perth-Wellington for Conservative MP Gary Schellenberger the last two summers, and is the current Youth Representative of the Perth-Wellington EDA. During the 40th General Election, Dan served on the campaign teams for Gary Schellenberger (Perth-Wellington), Peter Braid (Kitchener-Waterloo), and during the by-election for Gloria Kovach (Guelph). For Mr. Schellenberger, Dan helped coordinate GOTV, and served as a regular door canvasser for all three campaigns he worked on. Currently, Dan works on the Hill for Conservative MP Gary Schellenberger.
Amber Ruddy – Director of Campus Activism
Amber’s passion for politics all began in the riding of Newmarket-Aurora while she was still in high school. Upon entering the University of Western Ontario, where she is majoring in Criminology and Sociology, she became actively involved with the UWO Conservatives, and is the current Past President.
Amber has volunteered in the 2008 federal election, 2007 provincial election, London North Centre by-election as well as the 2006 federal election. Amber has worked for many politicians, including MPP Jim Wilson and Minister Tony Clement.
Amber looks forward to strengthening OPCCA by getting more young people engaged and aware of the opportunities around them. Reaching out to recruit and train those interested in getting involved is her goal. She hopes to use her experience to further the conservative cause on Ontario’s campuses!
Martin Dendekker – Director of Policy
Martin is a 3rd year Political Science and History student at the University of Ottawa. Originally from the small rural town of Norwich, located in the blue riding of Oxford, he is actively involved in both the federal Conservative Party and the provincial PC Party of Ontario.
Martin has gained invaluable experience while in Ottawa having worked for the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs/Minister of Industry, Maurice Vellacott, MP Saskatoon-Wanuskewin and currently as a Special Assistant to Harold Albrecht, MP Kitchener-Conestoga.
This is Martin’s second year serving as the Policy Chair on the OPCCA Executive and he will continue the work that he has started last year. First and foremost, he will continue the development of a comprehensive post-secondary education policy, with the intent of having it adopted as the official party policy on post secondary education for the election in 2011.
Rachael Edwards – Director of Membership
Rachael is a fourth year political studies major at Queens University who has shown a commitment to conservative political activism by helping on campaigns,attending functions, and helping shape the conservative political future by attending conventions. She served as the President of the Queens University Conservative Association.
Throughout the course of the past academic year, Rachael has successfully fostered a new level of energy as President within the campus association. Her executive’s top priorities continue to be raising awareness of the conservative cause on campus, and growing the association’s membership. Rachael stands to bring focus, dedication and an ethic of hard work to the executive of OPCCA.
Ori Rubin – Director of Fundraising
Ori got his start in politics at age 16 in the 2000 federal election, and has worked on every election since then. His political involvement increased heavily during his undergraduate years in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In his last year of undergraduate, he served as a strong and strident voice for fiscal discipline, respect for democratic principles and moderate governance on the University of King’s College student union.
In his first year at Osgoode Hall Law School, he was elected as President of the Osgoode Hall Conservative Association, helping to reenergize the club and drastically expand its membership several times over. During the summer of 2008, he worked as an intern in then Government House Leader and Minister for Democratic Reform Peter Van Loan.
Ori currently serves on the Conservative Party of Canada’s board of directors for St. Paul’s riding, and still serves as the President of the Osgoode Hall Conservatives.
Eugene Pasternak – Director of Election Readiness
Eugene grew up in Toronto and now resides in Waterloo. He is in his second year of Actuarial Science at the University of Waterloo. In addition to being OPCCA’s Election Readiness Director, he serves as President of the University of Waterloo Conservatives.
Eugene first got involved in politics while volunteering for the Michael Mostyn campaign in York-Centre and has since volunteered for several campaigns. Most recently he was involved with the Peter Braid Campaign in Kitchener-Waterloo. He helped close a 13,000 vote gap as Braid was elected by 17 votes. Eugene looks forward to getting campus clubs election ready in the upcoming year.
Olivier Vander Zaag – Director of Creative Design
Shaun Zanin – Webmaster
Shaun is a second-year computer science student with a minor in French, at the University of Guelph. He has worked on 3 election campaigns dating back to 2006. Shaun has also worked in the conservative movement, serving internships with the Policy Caucus of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, and also with riding office of the Honourable Michael Chong.
Shaun has also been active locally, serving as the Youth Representative to the Conservative Party`s Guelph Electoral District Association. He also helped found the Guelph Campus Conservatives, and serves as the Vice President.
Michael Rennick – Past President
Michael Rennick has been involved in the PC Party of Ontario since 2006, and served as President of the Ontario PC Campus Association between May 2008 and February 2009. He is a strong believer in the need for effective, affordable youth training, and has worked in his time at OPCCA to improve the quality of its training programs.
Michael is a veteran of many local campaigns over the years, and particularly enjoys serving as Get Out The Vote Chair. He has seen firsthand how a few well-trained volunteers can make the difference in electing a PC candidate, and works continually to recruit youth to the Party. Currently, he is serving as 9th VP of the PC Party of Ontario.
Michael is a software engineer at General Dynamics Canada, the country’s leading defence contractor. In his spare time, he enjoys playing hockey and reading on current events and business.
