The party advocated for a union between the four Western Canadian provinces—British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba—and the United States.
Under his leadership, the party returned to the provincial legislature for the first time in more than a decade in 1975 and formed the Official Opposition in 1978.
[5] He also argued that increased "balkanization" through the creation of a new western Canadian nation would weaken the position of the west in the Cold War; as such, he explained that "those of us who believe in individual freedom and liberty must unite in the common cause against ever-increasing Russian domination of the world.
[4] According to Saskatchewan historian Bill Waiser, the push by the party to have the province join the United States was seen as particularly treasonous.
[3] The Unionest Party was not able to gain traction, and neither Collver nor Ham sought re-election in 1982.