International scandal may be biting at the heels of the UDP's John Saldivar, but, that's not stopping the UDP from going headlong into its February 9th leadership convention.  

That's the message coming out of the party's National Party Council meeting on Saturday morning at its national headquarters.  7News was there and here's what the vibe was like:

The UDP National Party Council meeting ended at 11:30 - it had lasted about an hour. 

The party brass filed out, they seemed amiable - and the mood light, there were no visible or palpable tensions. And the message was unity:

Alberto August - Chairman, UDP
"Today was a show of UDP united as ever, we had delegates from all constituencies coming for the final meeting before national convention, the meeting was about the planning for our national convention. It is a big event for our party."

Jules Vasquez
"Did Salt Lake City Utah come up?"

Alberto August
"Never came up not even once. We are a political party and we handle the political affairs of our party. Whatever any other outside force does, that is their situation."

Reporter
"Sir as the chairman of the party, were you directed by the party leader to not bring up these because how can you turn a blind eye to it?"

Alberto August
"I am not influenced by any other outside forces out there, be it whatever is happening in Salt Lake City, that is their problem. The people of Salt Lake City, noh even know who is Alberto August."

But they do know who is John Saldivar, but on this Saturday, neither he nor his opponent wanted to answer any questions:

Reporter
"Mr. Saldivar can we get an interview?"

Hon. John Saldivar
"After February 9th, you will get my interview."

Reporter
"But why not now sir?"

Reporter
"Sir you ready for the convention sir?"

Hon. Patrick Faber
"All will be well in the UDP, all will be well, don't worry."

Reporter
"Are you ready?"

Hon. Patrick Faber
"Ready, ready, ready."

Reporter
"Do you feel grieved in any way sir that no action was taken against John Saldivar despite the allegations?"

Hon. Patrick Faber
"I need to get in. All will be well in the UDP."

Jules Vasquez
"Sir why are you choosing not to speak at this time?"

Reporter
"You've never shunned the media."

Hon. Patrick Faber
"That's my comment."

So, while the principal players didn’t want to address the elephant in the room, we did so with the Chairman - who kept repeating that unity mantra:

Jules Vasquez
"Now most people would say you are living in a fantasy because while you all within the inner sanctum of the UDP may feel energized, you have a big convention coming up. More sober people who are not drinking the red kool aid on the outside would say, first of all, unno need to brace that convention and wait until you see what evidence comes out of Salt Lake City Utah."

Alberto August
"In terms of the situation within our party, while there are those allegations out there, the work of our party must continue."

Reporter
"You’re talking about the next possible Prime Minister. How could you just chalk it up to we're not holding it off? You have to hold it off to the nation."

Alberto August
"We had planned this convention for several months now. Whatever allegation just came up a few weeks ago."

Reporter
"But it warrants a delay sir."

Alberto August
"Well not necessarily, like I said. We are a mass political party, we conduct our activities based on our schedule and our programs."

And, right now, the UDP program is full speed ahead, regardless:

Alberto August
"We will not delay our processes my friend for anyone because while we are delaying, things might be happening and we need to move our party forward."

But, ugly public spats have been breaking out on Facebook, and externalizing internal rifts:

Reporter
"You said there was no contention, no Salt Lake City brought up in morning's meeting, so either your turning a blind eye to the dirty laundry of the UDP being aired on social media to not address those issues in today's party council meeting, but is affecting the party and it is giving a perception of disunity within the UDP. You had Shyne Barrow for example, throwing out a lot of things towards one of the leadership candidates and he is a standard bearer for the UDP. There is a lot of fighting in public happening."

Alberto August
"When we had other activities within our party in terms of election, the social media was absent. This is the advent of the social media, so when that flared up, we immediately jumped into action and arrested that matter. Whatever has happened on there, you can't unring the bell and we will not even seek to unring the bell but moving forward, you are going to see the unity within our party."

A fragile truce, and with the Saldivar Faber rivalry reaching a climax this week, it will be interesting to see how long it holds.  But, it will all be settled in a week:

Hon. Elodio Aragon - UDP OW East
"I think at the end of the day the party stands together united because at the end of the day, we want to see a UDP party back in office you know. What is important right now is that we are days away from national convention and I think at the end of the day, the national convention when that comes about, the results will be there for everybody to see."

So, as you heard, the party's going straight on to Sunday's convention at the Civic Center.  It will be the UDP's first leadership convention in the party's 47 year history.  And it will be something. And a lot of the drama can be tied to events in Salt Lake City, Utah.  While the UDP pretends that it is paying it no mind, the trial of Lev Dermen is reaching a climax this week when Jacob Kingston is expected to take the stand.  He could do so as early as tomorrow, and revelations coming out of his testimony could prove pivotal in the leadership race.  But, from the mood we saw on Saturday at the party headquarters - no matter what comes out of that Federal courthouse - the UDP will still go ahead with its convention with Saldivar as one of the candidates.  We'll be following it all very closely.  And later on in the news, we'll have a breakdown of which 570 delegates can vote at the UDP's convention.