CPC Leadership Discussion 2020-21

[FJAG]

...
  The "so what" is that we need to quit thinking of Western Canada as this "religious right" bastion driving the Conservative Party.  Their strength there, I suspect, lies far more in the regional and economic friction that has been a part of Canada from the start.

The social conservatism label for the west comes primarily from the Reform Party which formed as a social conservative alternative to the Mulroney Progressive Conservatives. That led to the Canadian Alliance which begat the Canadian Alliance / Progressive Conservative merger to form the Conservative Party of Canada.

IMHO the CPC dropped the "Progressive" to placate the western Reform elements to ensure conservative unity across the country and by doing so gave too much prominence to the further right Reform elements from the west. Harper kept them in check during his years but the social conservative element (which I agree is more spread out then it used to be but remains more centered in the rural component of the west and western Ontario) has been quite vocal in its advocacy within the CPC. My own MP is one of those - rural, social conservative, pro-life (endorsed by Campaign for Life as were 66 other CPC candidates, 46 of whom won their seats - https://pressprogress.ca/more-than-half-of-andrew-scheers-elected-conservative-mps-were-supported-by-anti-abortion-groups/).

Like the US, social conservatives are re-surging in Canada. It's hard to form a fiscal conservative party that is capable of generating the votes for defeating the liberals without bringing social conservatives in-house. Remember that the creation of the Reform Party led to the PC debacle in the 1993 election that brought back Chretien and destroyed Kim Campbell.

I think that this movement is dangerous for us fiscal conservatives but we have to recognize that it is deeply rooted in the CPC right now. We are loosing (if we haven't already lost) our agenda. On top of that, the strength of the social conservative movement within the CPC is scaring off the moderate centre that the CPC needs to form a majority in urban Canada. As a start we need to reclaim the term "Progressive" in the party's name and unequivocally affirm a pro-choice and LGBTQ friendly position. That's a hard row to hoe considering the opposition within. I sometimes wonder if it isn't easier to join the Liberals and start making them fiscally responsible  :dunno:.

:2c:

 

[Altair]

The social conservatism label for the west comes primarily from the Reform Party which formed as a social conservative alternative to the Mulroney Progressive Conservatives. That led to the Canadian Alliance which begat the Canadian Alliance / Progressive Conservative merger to form the Conservative Party of Canada.

IMHO the CPC dropped the "Progressive" to placate the western Reform elements to ensure conservative unity across the country and by doing so gave too much prominence to the further right Reform elements from the west. Harper kept them in check during his years but the social conservative element (which I agree is more spread out then it used to be but remains more centered in the rural component of the west and western Ontario) has been quite vocal in its advocacy within the CPC. My own MP is one of those - rural, social conservative, pro-life (endorsed by Campaign for Life as were 66 other CPC candidates, 46 of whom won their seats - https://pressprogress.ca/more-than-half-of-andrew-scheers-elected-conservative-mps-were-supported-by-anti-abortion-groups/).

Like the US, social conservatives are re-surging in Canada. It's hard to form a fiscal conservative party that is capable of generating the votes for defeating the liberals without bringing social conservatives in-house. Remember that the creation of the Reform Party led to the PC debacle in the 1993 election that brought back Chretien and destroyed Kim Campbell.

I think that this movement is dangerous for us fiscal conservatives but we have to recognize that it is deeply rooted in the CPC right now. We are loosing (if we haven't already lost) our agenda. On top of that, the strength of the social conservative movement within the CPC is scaring off the moderate centre that the CPC needs to form a majority in urban Canada. As a start we need to reclaim the term "Progressive" in the party's name and unequivocally affirm a pro-choice and LGBTQ friendly position. That's a hard row to hoe considering the opposition within. I sometimes wonder if it isn't easier to join the Liberals and start making them fiscally responsible  :dunno:.

:2c:

I was hoping the PPC could be fiscally responsible and socially liberal,  but sadly they ended up as fiscally conservative,  and socially far right.

Sadly,  the LPC won't go fiscally responsible. They exist because they encroached on the NDP,  more or less stole their lunch. If they abandon that for the fiscally responsible and socially liberal crowd the NDP will be the main beneficiary.

 

[daftandbarmy]

The social conservatism label for the west comes primarily from the Reform Party which formed as a social conservative alternative to the Mulroney Progressive Conservatives. That led to the Canadian Alliance which begat the Canadian Alliance / Progressive Conservative merger to form the Conservative Party of Canada.

IMHO the CPC dropped the "Progressive" to placate the western Reform elements to ensure conservative unity across the country and by doing so gave too much prominence to the further right Reform elements from the west. Harper kept them in check during his years but the social conservative element (which I agree is more spread out then it used to be but remains more centered in the rural component of the west and western Ontario) has been quite vocal in its advocacy within the CPC. My own MP is one of those - rural, social conservative, pro-life (endorsed by Campaign for Life as were 66 other CPC candidates, 46 of whom won their seats - https://pressprogress.ca/more-than-half-of-andrew-scheers-elected-conservative-mps-were-supported-by-anti-abortion-groups/).

Like the US, social conservatives are re-surging in Canada. It's hard to form a fiscal conservative party that is capable of generating the votes for defeating the liberals without bringing social conservatives in-house. Remember that the creation of the Reform Party led to the PC debacle in the 1993 election that brought back Chretien and destroyed Kim Campbell.

I think that this movement is dangerous for us fiscal conservatives but we have to recognize that it is deeply rooted in the CPC right now. We are loosing (if we haven't already lost) our agenda. On top of that, the strength of the social conservative movement within the CPC is scaring off the moderate centre that the CPC needs to form a majority in urban Canada. As a start we need to reclaim the term "Progressive" in the party's name and unequivocally affirm a pro-choice and LGBTQ friendly position. That's a hard row to hoe considering the opposition within. I sometimes wonder if it isn't easier to join the Liberals and start making them fiscally responsible  :dunno:.

:2c:

We've taken our eye off of the secularization ball and, as a result, have been successfully assaulted via a religious right flanking, funded by a foreign power:

"Academics and people in general haven’t paid enough attention to the Christian right in American politics. In 2010, Marci McDonald, Canadian journalist and author of The Armageddon Factor: The Rise of Christian Nationalism in Canada, noted that some people doubted such groups could impact Canada: “Surely, you don’t think it can happen here. This is a profoundly different country than the United States. Christian right groups in Canada are here to stay. With their stealth manoeuvring, they’ve managed to politically mobilize their members not only through the effort of pastors at the pulpit, but also through think tanks, para-church organizations and other Christian institutions."

https://www.bchumanist.ca/the_rise_of_the_christian_right_in_canada

 

[mariomike]

We've taken our eye off of the secularization ball and, as a result, have been successfully assaulted via a religious right flanking, funded by a foreign power:
https://www.bchumanist.ca/the_rise_of_the_christian_right_in_canada

Interesting link, daftandbarmy,

Among Christian right organizations, 81 per cent of white evangelicals are credited with helping propel Donald Trump to the White House in 2016.

The Christian right in Ontario clearly credits itself for Ford’s victory.

Do you think this will have much / any influence on the next generation of CPC leadership?

 

[FJAG]

Wikipedia gives a good summary of the topic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_right

It's noteworthy that the Progressive Conservatives were influential in the incorporation of a reference to God in the preamble of our Charter of Rights back in 1980/81:

Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law

While some hold that the reference has no legal value, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preamble_to_the_Canadian_Charter_of_Rights_and_Freedoms one does wonder what could happen if politically activist social conservative judges take hold like they are doing in the US. If it means nothing, it should come out. I take it as one of those "camel's nose under the tent" issues. We all know, however, that no one will have the courage to take it on. The trouble with the religious aspect to social conservatism is that it only works for the Christian Right while they are a majority or an influential minority. What happens when some other religion becomes dominant? My view - get the country secular now, while you still can.

:cheers:

 

[The Bread Guy]

Next into the ring:  Erin O'Toole ...

Ontario MP Erin O'Toole confirmed Monday he is joining the race to lead Canada's Conservatives, promising to bring "true blue leadership" to the party as it looks for a successor to Andrew Scheer.

This is O'Toole's second run for the leadership — he placed third behind Scheer and Maxime Bernier in the 2017 contest, with about 20 per cent of the vote on the final ballot.

O'Toole, who serves as Conservative foreign affairs critic, released a slickly produced campaign launch video highlighting his time as a tactical navigator in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

O'Toole pitched himself as a fighter — a leader willing to "fight" for jobs in the manufacturing and natural resources sectors and to "defend our history, our institutions against attacks from cancel culture and the radical left."

"We are in a battle for the heart and soul of the Conservative Party. This leadership is a contest about what kind of party we are — a party that becomes more like the Liberals, or one that believes we win when we take a principled conservative stand," O'Toole said in a statement announcing his run ...

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Good video, well produced.

For the record, I know Erin O'Toole. Not well enough to call him a friend, but well enough.

What Erin says in the video and the way he says it is the way he is in real life: he is not putting on an act for the camera.

I think he is welcome addition to the leadership race and is worthy of giving his ideas serious consideration.

 

[FJAG]

I looked at his Campaign Life Coalition evaluation for the last election and he was awarded a "Yellow" category because of his pro homosexual etc rights position, his pro marijuana position, and his "not re-open abortion debate" position (although he was considered "educable" due to his voting in favour of Bill 225 (criminalizing hurting or killing pre-born child while assaulting pregnant mother).

https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/voting-records/view/level/mp/id/11259/name/erin-o-toole#votes

Seems he's not part of the social conservative cartel.

:cheers:

 

[brihard]

I looked at his Campaign Life Coalition evaluation for the last election and he was awarded a "Yellow" category because of his pro homosexual etc rights position, his pro marijuana position, and his "not re-open abortion debate" position (although he was considered "educable" due to his voting in favour of Bill 225 (criminalizing hurting or killing pre-born child while assaulting pregnant mother).

https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/voting-records/view/level/mp/id/11259/name/erin-o-toole#votes

Seems he's not part of the social conservative cartel.

Oh nice, useful website, thanks. Anyone in future elections who gets their 'green light' cannot and will not get mine.

:cheers:

 

[mariomike]

I looked at his Campaign Life Coalition evaluation for the last election and he was awarded a "Yellow" category

Oh nice, useful website, thanks. Anyone in future elections who gets their 'green light' cannot and will not get mine.

Mines from Toronto, so got an automatic red light. 
https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/voting-records/level/mp/province/

 

[FJAG]

Mines from Toronto, so got an automatic red light. 
https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/voting-records/level/mp/province/

Mine comes from a farm so is quite green not to mention she mentioned her pro-life stance on her web site until just before the election when it magically disappeared.  :waiting:

 

[mariomike]

^ Timing is everything. 

 

[Cloud Cover]

Introducing Dr Leslyn Lewis: not your average CPC leadership candidate. Quite a statement: http://www.leslynlewis.ca/

 

[PuckChaser]

That's weird, Canadian media keeps telling me that Conservatives are racist and hate immigrants...

 

[Remius]

That's weird, Canadian media keeps telling me that Conservatives are racist and hate immigrants...

Not quite.  But they like pointing out the ones that are.

 

[mariomike]

Introducing Dr Leslyn Lewis: not your average CPC leadership candidate.

Ran and lost by a minus ( - ) 33 % margin in Scarborough - Rouge Park ( Toronto ) as the Conservative candidate in the 2015 federal election.

https://www.elections.ca/Scripts/vis/PastResults?L=e&ED=35097&EV=99&EV_TYPE=6&PC=&PROV=&PROVID=&MAPID=&QID=11&PAGEID=28&TPAGEID=&PD=&STAT_CODE_ID=-1

 

[Cloud Cover]

She’s definitely a rarity, seems like a hard core Tory. Do Cons ever win in Rouge?

 

[mariomike]

She’s definitely a rarity, seems like a hard core Tory.

She got a Green  light from Campaign Life.

https://www.campaignlifecoalition.com/voting-records/view/mp/province//id/12371/name/leslyn-lewis

"GREEN light means the person supports CLC principles and is rated as SUPPORTABLE"

Do Cons ever win in Rouge?

Conservatives dropped from 27.4 % of the vote in 2015, down to 20.1 % of the vote in 2019. 

https://338canada.com/districts/35097e.htm

 

[Altair]

That's weird, Canadian media keeps telling me that Conservatives are racist and hate immigrants...

If she wins the leadership, that may change the narrative.

I'm pretty sure a middle aged to old white man will win though.

 

[Jarnhamar]

If she wins the leadership, that may change the narrative.

Yea right.

Black Americans who voted for Trump got called nazis and racists. I'm sure we would follow suit.