- Reaction score
- 8,298
- Points
- 1,160
Simpson does an interesting round up on the election
Source
I disagree with Mr. Simpson on the highlighted points.
I think it displays a difference of understanding. He sees ethnic, francophone and aboriginal Canadians migrating towards the Conservatives (perhaps as a result of that charismatic magnetism of Stephen Harper - or some other equally unknown force) and concludes that this will make Conservatives more "moderate", more "Canadian" or dare I say more "Liberal".
I rather choose to think that those ethnic, francophone and aboriginal voters that chose to vote Conservative did so because they chose Conservative policies over the Liberal induced phobia of Harper/Day/Manning et al.
I think Simpson is right when he says that moderation is the key to success in Canadian politics. But moderation is hard to define. Moderation, like porn, is recognized only by the beholder. The critical issue in politics is to be perceived to be moderate.
When it was only redneck WASPs voting for Reeefoooooorm, it was easy to marginalize them and paint them, and by extension their policies, as immoderate.
It is considerably harder to paint Conservatives as anything other than Canadian when the supporters of the party's policies include all species of Hyphenated Canadians (and that includes my many hyphenated self).
I don't think that the Conservatives will become more moderate in the sense Mr. Simpson expects. I do think that they will be perceived as being more moderate and thus their policies will become more acceptable.....except in the Ghettoes of Academia and the CBC.
Source
Campaign endnotes: Tory gains, NDP pains
Article Comments (6) JEFFREY SIMPSON
From Saturday's Globe and Maiil
E-mail Jeffrey Simpson | Read Bio | Latest Columns
October 17, 2008 at 6:46 PM EDT
The Harper Conservatives were certainly stiffed in Quebec, but they made progress elsewhere toward becoming the country's dominant party.
Since the 2006 election, the Conservatives have made special efforts to woo multicultural Canadians, most of whom had habitually voted Liberal. It would appear they made significant gains.......
Wooing multicultural Canadians was always going to take time and consistent effort. But if these electoral results are any indication, the Conservatives are well-launched toward success, with an approach that mixes specific policies for particular groups with an overall emphasis on low taxes, family and entrepreneurship. Liberals, who had things their way for so long in most of multicultural Canada, are now being challenged. The result is good for competitive politics.
Another, smaller part of the old Liberal coalition also went partly Conservative: francophones outside Quebec.
.....
And still another, smaller part of the old Liberal coalition went partly Conservative: aboriginal Canada. ...
The addition of more multicultural, aboriginal and francophones outside Quebec will make the Conservative caucus somewhat more moderate, because the caucus will be somewhat more representative of Canada's diversity. From diversity in politics comes the need to compromise and accommodate.
Put another way, the more the Conservative Party looks like Canada, the more pragmatic and moderate the party will be, because that is the essence of Canada – and the way to ongoing success in Canadian politics........
I disagree with Mr. Simpson on the highlighted points.
I think it displays a difference of understanding. He sees ethnic, francophone and aboriginal Canadians migrating towards the Conservatives (perhaps as a result of that charismatic magnetism of Stephen Harper - or some other equally unknown force) and concludes that this will make Conservatives more "moderate", more "Canadian" or dare I say more "Liberal".
I rather choose to think that those ethnic, francophone and aboriginal voters that chose to vote Conservative did so because they chose Conservative policies over the Liberal induced phobia of Harper/Day/Manning et al.
I think Simpson is right when he says that moderation is the key to success in Canadian politics. But moderation is hard to define. Moderation, like porn, is recognized only by the beholder. The critical issue in politics is to be perceived to be moderate.
When it was only redneck WASPs voting for Reeefoooooorm, it was easy to marginalize them and paint them, and by extension their policies, as immoderate.
It is considerably harder to paint Conservatives as anything other than Canadian when the supporters of the party's policies include all species of Hyphenated Canadians (and that includes my many hyphenated self).
I don't think that the Conservatives will become more moderate in the sense Mr. Simpson expects. I do think that they will be perceived as being more moderate and thus their policies will become more acceptable.....except in the Ghettoes of Academia and the CBC.