"Conservative values are Canadian values. And Canadians are going back to the party that most closely reflects who they really are: the Conservative Party, which is Canada's party." (Globe and Mail, July 10, 2011).
Obviously, Harper was playing to his base with these exaggerated claims. In fact, he used a similar tactic at his first caucus meeting in May, and again at the Conservative convention in June. This kind of slap on the back to partisan supporters is normal, and it shouldn't be taken as a serious contribution to public discourse. Frankly, I'd love to see Harper stand up in the House of Commons and declare, with a straight face, that his party holds a monopoly on Canadian identity. Are we supposed to believe that today's Conservative Party members are more Canadian than Wilfrid Laurier, Lester Pearson, Pierre Trudeau, Tommy Douglas, Norman Bethune, Nellie McClung, Agnes Macphail, Thérèse Casgrain, George Erasmus, André Laurendeau, Jean Lesage and David Suzuki?
In mingling national identity with party affiliation, the Conservatives seem to be targeting immigrants and exploiting their desire to integrate. The not-so-subtle message? You need to toe the Conservative Party line to be fully Canadian. But newcomers won't be so easily fooled. Our rigorous citizenship test pretty much guarantees that immigrants know our country's history better than most made-in-Canada citizens. New Canadians could remind Harper that the Liberals have governed for 84 of the 144 years of Confederation. They could also point out that it's thanks to the NDP that we have our public health system, a treasured cornerstone of our national identity. Clearly, the Canadian spirit is too vast and too rich to be contained within a single party.
If we believe certain Manning Centre polls, Canadians are leaning to the right nowadays. But these studies should be taken with a heaping tablespoon of salt. I believe that the poll sponsor is, of course, partisan, and the chosen indicators are neither reliable nor valid. At any rate, no one can claim to know Canada's character after only two surveys. A country's political culture is read in its formative events, its constitution and through its institutions. It is revealed through its cultural products and in the kind of political education citizens receive. From this angle, it's hard to accept the Conservatives as the main architect of Canada.
That being said, I'm pleased that Harper harkened back to the values of the great late Progressive Conservative Party. If he takes this political legacy seriously, he might finally break free of the Reform Party's narrow dogma. As heir to Macdonald and Bennett, he might remember the importance of state economic intervention, which could soften his obsession with the free market. Taking a page from Borden, he would have to concede that key infrastructure should be nationalized, that income tax is a necessary evil and that it's a good idea to fund scientific research.
Inspired by Diefenbaker, Harper might develop an appreciation for our parliamentary traditions. In following Robert Stanfield's example, he'd recognize the importance of social programs, even in the context of budgetary restrictions. He could also turn to George-Étienne Cartier or Joe Clark to get a better grasp of our federation's founding pact, which lays out Canada as a 'community of communities.' This may persuade him to consult the provinces before embarking on any kind of Senate reform. Morton, Northrop Frye, Donald Creighton, George Grant and Hugh Segal. He would see that Canada is more than a collection of isolated individuals and selfish taxpayers. More than an electoral clientele. Canada is a country of people who live interdependently in deeply rooted communities.
Anglophone, Francophone and Aboriginal communities have all developed their own cultures and values. They have different concepts of justice and different visions of the good life. Together, they offer citizens a wide range of rich identities to choose from. But at the same time, these groups are partners within our federation, and their values often overlap. Certain ideas and objectives are shared by all the founding communities: democracy, federalism, rule of law, respect for rights and freedoms, gender equality, the protection of linguistic and cultural minorities, the welcoming and integration of immigrants, economic redistribution between communities and social solidarity.
It is here, at this convergence, where true "Canadian values" reside. These values are not the property of the Conservative Party, or of any community in particular. Or even of Canada itself for that matter. But they explain and justify our desire to live together in a single state within North America.
Translated from the original French by Jamie McLennan, © 2011 Gaston Murdock.
We have keep reminding the Prime Minister that though he and his party were elected with a majority in the House of Commons the majority of Canadians did not vote for him. The majority of Canadians voted for a more left leaning ideal of how Canada should develop in the future. But given the results of the last election in our flavour of democracy he is the Prime Minister; and he and his party will lead us until the next election.
We have hope that he will resist the sickening divisive ultra-conservative ideologies that we see flourishing south of the border and stick with "Canadian conservatism"; hopefully that is what he meant by "Conservative values are Canadian values. Just as we would should stay vigilant during a majority from any party in power. Canada was built on compromise, and if we want the country to remain the wonderful place to live for so many diverse peoples and cultures, which is the envy of so much of the rest of the world; those compromises will have to continue.
Thanks again Alexandre for the thought provoking piece.
I would argue Canadians lean to the right on economic issues and to the left on social issues. Stop perpetuating the talking point lies that somehow only "the right" can handle the economy and therefore "the right" is where Canadians lean economically. One only has to look at the Republicans in the US to see how WRONG the right is on the economy. Their insistence on cutting taxes on the billionaires in their country, while giving huge tax breaks to corporations has resulted in their recession. Their demonization of government spending even in infrastructure building has probably prolonged and exacerbated the American recession. Let's not allow what happened in the US to happen in Canada by accepting the fallacy that "the right" somehow knows how to handle economic issues better than those on the left.
One thing Canadians have in common is a desire to live in peace. The thought of being a super power is just not Canadian. The thought of refusing to give an abortion to a poor woman who will die trying to deliver a baby is not Canadian. The idea of having the police kettle citizens peacefully protesting is not Canadian. The idea of having a smile coach is not Canadian. The idea of stifling our free press is not Canadian. women's rights and gay rights) Canada is worldly renowned for, that the Conservative Party of Canada's narrow ideological values are congruent and sympathetic to their own narrow values.
The Conservative Party of Canada, like other right-wing political parties around the planet, is the last refuge of homophobes and misogynists and those who hold and support narrow, rigid, Theo-con morals and right-wing ideological values.
