The Conservative leadership debates begin this week. Tonight the contenders will debate in French. Tomorrow they will debate in English. But, Susan Delacourt writes, the contenders have much more to worry about than their debating skills:
Languishing in opposition is always tough on parties, but being the chief critic of the government during a pandemic is a special kind of political purgatory. For at least the first couple of months of the COVID-19 lockdown, Canadians weren’t in a mood for the kind of partisanship that usually prevails in Ottawa.
Worse, how do you criticize a government that is churning out money and aid to frightened Canadians?
Worse still, COVID has exposed the shaky foundations of the world the Conservatives have had a considerable hand in building:
Where the Conservative party will stand in a post-pandemic Canada should be the question of the summer. The old reliable party positions — smaller government and lower taxes — don’t entirely fit with how the pandemic created the need for lots of government and lots of debt, which may require higher taxes to fix.
The pandemic has also exposed tension between international and domestic forces, the haves and have-nots in a world of income inequality, not to mention health-care spending and the social safety net. Oh, and climate change hasn’t gone away as an issue, either.
Under Andrew Scheer, the Conservatives have spent their time agitating for more time in Parliament:
Last week, he and the other federal Conservatives turned that into a deal-breaker, refusing to grant quick passage to pandemic-relief legislation because the Liberals wouldn’t budge on holding more sessions in the Commons.
Here’s the fundamental problem: pandemic-preoccupied Canadians aren’t agitating for more Parliament. They’re worried about their health, their economic future and matters being raised by the surging debate over racism in Canada. More Commons sittings just aren’t currently on the agenda of the average citizen.
In short, the Conservatives are floating on a sea of old ideas. Their biggest problem is proving that what they stand for is relevant in this brave new world.
Image: Bleacher Report
6 comments:
The Cons continue to float old ideas that have proven to be disastrous for most Canadians. They continue to seek inspiration from Trump's Republicans, who have abandoned the very idea of governing and are all about plundering public funds and "owning the libs" through stupid stunts. The GOP no longer even formulates party policy - they recently announced they were simply slapping 2020 on their 2016 platform! The Cons lost the last election largely because they did the same thing by running on Harper's old platform.
I doubt we'll see any change in agenda regardless of who wins the leadership race. The Cons are stuck in the mud of the past and out of ideas.
Cap
That's my impression, too, Cap. The Conservatives are intellectually bankrupt.
CRAP and UCP: the word as well as any members who possess a "progressive" thought have been dispatched to Boss Harper's never never land, Owen. Their leadership along with their rigid interpretation of the Kind James bible (how many versions are out there these days?) have turned the party into an organization that has no connection with modern society, its norms and its acceptance of the variety of differences that exist in to-day's population mix is beyond their ability to either understand or accept. Its 2020, not 1820 and they have more than demonstrated that the majority of their membership just cannot "get with the program".
We are lucky that here in Canada, we are not locked into a 2-party system and can make choices in who best represents us - unlike that out of date, time etc. in the "bestest" democracy in the world across the border from us.
I agree, Lulymay. The Conservatives have never cottoned on to the idea that the world has moved on from where they used to -- and still do -- stand. Imagine the pickle we'd be in if they were our only alternative.
.. as a rank amateur 'political puntologist' (punkologist ?) armed only with a garden hose.. I can see where a whole lot of Canadian 'Political Posturing' could deserve a good hosing down.. a 'flushing' so to speak.. high colonic.. whatever.. 'up yer nose with a garden hose'
Folks need a sharp poke in the old arse.. and need to know The conservative Party of Canada is under attack internally.. stomach worm infestation dont ya cha cha cha know. Yes.. The Evangelical Rapture crowd is COMMITTED to taking over local 'Conservative' election campaigns.. thus ensuring THEIR candidates.. are on OUR VOTING ballots.. and not some minestrone progressive CANDIDATE.. who does not see THE END TIMES & the very scary LGTBQ COMETH.. (cue Preston Manning and Stockwell Day - to enter, stage RIGHT)
Thus keep in mind.. The Conservative Party of Canada is being taken over by .. and as such.. OUR political ridings (THAT WE VOTE IN) by a religious & white male driven Judeo / Christian ideology a la Jason Kenney & Tod Sloan to ensure the 'autovote' Conservatives always get.. is delivered to candidates of THEIR CHOICE.. not neccessarily the dreams needs and wishes of a particular & regional riding. That is some sort of protracted, breech birth - coo day TAT.. being dragged out of uh.. the .. Harper Novak Well of.. Fear.. or I don't even know where.. A else a message from on high.. ? the HOLY TRINITY ? (Moses emerges from the bullrushers brandishing a lifetime pass to the Calagary Stampede) Now is that Democracy.. ? Its a new outlook, that for sure
By the bye.. I see mr Kinsella's 'Progressive' Personal Blog has became safe harbour for ?. well uh.. Lieberal Bashing.. how wondrous.. plus his personal preening of his 'punk roots'.. Lately he's 'Irish' n Erin Go Bragh.. Can't wait for his defense of the Alberta Firewall Letterman's Club of Genteel Carpetbaggers & Creeps. Not sure when his 'Irishness' emigrated.. pehaps in steerage along with my forebearers.. ? early 1800.. and who gives a damn anyway.. yes yes.. leprechauns n unicorns.. shamrocks a dancin.. Someone resisting starving, with some tremendous drive got my forbearers here pre pototo famine.. survived the sailing.. and the newfie icybergs.. along come moi, many many years later.. after the railroads and the buffalo massacre..
I stand for CANADA.. & Canadians.. I also stand for Spaceship Earth. It is not complicated, it has never been complicated.. but we really MUST put in more that we take out.. or benefit by 'being Canada eh'.. neither privilege or right.. its just our astonishing chance, our such fortunate time.. on the planet. We may choose altruism.. or greed or mean spirit to accompany the 'gift' we all thrive upon..
You stand for what should be obvious, sal. We should put in more than we take out. That principle appears to have been forgotten.
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