How to right the Conservative ship

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
39,778
454
83
How to right the Conservative ship

Tony Clement is the member of Parliament for Parry Sound-Muskoka.

Our parents and Mick Jagger have taught us that “you can’t always get what you want,” and the Conservative Party experienced that in October’s federal election. First the good news: 5.6 million Canadians voted for Conservative Party candidates, representing nearly 32 per cent of the popular vote. Many excellent Conservative MPs were returned to office, plus 33 newcomers, adding new blood to the National Conservative Caucus. Conservatives form a large Official Opposition, and have already discharged our duty to hold the new government to account.

The bad news for Conservatives was the tide of change, meaning 39.5 per cent of the popular vote for Justin Trudeau and the Liberals, and a majority Liberal government. The next election is four years away, and Conservatives must provide a viable government-in-waiting and re-earn the trust of more voters across the country. So far, so obvious.

Yet, I’m confident that the Conservative Party can offer a constructive and vigilant opposition, and can do what’s necessary to offer Canadians a positive alternative vision for the country in 2019. While we await the feedback and input from the party rank and file on these issues, here are some things that need to be considered.

How to right the Conservative ship - The Globe and Mail
 

Dixie Cup

Senate Member
Sep 16, 2006
5,693
3,570
113
Edmonton
Good points and I think doable with a lot of hard work. In addition, the conservative party needs to address the negativity that surrounds the Party - those who keep sending negative messages rather than explaining and emphasizing policy. The conservatives, for the most part, have common sense and don't usually deal with idealism but rather reality, unlike some other parties.


They need to emphasize the common sense approach to the social media and dispel the myths surrounding the party by objectively stating what the policies of conservatism are and why they are important to our country and how they benefit each and every one of us.


This last election was so frustrating to watch; others putting words in conservative mouths and no one standing up and stating categorically why this was a misrepresentation of what was being said or done by conservatives. It was also frustrating to see some of the ads that were negative; while some were brilliant, others not so much. Enough of the negativity. That's what lost us the election. If our policies are sound and explained property; if we get the attention of the social media, conservatives will always come out on top.


JMHO
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
61
48
Ottawa, ON
How to right the Conservative ship

Tony Clement is the member of Parliament for Parry Sound-Muskoka.

Our parents and Mick Jagger have taught us that “you can’t always get what you want,” and the Conservative Party experienced that in October’s federal election. First the good news: 5.6 million Canadians voted for Conservative Party candidates, representing nearly 32 per cent of the popular vote. Many excellent Conservative MPs were returned to office, plus 33 newcomers, adding new blood to the National Conservative Caucus. Conservatives form a large Official Opposition, and have already discharged our duty to hold the new government to account.

The bad news for Conservatives was the tide of change, meaning 39.5 per cent of the popular vote for Justin Trudeau and the Liberals, and a majority Liberal government. The next election is four years away, and Conservatives must provide a viable government-in-waiting and re-earn the trust of more voters across the country. So far, so obvious.

Yet, I’m confident that the Conservative Party can offer a constructive and vigilant opposition, and can do what’s necessary to offer Canadians a positive alternative vision for the country in 2019. While we await the feedback and input from the party rank and file on these issues, here are some things that need to be considered.

How to right the Conservative ship - The Globe and Mail

Get rid of the colonialism and ethnocentric mindset and the CPC would have my vote. Strangely enough, though I actually agree with the CPC on many points, I've never given them my vote yet mainly due to its ethnocentrism. It had even gotten worse last election. Barbaric Cultural Practices hotline? It's called 911, silly twits.

Honestly, if a more moderate version of the Libertarian Party arose, it could pose a serious threat to the CPC. And given how the Libertarian Party has in fact been gradually moderating its policies over the year, that time might yet come.

Another point. Though I support low taxes in principle, I oppose the idea of low taxes at all costs. If the party shut up about low taxes and focused instead on lower expenditures, taxes dovetail in with that on condition that we pay off the debt, I'D be all for that. But the CPC has become for low taxes come hell or high waters damped the debt. That I wholeheartedly oppose and would even support increasing taxes to pay the debt while also supporting reductions to spending.

I also think the CPC should be willing to challenge Official Bilingualism (2.4 billion a year). Why not eliminate official bilingualism from the Charter along with the separate schools system, both of which are just remnants of past ethnic policy anyway. English speakers in Quebec and French speakers elsewhere should just accept to learn the dominant language of the province like everyone else. No more taxpayers mollycoddling them.
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
I lost faith in Conservatives when heart lost out to head and emphasis went from people to big business. There were a lot more happy people when the gap between wealth and poverty wasn't quite so wide
 

Corduroy

Senate Member
Feb 9, 2011
6,670
2
36
Vancouver, BC
Don't count the Conservative party out yet. They were in power for almost 10 years and have a sizable opposition. That's not a sign of a failing party. Parties get punted out of office after a few terms in Canada. It's one of our most consistent patterns in the last few decades. The Progressive Conservatives were wiped out in '93, but the contemporary Conservatives are still around with a strong hold on a lot of voters and ridings. If anything, this cycle is more of an indication that they have become an establishment party. From Reform to Canadian Alliance to Conservative to forming the government, and then back into opposition.

After the election, a lot of Conservative analysts and MPs talked about how the party lost its message and purpose. All they need is to gain that back, find a decent leader and wait. A popular groundswell of conservatism is unlikely and the only thing that will prevent a second term for Trudeau is a political disaster of some kind, maybe proving he really isn't ready as the Conservatives said. If all things go normally, and Trudeau isn't the messiah or the anti-Christ, the Conservatives could gain a few more seats in the next election and get back into power when the Liberals get old.

It's actually the NDP that needs to worry. Their rise in polls in the 2000s under Jack Layton is credited to him, but should really be credited to Jean Chretien and Paul Martin. The orange crush of 2011 was a blip caused by the lack of a viable centre-left alternative. Their remaining seats are the residual effects of that blip and the fact that a lot of left-leaning voters were still wary of Trudeau in October. A lot of NDP voters like Trudeau now. Hell, even Tom Mulcair seems to be a fan.
 

Retired_Can_Soldier

The End of the Dog is Coming!
Mar 19, 2006
11,285
480
83
59
Alberta
With the exception of how the Conservatives were treating our veterans, I'm aghast at how gullible the voting public was in the last election. They were essentially duped into thinking that Stephen Harper was some kind of Megalomaniac Monster. I'm equally surprised that the voting public has handed the reins over to Liberal Equivalent of George W Bush.

Or, if you rather, Paris Hilton.

It's going to be a very costly five years.
 

coldstream

on dbl secret probation
Oct 19, 2005
5,160
27
48
Chillliwack, BC
Justin will wilt out, he's hopeless. All of the Conservatives have to do to get back in power is go back to the real Conservatism.

In fact resurrect the name Progressive Conservatives.. of social traditionalism; dirigiste, nationalist economics (as John A. MacDonald's National Policies), commit themselves to equitable wealth distribution and an integrated national industrial economy, reclaim the currency from Wall Street pirates, cast out idols and false gods.. such as AGW, pagan environmentalism, radical feminism, multiculturalism.

And commit themselves to the removing the rabid, treasonous Supreme Court of Canada from legislating a post structural, post Christian Canada from an unelected Bench (by full use of the Not Withstanding Clause initially, and Constitutional Reform removing the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as a judicial instrument, reestablishing the Sovereignty of Parliament).

But with the kind of drooling moron red necks that he Conservatives attract, don't hold your breath.
 

davesmom

Council Member
Oct 11, 2015
2,084
0
36
Southern Ontario
I don't think the Conservatives will have to much but wait until the voters wake up to what the Liberals are really doing to them and the country.
When the economy has been at a standstill for 4 years and there are no jobs anywhere, when the deficit exceeds 20 billion and our standard of living drops to 3rd world conditions for the middle class, when most of Trudeau's promises have either fizzled out or proved a disaster, the voters will be clamoring for 'change' again.
 

coldstream

on dbl secret probation
Oct 19, 2005
5,160
27
48
Chillliwack, BC
Point in case.

Edited to add. Can you show me one drooling moron redneck policy the Conservatives enacted?

Trans Pacific Partnership.. the most recent of the eviscerating Free Trade Agreements that both the Conservatives and Liberals have enacted since the 1980s that has put the Canadian economy into a death spiral. That stems directly for 18th Century Classic (Imperial) British Liberalism.

All of the recent Conservative Policies are in informed by American Tea Party idiots.. gun nuts, libertarians.. has nothing to do with Conservatism. In fact they are pawns of the Global Free Market Oligarchy. And they have completely, EXCEPT for lip service.. abandoned all conservative moral issues.. such as abortion or the protection of (real) marriage.

They are Dolts and Quislings.. like Harper.
 
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Retired_Can_Soldier

The End of the Dog is Coming!
Mar 19, 2006
11,285
480
83
59
Alberta
Trans Pacific Partnership.. the most recent of the eviscerating Free Trade Agreements that both the Conservative and Liberals have enacted since the 1980s that has put the Canadian economy into a death spiral. That comes directly for 18th Century Classic British (Imperial) Liberalism.

But all of the Conservative Policies are in informed by American Tea Party idiots.. gun nuts, libertarians.. has nothing to do with Conservatism.

If ever there was an example of Drooling Moronic Redneck, the above post fits the definition to a T.

Your sweeping generalities fall in line with their thinking exactly.

What an incredibly stupid answer.
 

coldstream

on dbl secret probation
Oct 19, 2005
5,160
27
48
Chillliwack, BC
Conservatism (as practiced by the Conservative Party of Canada) has become a political idol, locked into some inane machismo, lacking all integrity, tradition and intellectual credibility.
 

Corduroy

Senate Member
Feb 9, 2011
6,670
2
36
Vancouver, BC
I like reading Coldstream's posts because they are often well thought out, contain a certain internal logic, but so, so very wrong. It's interesting that he's a conservative but conservatives can't engage him on their own ground. Intelligent conservatives could learn something from him, although it's probably better that they don't. Rather have the frothing haters than more of Coldstream's social theocracy.
 

Retired_Can_Soldier

The End of the Dog is Coming!
Mar 19, 2006
11,285
480
83
59
Alberta
I like reading Coldstream's posts because they are often well thought out, contain a certain internal logic, but so, so very wrong. It's interesting that he's a conservative but conservatives can't engage him on their own ground. Intelligent conservatives could learn something from him, although it's probably better that they don't. Rather have the frothing haters than more of Coldstream's social theocracy.

He's a closet Liberal. He just hasn't come out yet.