WASHINGTON — A prominent U.S. right-wing commentator has welcomed the election victory of Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, expressing hope that the prime-minister-designate will work to eradicate the "cultural Marxism" he says infests the neighbour to the north.
In an on-line commentary published on his website, Paul Weyrich, chairman of the Free Congress Foundation, said that he hopes Mr. Harper will use the next four years to replace Liberal-named judges who back same-sex marriage and abortion with appointees who are more to his liking.
"As has been the case in the United States, cultural Marxism largely has been foisted upon Canada by the courts," Mr. Weyrich wrote, drawing a parallel with the right-wing analysis of what ails America. "If judges who respect the Constitution were to be appointed, they would confirm that such rights are not to be found in that document. Sound familiar?"
Yet Mr. Weyrich, 61, a veteran of the U.S. culture wars, said that despite his hopes for a sharp right turn in Canada, radical change could take a long time. "The people of Canada have become so liberal and hedonistic that the public ethic in the country immediately could not be reversed. But with leadership, it may well be possible to change the public ethic."
Advertisements
Mr. Weyrich acknowledges in the commentary that he evaded questions last week from Canadian journalists who called asking him about an e-mail he wrote to fellow conservatives urging them to stay mum if they were asked to comment on the coming Canadian vote.
In the e-mail, copies of which were obtained by The Globe and Mail and The Canadian Press, Mr. Weyrich said that voters in Canada had been led to believe that U.S. conservatives were "scary" so it would be best if right-wing leaders kept their mouths shut before crowing about a likely Tory win.
Last week, Mr. Weyrich declined to confirm that he wrote the e-mail and said he did not know Gerard Chipeur, the Calgary lawyer and Harper supporter who had asked Mr. Weyrich to get the no-interview message across to other U.S. conservatives.
But in this week's commentary, Mr. Weyrich recounted the story with some gloating. He explained how Mr. Chipeur had contacted him "out of concern for what the left-wing Canadian media could do to obtain from some unsuspecting United States conservative an off-the-charts quote which could be hung around Prime Minister-elect Stephen Harper's neck."
Mr. Weyrich described how he had asked his associate, Bob Thompson, to write up the e-mail seeking to muzzle his fellow conservatives until after the election, only to discover that the message had soon been leaked to the press.
"After speaking with two Canadian reporters, I chose not to return such telephone calls. In the end, there just wasn't enough there to make a fuss, although there was potential to blow this sky high. Conservatives did not conduct interviews. Small victory."
Mr. Weyrich compared Mr. Harper's win to a theoretical election victory for Senator Sam Brownback, a right-wing Republican from Kansas and anti-abortion activist, as governor of liberal Massachusetts.
He said that one Canadian Conservative had told him that at least 10 Liberals and some Bloc Québécois MPs would join with Mr. Harper and vote to reverse same-sex marriage in a free vote, convincing Mr. Weyrich that there are enough votes to overturn the same-sex marriage statute.
Mr. Weyrich said that Mr. Harper would greatly expand defence spending and that he opposes the Kyoto climate-change agreement and favours joining U.S. missile defence plans. Mr. Weyrich says, however, that Mr. Harper is unlikely to propose any anti-abortion legislation soon.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv....wxfreecongress27/BNStory/specialNewTory2006/
In an on-line commentary published on his website, Paul Weyrich, chairman of the Free Congress Foundation, said that he hopes Mr. Harper will use the next four years to replace Liberal-named judges who back same-sex marriage and abortion with appointees who are more to his liking.
"As has been the case in the United States, cultural Marxism largely has been foisted upon Canada by the courts," Mr. Weyrich wrote, drawing a parallel with the right-wing analysis of what ails America. "If judges who respect the Constitution were to be appointed, they would confirm that such rights are not to be found in that document. Sound familiar?"
Yet Mr. Weyrich, 61, a veteran of the U.S. culture wars, said that despite his hopes for a sharp right turn in Canada, radical change could take a long time. "The people of Canada have become so liberal and hedonistic that the public ethic in the country immediately could not be reversed. But with leadership, it may well be possible to change the public ethic."
Advertisements
Mr. Weyrich acknowledges in the commentary that he evaded questions last week from Canadian journalists who called asking him about an e-mail he wrote to fellow conservatives urging them to stay mum if they were asked to comment on the coming Canadian vote.
In the e-mail, copies of which were obtained by The Globe and Mail and The Canadian Press, Mr. Weyrich said that voters in Canada had been led to believe that U.S. conservatives were "scary" so it would be best if right-wing leaders kept their mouths shut before crowing about a likely Tory win.
Last week, Mr. Weyrich declined to confirm that he wrote the e-mail and said he did not know Gerard Chipeur, the Calgary lawyer and Harper supporter who had asked Mr. Weyrich to get the no-interview message across to other U.S. conservatives.
But in this week's commentary, Mr. Weyrich recounted the story with some gloating. He explained how Mr. Chipeur had contacted him "out of concern for what the left-wing Canadian media could do to obtain from some unsuspecting United States conservative an off-the-charts quote which could be hung around Prime Minister-elect Stephen Harper's neck."
Mr. Weyrich described how he had asked his associate, Bob Thompson, to write up the e-mail seeking to muzzle his fellow conservatives until after the election, only to discover that the message had soon been leaked to the press.
"After speaking with two Canadian reporters, I chose not to return such telephone calls. In the end, there just wasn't enough there to make a fuss, although there was potential to blow this sky high. Conservatives did not conduct interviews. Small victory."
Mr. Weyrich compared Mr. Harper's win to a theoretical election victory for Senator Sam Brownback, a right-wing Republican from Kansas and anti-abortion activist, as governor of liberal Massachusetts.
He said that one Canadian Conservative had told him that at least 10 Liberals and some Bloc Québécois MPs would join with Mr. Harper and vote to reverse same-sex marriage in a free vote, convincing Mr. Weyrich that there are enough votes to overturn the same-sex marriage statute.
Mr. Weyrich said that Mr. Harper would greatly expand defence spending and that he opposes the Kyoto climate-change agreement and favours joining U.S. missile defence plans. Mr. Weyrich says, however, that Mr. Harper is unlikely to propose any anti-abortion legislation soon.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/serv....wxfreecongress27/BNStory/specialNewTory2006/
