So. Now that it’s all over and the confidence votes have passed can we please get back to business?
Yes. I am outraged at the corruption found in the governing party. Yes, I believe they don’t deserve to lead. However, the past few weeks have made one thing clear.
There is no alternative.
Stephen Harper has dug himself the deepest of graves. He can no longer hope for the CPC to win any number of seats in Ontario in the near future.
His only hope to be PM is for him to survive the summer and fall sessions of Parliament and then hope for a particularly damning Gomery Report in December.
My own mother summed it up the best, I watched the Parliament vote re the budget…history in the making….boo to Belinda Stronach!! But I don’t like the Conservatives, either….so….
So indeed… The question I believe Canadians are asking is, what alternative is there? If there was still a Progressive Conservative party of Canada then there is no doubt in my mind that they would be at the forefront of the political scene right now. Canadians still see the current Conservative party as Reform/Alliance and Stephen Harper has done little to change that view.
It’s an unfortunate situation… the only saving grace of the current political climate is the minority government, which forces the Liberals to show modecum of humility. They do not deserve a majority.
What is the difference between the Conservative Party in its present form and a “Progressive” Conservative Party? Usually in politics the word progressive is no combined with conservative. So I’m curious. What does that mean in Candadian terms?
This is indeed a term that might be unique to Canadian Politics.
There have traditionally been 3 parties in Canadian politics… the Liberals (Grits), Progressive Conservatives (Tories) and the New Democratic Party.
Only the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives have ever held power.
I would say that the term “Progressive” would refer to the fact that in order to appeal to the majority of Canadians, especially in Ontario, a political party must have social policies that would be considered a little more left leaning than a traditional “Conservative” party may believe in.
Geographically and Politically, everything gravitates toward the centre in Canada. Paul Martin is seen as pulling the Liberals more towards the right… closer to where the PCs would have been a decade ago. That’s why you see MPs crossing the floor.
With the current Conservative Party of Canada we have for the first time a true right-wing party. They are unwilling, either by design or simply perception, to gravitate towards that centre in terms of social issues that Canadians are used to. That is why there is so much resistance against them. While they and the original Progressive Conservative party did actually merge, it has become clear which side is steering policy.
Until the current Conservative Party shifts a little more to the “comfort zone” for Canadians they will not be able to beat the Liberals and gain a majority.
Thaks for the insights. I guess I thought that would be your answer. Its probably similar to Republicans who aren’t trying to dismantle the new deal but want to be reallly careful about new social programs. In the US, the watch words are: How will you pay for any further entitlements or expansions of social programs? The American public holds the government in check by not voting for higher taxes at this point in history.
I thought your comments re the “middle” were amusing from the American perspective. Your middle is not our middle…but you know that.
Indeed… our right is much closer to your left or *maybe* center. That’s what I get for living in Soviet Canuckistan. 😉