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Home > Features > The Conservative
Party of Canada: Uniting the Right |
Can the Right Successfully Unite?
Comparing and Contrasting CA & PC policies
At their October 16th news conference announcing the proposed merger, Harper and MacKay
released an agreement in principle covering policies in eighteen areas, from tax policy
to bilingualism. However, neither leader anticipates holding a policy convention until
after the next election. Strategically, this is wise, since any major policy debate
could expose deep divisions within the newly formed party. It will be a challenge for
party officials to develop policies that satisfy everyone from Red Tories to socially
conservative Reformers, while appealing to a large enough segment of the voting public
to defeat the Liberals.
Furthermore, unlike the CA, there are deep divisions within the Tory party itself over
policy. Approximately twenty-five percent of PC members believe that NAFTA, the crowning
achievement of former Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, should be abolished.
All these views will undoubtedly be expressed at any future policy convention.
However, while problematic, this may not negatively impact the new party to the extent
that some analysts predict. There are two reasons for this:
- The official policy platforms of the two parties are not that far apart in several
key areas
- Even before the merger, some analysts argued that the PCs should give voters a
clear alternative to the Liberals by adopting more socially conservative policies
Examining the current policies of both the CA and PC highlights both common positions
and potential areas of concern:
Multiculturalism
Eliminating official multiculturalism was one of the Reform Party’s founding principles
and there is no question this policy attracted some racists to the party. However, the
Canadian Alliance has modified its position somewhat. For example, a 2002 policy declaration
by Stephen Harper states that multiculturalism is a personal choice and should not be
publicly funded. However, it also acknowledges that multiculturalism is a basic feature
of Canadian society, and one with positive benefits. This is consistent with the PC
position outlined in their 2000 policy platform, that “While they cherish their diversity,
most Canadians believe that institutionalized multiculturalism should no longer be publicly
funded.”
Immigration
Like multiculuralism, the CA’s immigration policy has been modified since Reform Party
days. The party still believes new immigrants should not receive national government-funded
assistance. However, it does commit to helping new immigrants receive provincial support.
With respect to choosing immigrants, the party believes immigration should be merit-based,
with the main criteria being Canada’s economic needs. Laws against illegal immigrants
should be toughened.
The PC party platform on immigration is more moderate. Its guiding principles state
that immigration should be based on humanitarian concerns and social needs, as well
as Canada’s economic needs. However, it also stresses the economic value of immigration.
Social Issues
Many analysts foresee social issues becoming the main battleground over new party policy.
It is true that the CA and PC hold different positions on issues such as capital punishment
and same-sex marriage. For example, with respect to same-sex marriage, CA policy states
that marriage should remain exclusively the union of one man and one woman. By contrast,
MacKay has supported some form of civil union for same-sex couples. Meanwhile, Tories
such as MP Scott Brison have vowed to make sure the new party adopts a socially progressive
agenda. All of this will make policy debate on social issues interesting to watch.
Nonetheless, it is not clear that social progressives will have a significant impact.
There are signs that Tories may be willing to abandon socially progressive policies
that aren’t winning votes, in favour of more socially conservative ones. In the recent
Ontario provincial election, several PC candidates campaigned strongly against same-sex
marriage, in an effort to win rural votes. This may signal the future direction of the
merged national party.
Quebec
This could be a divisive issue. Analysts are predicting that, in the next federal
election, the separatist BQ cannot win more than ten to fifteen of the thirty-eight
seats it currently holds. This means the new party could potentially pick up over twenty
seats in Quebec. While the Tories do not have a clear position on Quebec at the moment,
in the past they have been open to the idea of special status for Quebec. However, equality
for all provinces is one of the CA’s founding principles. Furthermore, Harper has spoken
out publicly against official bilingualism. Mulroney’s electoral success in the 1980’s
came largely from a coalition of westerners and soft separatists in Quebec. It is hard
to see how that could happen again in the new Conservative party, given current CA policy.
Financial Policy
Both parties support reducing personal taxes, paying down the national debt, limiting
government spending, and removing inter-provincial trade barriers. However, the two
groups may clash on levels of government spending, and how transfer payments should
be delivered to the provinces.
Health Care
Both groups support the continuation of a publicly funded health care system, but
believe it should permit private delivery of services.
Who will Decide Policy?
In exchange for compromising on the leadership selection issue, Harper insisted that
CA rules be followed to adopt a new party constitution and policy platform. The following
rules will apply in choosing policy at a national convention:
- Each riding will send an equal number of delegates
- Every policy must be approved by a majority of delegates, from at least six individual
provinces
The combination of equality of ridings and the need for majority approval means that
both sides will have to compromise when forming policy.
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