Ask any Canadian conservative how to ruffle feathers in polite company, and he or she will probably suggest being open about conservative political views. To be a liberal or a progressive is a badge of honour. And even mild critics of high taxes and government incompetence are acceptable. But a conservative? Best keep that to yourself.
If social conservatism is understood as a hardened, unchanging and non-adaptive set of judgments, it will vindicate these pundits. And if social conservatism can be boiled down to an obvious discomfort with gay people — to pick the most conspicuous example — it will fail and deserve to fail. That battle is over, and the evidence is in that treating people with equal respect, regardless of sexual orientation, is not socially detrimental.
A second distinction is that the social conservative appreciates how the web of social forces around us directs the choices we make. This includes public institutions and public policy. Such a person endeavours to make the air of social expectation more rigorous so we can all better breathe; there can be no thriving society without thriving people, families and communities.
But that is just one example. Other major life decisions and habits — from higher education to diet and exercise, from home ownership to marriage, from community involvement to charity, from work ethic to engagement with the life-affirming arts and culture — are not mere personal preferences. They are common values and priorities that matter to the whole of society.
This is the theory. The practical question so many people want to answer is “can social conservatism win?” The answer, to be blunt, is that it must win. Not in the sense that social conservatives have to govern alone, but that they must be a part of the fabric of national argument. The stakes are too great to sideline those with a genuine concern for the common good and a voice to articulate it.
To many the term social conservative is strongly tied to religious dogma that is largely irrelevant in the modern world but which elements of the Con. Party are attempting to impose on others. The result is that the broad base of Canadians needed to win does not trust the Party.
NP and its band of con journalists will say anything to bring hope to a doomed conservative party. You cant do right when their conservative bend is just wrong for Canada
Rule of Thumb for Cons: If you can't come right out and say it, if you have to sugar coat it and spin it, most Canadians won't buy it. Canadians smell stereotypical Con Duplicity a mile away. Be proud of your values; say what you mean, loud & clear. Duplicity means UnTrustworthy.
Every time some CBC left journalist asks about same sex marriage tell them that the term is offensive. The longer the media keeps labelling it “same sex” marriage, LGBTQ will NEVER be equal. Just say it’s “marriage”. Same with “gay rights”. It will shut the media down.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂geeeee Kenny and Moe are such prime example
rexglacer All I know is many of the people I know who vote Liberal live their day to day lives as conservatives. None of them like big government or being told how to think or behave but for some reason they still vote opposite of how they actually live.
Good luck with that.
The way social conservatism can be 'done right' is not to mention it at all.
rexglacer We don’t need a socialist government in Canada! We have enough B.S. here already! Liberals are socialists. Why are they trying to push socialism on the conservatives? Because that is the only way the liberals can and will stay in power! CPC be strong!
Andrew Scheer is corrupt, imagine paying for private school tuition for five kids, and you the right wing media will normalize that corruption. But the way you treated Justin Trudeau whom you wanted jailed then crucified, should be done to Andrew a Scheer and the Conservatives.
This is the opposite of how Trudeau et al have acted, they have been hypocritically the most actively “social” Liberals ever. They have been jamming their beliefs down all Canadian’s throats... the exact thing the media have been fear mongering the Conservatives for...
There’s a double standard and hypocrisy when it comes to “social conservatives”. I believe most want to be left alone and be allowed their own beliefs, which is written into the constitution (just as long as nobody else’s beliefs and actions are hindered).
Great article. Although there is a double standard from the left. We want everyone to be free to choose what lifestyle they want - unless you choose not to march in a pride parade then you will be punished for your free choice.
Annabelle, born at 24 weeks weighing 1 lb 8 oz, starts preschool.
Nope👎
All we have to do is defeat the bias media, the rest is easy
As a conservative I want nothing to do with social conservatives. The Conservative party needs to be modern and inclusive. Full stop.
Social conservative is a Liberal in a blue tie.
National Post can’t even be bothered identifying who wrote this piece of drivel. That is how low this right wing scandal sheet has sunk. Canadians deserve better from media.
You mean getting in bed with bigots, lying, legislating against women’s rights, and protecting the lobbyists and millionaires, arguing separatist policies is not the winning ticket...
rexglacer Social Conservatism needs some representation or Canada will quickly turn into a very dark place.
1/ This article argues that Tories can win by rebranding social conservatism as something that is not social conservatism. In other words, by abandoning views currently known as social conservatism. I must say I wasn’t expecting that from the headline.
Nobody gives a crap about your platitudes on the family. We just don't want you demonizing LGBT and abortion. If the party even gave tepid support to these you would be in much better standing. This isn't the United States.
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