Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday October 8, 2016
Conservative leadership hopeful Brad Trost questions Andrew Scheer about social conservatism
Saskatchewan Member of Parliament and Conservative leader hopeful Brad Trost says his policies make him a true social conservative choice.
“I’ve got about five or six policy platform items that will be of interest to social conservatives,” Trost said in Ottawa on Monday.
Trost wouldn’t go into detail what his policy platform planks will be but would only say “euthanasia, abortion and a couple of other issues,” will be included.
“These are things I believe. When you see my policy platforms they will demonstrate they are social conservative proposals that are not only popular inside the Conservative party but the general public.”
First elected in 2004, Trost has been vocal on many issues, including same-sex marriage.
Recently, Trost’s campaign started running ads with a picture of two fingers side by side, with the message “Marriage is the union of one man, one woman.”
He’s also taking aim at fellow Saskatchewan MP Andrew Scheer, who also recently entered the leadership race. Trost says that comments he’s read of late leads him to believe Scheer is not a true social conservative.
When Scheer launched his leadership campaign last week, he indicated that abortion and same-sex marriage were issues he considered resolved within the party and he would not re-visit them.
“I don’t think he’s taking a pro-life stand in this campaign,” said Trost. “I’m not sure if Mr. Scheer is a social conservative. That’s something he’s going to have to deal with. One of the social conservative groups referred to his statements the other day as pro-abortion.”
In response to Trost’s latest volley, Scheer simply said “no comment.”
Trost also sounded off on Harper’s time as Prime Minister, saying the he doesn’t believe Harper was a social conservative either. (Source: CBC News)