conservatism “Silver Reflection”

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday April 7, 2009

PM on minds of unsettled Tories

Canadian Conservatives may not be in the throes of the kind of public identity crisis facing angst-ridden Republicans in the United States.

Being in power imposes a certain discipline.

But there’s a whole lot of soul-searching going on here about where the Canadian conservative movement, particularly under Stephen Harper, is headed.

Complaints about past policy reversals (Senate reform, Afghanistan, foreign investment, income trusts), and Harper’s big-spending, big-bailout, big-government budget form the backdrop.

Along with that, private grumbling in the Conservative caucus about disdainful treatment by Harper’s office of former prime minister Brian Mulroney surfaced publicly this weekend.

A tiff erupted after party officials told media outlets Mulroney was no longer a member of the Conservative party, an assertion Mulroney – under fire at a public inquiry called by Harper – denied.

Indeed, private misgivings over Harper’s leadership style are echoed in a very public discussion now occurring among the broader base of conservatives.

A new website called Homeless Cons has cropped up. The op-ed pages openly debate whither the Canadian conservative movement.

Preston Manning’s think-tank, the Manning Centre for Building Democracy, just held a conference where the doubts of fiscal conservatives, prairie populists, Red Tories, social conservatives, and libertarians were centre stage. (Source: Toronto Star)  Originally posted on the old website.

***Conservatives strained relationship with Mulroney*** 

In the wake of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s death, it’s worth examining the tumultuous relationship that unfolded between him and the Conservative Party of Canada. The contemporary Conservative Party stands as a departure from its earlier iterations, including the era when Mulroney led the party.

The rift between Mulroney and the party became evident in 2009, marked by internal conflicts over Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s approach to Mulroney’s involvement in a public inquiry. My editorial cartoon from that time, depicting Harper using a “Reform” saw to sever the head of an imaginary statue representing Mulroney, visually captured the strains within the party.

This internal discord laid bare the complexities within the Conservative Party, showcasing disagreements over policy reversals, leadership styles, and the treatment of prominent figures like Mulroney. The Manning Centre discussions and the emergence of the “Homeless Cons” website reflected broader discontent within the conservative base, signalling a departure from the party’s historical roots.

Tensions persisted over the years, with Mulroney’s criticism of Harper in 2014 marking a significant moment in the strained relationship. The subsequent cautious support for Pierre Poilievre in 2022, coupled with advice to move closer to the political centre, revealed the evolving nature of conservative politics. 

The shifting legacy of political statues underscores a broader societal dialogue about accountability and historical representation. As the political landscape evolves, the fate of future statues, particularly those of Prime Ministers, remains uncertain. The legacy of leaders like Mulroney, encapsulated in the complexities of their relationships with the party and the evolving discourse on statues, continues to shape the narrative of Canadian political history. (Graeme MacKay – March 3, 2024)