01-27-2006, 12:21 AM
Occhidiangela,Jan 25 2006, 10:17 AM Wrote:1. For an American to see a Canadian Conservative in the same light as a Pat Buchannan or a Ronald Reagan would probably be an error. The "conservative" label seems (from here in the Lower 48) to be relative to a slightly more "liberal" middle-of-the-road. (whatever "liberal" means anymore :wacko: )
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Historically and generally, that is true.
Stephen Harper, however, is an exception to the rule. It is clear (at least to me) that he has been, for most of his life, a right-libertarian, very much in tune with the Milton Friedman-CATO institute crowd. His ideological basis is American, fundamentally.
His "conversion" (which I put in quotes because I suspect it is a sham) to a more Canadian brand of conservatism is recent, and probably motivated by his desire to get into power.
I don't think it makes sense to read into this election that Canadians are moving in the direction of American conservatism. You're bang on about Pat Buchanan, and that kind of message has very little play up here. Actually, I suspect one of the reasons that the conservatives recieved such a tepid endorsement is due to how troubling the swing towards religious neo-conservatism south of the border. Very few people in Canada want anything to do with Dubya, although most would like to see relations with the US get a little warmer.
-Jester