This past weekend I attended the second annual Manning Centre Networking Conference, held in Ottawa. The range of topics discussed, along with the diversity of perspectives represented over the weekend made this event both informative and entertaining. A great deal of analysis has already been written about the various speeches that were given, so I won’t go into that here.
What I did want to explore here is what appeared to be the recurring theme over the weekend; what does it mean to be a conservative? Frankly, I was rather shocked that so many people found this question difficult to answer. Perhaps it was the fact the conference was attended by so many people with so many different thoughts on conservatism. In addition to very strong representation by the “mainstream” conservative movement (i.e. Progressive Conservatives and CPC members), the conference included a very large number of the more “fringe” movements, spanning the ideological spectrum from Libertarians to social conservatives. We even had the gay community represented.
But even with this diversity of perspective present in the modern Canadian conservative movement, it is clear there’s a great deal of common ground here; common ground that is not being articulated effectively. If the conservative movement is not able to identify and express it’s common principles to it’s own members, how on earth do we expect the people of Canada to understand and support us? This is not rocket science folks. (I wanted to say that because I met Steve, a rocket scientist, at the conference as well.)
In addition to identifying clearly and articulately what the conservative movement stands for, if we ever want to resonate with Canadians on a broader scale, we will also have to express these principles in terms and in language that ordinary Canadians can relate to. Conservative policy is good policy, but until the navel-gazing ends the chances we will connect with Canadians in a meaningful and lasting way is pretty slim.
Sounds like you really enjoyed the conference. I really like this post. Here’s hoping you can build that ‘big tent’ you describe.
I really mean that… on a fundamental level the system won’t work without clear policy & principles like you describe… and if nothing else, I admire liberal & representative democracy (not big “L” Liberal as in the party, but small “l” as in ‘everyone gets to vote’).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_democracy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_liberalism
I think you’ll really like the second link.
Thanks Rob. I would have to say I subscribe to the classical liberalism way of thinking, but I have to be very careful not use the word liberal at the beginning of a sentence; seeing it in upper case really does give me the willies.