For conservatives winning the war of ideas means convincing Canadians that big government is not the answer to all our problems and that only freer markets will ensure future growth and prosperity. Unfortunately, right now there is a void in Canadian politics: there’s no truly non-partisan, independent conservative organization slugging it out in the political trenches to help win the war of ideas. In short, no one is forcefully speaking out for free markets and less government.

Yes we have the Fraser Institute and other think tanks which do a great job of coming up with excellent ideas — but ideas are not enough. You need somebody skilled in the arts of political communication to take those ideas and package them, market them and sell them to the Canadian public. That’s how you win the war of ideas.

Gerry Nicholls, June 26, 2009