After listening to a bunch of SoCons demand that Harper reopen the abortion debate, kill the CHRC, and abolish the wheat board, Maude Barlow
...chair of the Council of Canadians, said “this is Stephen Harper’s true constituency,” but insists that Harper has no choice but to keep a lid on the religious right and social conservatives in the Conservative caucus.
“I think we know where he is going with this right-wing (economic) agenda … and I think he will not want to jeopardize that by taking a sharp-right turn on something like abortion,” Barlow said.
Thus was it ever. The SoCon grassroots provide the movement's energy and muscle; the Conservative government that results pays them back in the form of tax cuts to business and...by strengthening hate speech laws! Talk about irony.
These are my thoughts as well, but with a caveat: If Harper doesn't throw some bones to his base, does he not risk a repeat of the wedge that originally killed the PC party? Conversely, if he throws too many bones to the wingnuts, the so-called progressive side of the party will take exception.
ReplyDeleteAt least, that's what I hope. I expect he won't pander to the religious fanatics, calculating that they'll vote for him regardless. But I hope ignoring the nuts will create another right-wing schism.
The base is NOT happy about the hate provision.
ReplyDeleteFern: thats where I first noticed this. Although lets face it that bill sucks in a number of ways.
ReplyDeleteWatch what comes out from Harper's back benchers (like Trost, Vellacott and others). It may not be "official government policy" legislation, but you can bank on the front benches voting for it.
ReplyDelete... if you are a woman, part of the GLBT community or anyone else that the fundagelicals think of as immoral, look out - it's going to be a very messy five years.
@ridenrain: Those same farmers voted for the Wheat Board in a referendum not so long ago too ... or had you forgotten that little detail?
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