As a conservative, it pains me that we aren't learning from our mistakes (Globe and Mail)

[bronxiteforever]

By PAUL BROWN
CONTRIBUTED TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL
PUBLISHED 3 HOURS AGO (2/6/22)


Paul Brown is a former chief of staff in Brian Mulroney’s government and has worked on numerous provincial and federal Conservative campaigns. He is a principal at Campbell Strategies.

…I’ve been a conservative ever since but the dominance of the federal Liberal party over the past 66 years has been another constant, both remarkable and depressing. The federal Liberals have been in power for 41 of my 66 years.

Equally remarkable has been the Conservative inability to learn from our mistakes and successes. The bottom line is so painfully obvious that it requires little preamble: Conservatives lose when we move to the extreme and indulge a proclivity for infighting; Conservatives win when we unite and broaden our agenda without sacrificing that which makes us conservatives. The caucus decision to remove a leader elected by our members continues a losing tradition.

… Now it looks like my fellow Conservatives are back to our favourite pastime – fighting with each other while importing American-style outrage and issues that have little resonance for suburban Canadian voters and our diverse cultural communities. Instead of coming together as we did after 2004, with former PCs supporting Mr. Harper as fervently as they did Mr. Mulroney, the current round of infighting brings back memories of the 10 years when a divided conservative movement guaranteed Liberal dominance…. a large part of the machinations of party infighting are about power, money and political jobs. In many cases, people who once had it want it back. And, in my view, they will use every means possible, including divisive social issues that will guarantee even more years of federal Liberal rule ahead.

Whole article here
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-as-a-conservative-it-pains-me-that-we-arent-learning-from-our-mistakes/#comments

[Spazito]

1. I hope Paul Brown is right...

and the Con base will ensure "even more years of federal Liberal rule ahead."

If the Cons elect Poilievre as their leader (fingers crossed here) they will remain in the Minority position yet again, imo.

[bronxiteforever]

2. Yes. I have confidence that Canada won't turn crazy. We have enough

in the states to run the world. American based outrage is a governing cul de sac that leads nowhere positive.