Conservatives minus Wall must strive for relevance

Among Canadian conservatives, it is common to hear critics of Justin Trudeau point out the contrast between the prime minister and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall. The former is a charismatic, master communicator; the latter projects an air of staid bookishness. Trudeau relies on broad and sweeping language to convey his messages, while Wall always has been, to conservatives at least, a voice of reason, known more for his quiet competence than for his personality or grand vision.

Wall also is a fiscally conservative counter to the left-leaning tendencies of Trudeau and his provincial Liberal or NDP counterparts. In many ways, Wall represents the pragmatic, market-focused approach valued by moderate, fiscal conservatives across the country.

So, Wall’s looming departure from politics has sent ripples through Canadian conservative circles. With British Columbia’s Christy Clark now out of the picture, and with Andrew Scheer still solidifying his role atop the federal Conservative Party of Canada, conservatism in this country seems increasingly leaderless.

Given that only two years ago, the considerable power and influence of Stephen Harper — probably the most dominant Canadian conservative in a generation — was buffered and strengthened by centre-right governments in B.C., Alberta, and Saskatchewan, conservatives have to ask themselves what has gone wrong, and if the current state of affairs is a blip or a growing trend that has not yet reached its nadir.

To remain relevant in such a political environment, Canada’s leading conservatives need to offer something that centre-right politicians around the world never have been very good at: a positive, solutions-based vision.

While leaders such as Harper and Wall earned conservative praise for their beliefs in free-market economics supported by limited government intervention, it is time for Canadian conservatives to recognize this approach might not be best to tackle complex, challenging issues such as climate change, shifting cultural and racial demographics, and income inequality.

As voter demographics change, the doom-and-gloom conservatism that often dominates the political rhetoric of the right has less and less appeal to younger voters, who are more concerned with climate change than with government debt. If conservatives want to have a real impact on important topics including fiscal responsibility, the size and role of government, and an efficient and market-friendly system of taxation, they should do a better job of explaining to voters how such projects can help address critical policy areas such as the environment, immigration and inequality.

Wall’s opposition to a national carbon tax drew him praise from conservatives across the country, but it is hardly the type of forwardthinking, innovative approach that will help propel the federal Conservatives back into power. The fact that MP Michael Chong — who offered a market-friendly, revenueneutral approach to carbon taxation during his failed run for CPC leader — often was heckled during his leadership campaign by his fellow conservatives speaks a great deal to the uncreative and stubborn adherence to conservative orthodoxy that has come to define the intellectual framework of Canadian centre-right politics.

Wall’s political career should stand as a testament to the unadorned, sensible governance style beloved by moderate conservatives. But these same conservatives should also search hard for a future path to ideological and political relevance.