Why Ontario’s PCs aren’t ‘progressive’

Writer says it’s time for them to permanently drop the word from its name

Many political observers have suggested today’s Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario is most certainly “conservative,” but not remotely “progressive.”

Is this accurate? Some party members and supporters balk at this suggestion. They’ve tried to create a separate narrative for Ontario conservatism, and Canadian conservatism in general.

Here’s an example. Former senator and longtime Conservative adviser Hugh Segal was recently a guest on CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning. He discussed his frustration with the Ontario PC government’s decision to scrap the basic income pilot program that he authored.

He then briefly shifted this conversation into a different, more personal direction. He claimed to be “embarrassed as a Progressive Conservative” to see this pilot fail.

“My traditional view of progressive conservatism,” Segal said, “has always been that, along with economic growth and all the important freedoms and the structure of our society, which Conservatives support, we also support social justice … and equality of opportunity is fundamental, and clearly it’s of no value to this government.”

Segal has the right to express his opinion and dismay with the provincial government. Unfortunately, it also repeated a typical mantra most Conservatives don’t agree with. He, and a small number of others, refuses to accept the fact that the Ontario

PCs aren’t “progressive.”

Moreover, the political connection between “Progressive” and “Conservative” never truly existed. The only reason these two words were ever combined was due to former Manitoba premier John Bracken. When the United Farmers of Manitoba won the 1922 provincial election, they asked Bracken, then president of Manitoba Agricultural College, to become leader and premier. The

UFM legislative members quickly switched gears and identified themselves as the Progressive Party of Manitoba.

Bracken successfully held power for more than 20 years, aided by his decision to merge the Progressives with the provincial Liberals. The Conservative Party of Canada — which had witnessed its leader, Arthur Meighen, step down after a humbling byelection loss in 1942 — thought the populist politician could reverse its struggling fortunes. He agreed, but under one condition: change its name to the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.

That’s exactly what happened. In turn, the Conservative Party of Ontario added the word “Progressive” to establish uniformity with its federal counterpart, and has maintained it ever since.

Hence there was no ideological shift. It was due to one politician’s insistence for change — and, since Bracken never became prime minister, a failed one at that.

Naturally, there are Red Tories, or left-leaning Conservatives, like Segal, former Ontario premier Bill Davis and Toronto Mayor John Tory. These individuals promote progressive values, such as social justice, support for a welfare state and maintaining significant amounts of public funding for social services.

Nevertheless, this isn’t what most Ontario Conservatives think, or have ever thought, about political conservatism. To equate one with the other is wrong.

What Ontario Conservatives (and other Conservatives) do generally support, however, is compassionate conservatism. For instance, working with religious organizations and private charities to help out the poor and needy. Finding ways to use the free market as a means of getting people back to work and wealthier, such as reducing taxes and state involvement. Supporting public programs like health care and education, but ensuring the private sector has a greater role and/or influence in these sectors.

That’s why Premier Doug Ford and the Ontario PCs ended the basic income pilot program. Like most modern Conservatives, they prefer political and economic strategies that reduce the size and scope of government.

Rather than a never-ending cycle of government handouts, the PCs will use other means, such as tax cuts (including the 10 cent reduction on gas prices) to accomplish the same goal. This will hopefully produce far better results and savings for Ontario families.

On a personal note, I’ve been discussing this issue for more than 20 years as a conservative columnist and political commentator. Several others have done the same thing. Unfortunately, this distinction remains unclear in Ontario.

With this in mind, here’s a suggestion for Premier Ford. To prevent further confusion, it’s time for the Ontario PCs to permanently drop the word “Progressive” from its name. We’ve always been Conservatives, and not Progressives.