Are Canadians naturally liberal or conservative?

Re: Is Conservatism Dead?, ongoing series. The problem with conservatism is that it advocates a role for government that is irrelevant to the desires and wishes of most people.

Canadians, by and large, are a timid people. They demand of government not so much that it shall govern, but that it shall look after them. Canadians expect their government to provide health, education, pensions, physical security and so on, with no conscious involvement on their part. Provided it does this reasonably well or makes reassuring noises where it does not, the average Canadian will forgive their government any amount of incompetence.

The continued dominance of the Liberals is based on an understanding that timid people will cling to a security blanket long after it has ceased to serve any useful function.

Conservatism, which I assume to be synonymous with a desire for smaller government, is founded on a philosophy of self-reliance. Some Canadians are happy and eager to be self-reliant. Unfortunately, most are not, and these are the natural constituency of any political party advocating big government. Canada’s descent — or ascent, if you are a Liberal — into a welfare state has permanently cemented our country’s political situation. Even if the Conservatives promised greater benefits, Canadians know in their hearts that the Liberals are just better nannies.

Conservative rhetoric about smaller government and personal responsibility appeals to the rich but is threatening to the middle class and the poor. Accordingly, the best the Conservatives can hope to do is to function as a watchdog opposition party to try to keep the governing Liberals honest. In canvassing my fair share of voters in Vancouver during the recent, seemingly endless, string of elections and referendums, I believe conservatism is alive and well in Canada. I think most Canadians are conservative-minded, even if they don’t always vote Conservative.

Canadians are sick and tired of selfserving politicians and government waste. High taxes continue to be an issue, and Canadians are frustrated with our inability to improve services such as health care.

The bottom line is that Canadians are crying out for the fair-minded, honest and pragmatic political leadership that Mr. Harper and the Conservative party offer. We need to stop apologizing for being conservative and start a dialogue about our vision for a better Canada.