Gladu focused on fiscal responsibility and ‘social compassion’
Marilyn Gladu, a twoterm Conservative MP f rom southwestern Ontario and a chemical engineer by training, visited the National Post editorial board this week as she campaigns for her party’s leadership. Gladu took questions on her policy ideas, explained her vision for the Conservative Party and made the case for why she’s a better choice to lead the party than Peter Mackay, Erin O’toole and her other rivals. Her campaign messaging has centred on “fiscal responsibility and social compassion,” and she’s promised to stick to the Paris Agreement goals on emissions reductions — but without using a carbon tax. What follows is a selection of Gladu’s answers, edited for length and clarity.
Q As you’ve been travelling for this leadership race, what have you heard from Conservative Party members?
A Well, I think that people like my climate plan. They recognize that I did emissions reductions (when working in the oil and gas sector), I know how to add, I know what the targets are. And they like this balanced message. They recognize that Canadians, we don’t need to move further to the right. One of the candidates (in this race) wants to move further to the right. That is not going to grow the base.
Q But maybe moving to the right is how you win the Tory leadership.
A I have no desire to win the base and lose in perpetuity. I think that’s wrong. I think if we want to win the next election, then the ballot question for Conservative Party members needs to be who can grow the base and win the next election while still being true to our Conservative principles.
Q What is your position on a carbon tax?
A A carbon tax doesn’t work. B.C.’S had it for 10 years and they’ve lost maybe one per cent of their emissions. Quebec’s had cap and trade for a similar period of time and their emissions are flat. We have to do something different. Putting the emissions technology in place to reduce the emissions is what works. And getting off coal.
Q How much will that cost?
A Well, depends on how many people implement the technology. It costs the companies and they get a tax offset, which is not a full amount, but it makes it more likely for them to do the right thing ... People who have looked at this have said it will cost more overall (than a carbon tax). But what I would point out is, who does it cost? It costs those large emitters, not mom and dad driving to their soccer game.
Q Are you hearing more about climate change in Eastern Canada than in the West?
A No. In fact, surprisingly, in Alberta, they want a plan, but they want a smart plan. So they are really liking the kind of ideas that I’m putting forward.
Q What are the policies that put you in the centre, as opposed to the “true blue” right?
A I would argue that I’m not actually in the centre. The fiscal responsibility is still the traditional conservative fare. The social compassion is the thing that we haven’t wanted to talk about, and there are, I would say, conservative and effective solutions for all of those things. We talk about seniors in poverty and how you can’t get the guaranteed income supplement if you make more than $19,300, even though arguably the poverty line is above that. I’m suggesting a simple fix that if you’re below the poverty line, you ought to get the GIC. Those are the kinds of policies that I’ll bring. Q What sets you apart from Mackay and O’toole?
A Peter’s got his own baggage from his 20 years of serving. I think Erin’s record is good, but he ran last time and came third. So are people going to see him in different ways than they did the last time? I don’t see anything so far that would suggest he can grow the party. How’s he going to win the young people? How’s he going to win the women? What are the things that he’s bringing? I haven’t seen any of these things.
Q Do you think the Tories have a brand problem?
A Well, that’s on record, right. There was a branding study that was recently done. And the three words for the Conservative Party were old, traditional, I think cold was in there somewhere. (Note: It was “closed.”)
Q What are the three words you’d like to see instead?
A Great question. ( Thinks for a moment.) Prosperous, safe and happy.
Q How much emphasis do you place on being a female candidate for leader?
A They asked me originally, when I was the only woman in the race, how it felt to be a woman in the race. And I said I’ve been in chemical engineering since 1984, I’ve always been the only woman in the race! I think that it’s more important to be on merit. That said, across the country as I’ve talked to Conservative Party members, they think having a woman at the helm is going to be better for rebranding the image of the Conservative Party. They point to Rona Ambrose, when she was interim leader, brought a very positive tone, very open with the media, really a likable image. And I think that that is good for the party and it will be good again.