Memo to the right: Stop acting like the left

The left has long engaged in anti-reality thinking and behaviour. Now the right is in danger of making the same mistake

Memo to the right: Stop acting like the leftThe ideological and political left has long engaged in anti-reality thinking and behaviour. Now the right is in danger of making the same mistake. Let’s begin with the left’s errors: the assumption that humans are mere pliable creatures to be directed from the top down and that societies and governments can therefore be recreated from…

Could Marine Le Pen become the next president of France?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has hurt Macron’s re-election bid

Could Marine Le Pen become the next president of France?In the 2017 French presidential election’s second round of voting, Republic On The Move leader Emmanuel Macron defeated National Front leader Marine Le Pen by 66.1 to 33.9 per cent of the vote. Five years later, they face each other in another run-off. Portions of the French electorate are pulling for a Macron victory. While…

The return of Jean Charest: are his conservative roots strong enough?

His campaign has a steep hill to climb

The return of Jean Charest: are his conservative roots strong enough?On the occasion of his 2012 departure from Quebec provincial politics, I wrote a column asking: Is it au revoir Jean Charest? Although Charest was relatively young (54) and had spent most of his adult life in politics, it was hard to see a future for him. Now he’s back. And he’s running for the…

CPAC is red meat for the conservative core

TRUMP: “The radical left is trying to replace American with woke tyranny”

CPAC is red meat for the conservative coreIt’s five full hours before former U.S. President Donald J. Trump is scheduled to speak at the world’s largest gathering of conservatives, but his fans are already lining the street leading up to the sprawling and posh Rosen Shingle Creek conference resort. It’s Day 3 of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and there’s…

Trudeau booed at Conservative Political Action Conference

Canada has gone down a dangerous road

Trudeau booed at Conservative Political Action ConferenceORLANDO, Fla. — The very mention of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s name provoked a loud chorus of boos Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). The jeers came during a keynote speech by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Nome, who boasted that her state stayed open during the COVID pandemic when others shut down their…

Where do the Conservatives go in the wake of Erin O’Toole?

Conservatives must ensure that core values remain permanent components of their ideology

Where do the Conservatives go in the wake of Erin O’Toole?Erin O’Toole was elected Conservative Party leader on Aug. 24, 2020. Less than 18 months later, it’s over. After a disappointing showing in last September’s federal election, the relationship between O’Toole and his Conservative caucus had become strained. Some wanted him to resign immediately. Others, like Sen. Denise Batters, preferred to hold a referendum on…

Ted Byfield played an influential role in Canadian conservatism

In all parts of the country

Ted Byfield played an influential role in Canadian conservatismTed Byfield passed away at his home on Dec. 23 at age 93. Many Canadian conservatives mourn the loss of a great man. Byfield was a giant in Canadian conservatism. He consistently challenged existing orthodoxies and societal norms within modern liberalism and helped create an intellectual blueprint for a political movement that had often struggled…

Two cheers for capitalism, despite its inherent vulnerability

It may seem prosaic and uninspiring but it does deliver the goods - prosperity and personal liberty

Two cheers for capitalism, despite its inherent vulnerabilityAs part of its recent Capitalist Manifesto series, the National Post had several of its columnists identify 10 essential books on the topic. The selections included offerings from Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, Deirdre McCloskey and Matt Ridley, all of whom are worth reading. But I was struck by an omission. Published in 1978, Irving Kristol’s…

How to get Canada off the health care teeter-totter

Medicare struggles from funding thrown at the same tired ideas rooted in similar political traditions

How to get Canada off the health care teeter-totterLiberalism works when you are healthy but fails when you fall ill. Classical liberalism emphasizes autonomy, individual freedom, and free markets. These ideas have fuelled centuries of wealth and prosperity. Modern liberalism, in contrast, pursues central decision-making and equality of outcome. Despite similar names and obvious differences, neither type of liberalism provides arguments for everything…

Is the fractured Conservative Party ready for an election?

The conservative intellect is lost in the proverbial forest

Is the fractured Conservative Party ready for an election?It’s officially silly season, with campaign-style announcements, candidate nominations, and parties ramping up fundraising and logistical planning, signalling a federal election is on the horizon. Incredibly, Teflon-Trudeau remains high in the polls, with a two-dose summer has Canadians spending and optimistic about the future, making it a perfect time to pull the plug on an…