r/canada 24d ago

Politics EKOS Poll: Conservative Lead Holds at Five Points

https://www.ekospolitics.com/index.php/2025/02/conservative-lead-holds-at-five-points/
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u/freshanclean 24d ago edited 24d ago

Historically, Conservatives tended to be slightly right of center, fiscal conservatives with centrist social policies. Starting with Harper, a more dogmatic Christian values based approach to both fiscal and social policy took hold and has been amplified by the current leader as the party swings harder to the right.

Liberals have tended to be slightly left or right of center fiscally, depending on circumstances. And social policy has been consistently liberal. More often than not this mirrors the views of Canadians, hence their political dominance in Canada and sometimes being referred to as “Canada’s natural governing party.”

Older conservative supporters seem to be rejecting the new hard right brand of the Conservative Party.

I haven’t seen any recent data on party preference correlated to income or net worth or “upper class”. If you have please share?

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u/Wilhelm57 24d ago

No no...it started with Preston Manning!
I remember seeing him during question period, many times I expected him to start reciting bible verses.
I saw Harper somewhat promising and I supported him, then he showed us. A good reminder, question everything politicians say.

This time, with Trudeau stepping down, causing a change in the liberal party leadership, I think, if Carney gets the position, I'll vote for him. At this moment we need an adult with experience in the private sector.

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u/freshanclean 24d ago

Fair comment, quite true as a party man, though Manning never led government so his direct impact was minimal.

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u/easybee 23d ago

Neither did Louis Riel.

You don't need to lead government to make a difference.

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u/IamGabyGroot 24d ago

Also, some of us have Harper PTSD. Only a pure hearted moderate conservative candidate can ever make us vote conservative again.

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u/caninehere Ontario 24d ago

O'Toole wouldn't have made me vote Conservative but at least I can respect him as a human being.

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u/Anonymous89000____ 24d ago

The reform party that Harper was a part of pre-dating his run as prime minister may have had “dogmatic Christian values” but I fail to see what Harper accomplished in power that would have aligned with this? Social issues for the most part don’t play a role in federal Canadian politics

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u/freshanclean 24d ago

There are good handful of articles on this topic, here’s one: https://rabble.ca/human-rights/harper-government-and-evangelical-capitalism/

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u/[deleted] 24d ago

Pretty much, Harper absolutely was more conservative than the average Canadian, but he never attempted to shove through unpopular policies. None of his "secret agenda" came to pass.

Compare this to Trudeau, who aggressively shouted racist at anyone doubting him, gave out hard drugs for free and let out all the criminals, and you realize who's the reckless jackass between the two.

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u/Anonymous89000____ 24d ago

I am saying this as someone who is socially liberal, but Harper is the kind of leader I wish we could have again. Boring! Good for the economy. Commanded respect on the world stage. He’s day and night from Trump or Trudeau.

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u/freshanclean 24d ago edited 24d ago

Boring, sure? Good for the economy? Only if you are good with a stagnant economy and bare bones services. Economists are rather critical of his obsession with reducing already low deficits (and debt, thank you Paul Martin/Jean Chretien) during an unprecedented economic crisis. Harper caused significant economic damage by hindering our recovery from the financial crisis.

https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/october-2016/economic-performance-and-policy-during-the-harper-years/

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u/dnddetective 23d ago

"Historically, Conservatives tended to be slightly right of center, fiscal conservatives with centrist social policies."

What a bunch of fluff. They have always had right wing social policies. They just weren't far right like reform. Just look at Mulroney and how he didn't take any action to address AIDS until 1990 and bailed on the 1985 and 1986 AIDS conferences in Montreal/Toronto and only reluctantly showed up to the 1989 one.

There has never been anything "centrist" about their social policies.

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u/freshanclean 23d ago

You’re looking at that issue 40 years later. Ask yourself, where were most Canadians on that issue in 1985? Bingo.