The fact that federal Conservatives decided to rally around their flawed leader, Andrew Scheer, at Wednesday’s caucus meeting may, in their minds, show some solidarity for him and the Conservative agenda. But it also shows they didn’t get the message Canadian voters delivered last month.
Yes, Canadians were disenchanted with Justin Trudeau, but outside of Alberta and Saskatchewan, two traditional Conservative strongholds, Canadian voters were not willing to accept Scheer and the Conservative agenda as an alternative.
Scheer’s intolerance on issues like LGBTQ2 rights and same-sex marriage and his myopic approach to dealing with climate change are totally out of sync with most Canadians’ evolving attitudes on those bellwether issues.
The Liberals’ decline to minority status is a testament to the dissatisfaction Canadians have felt with the Trudeau government’s performance, but outside of Alberta and Saskatchewan, voters rejected Scheer’s Conservatives as an alternative.
The fact that many longtime Conservatives and conservative commentators have shunned this latest incarnation of the Conservative Party should raise red flags, but they seem oblivious to the warning signs.
This is a political party that used to be made up of “progressive” conservatives, but in the minds of most Canadians, they have become “regressive” conservatives. And Canadians aren’t buying what they’re selling.
Bill Kelly is the host of the Bill Kelly Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.
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