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The policies of Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservative government, in which Jean Charest was a cabinet minister, serve as an example for today's Tories
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Re: Jean Charest is the wrong choice for Conservatives, Michael Taube, March 11
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Modern Canadian conservatism, argues Michael Taube, looks more favourably at small c conservative values from an American perspective and, to a lesser extent, a modern European perspective. Theres more emphasis on the principles of small government, lower taxes, more individual rights and freedoms, support for privatization, capitalism and the free market economy, trade liberalization, a more muscular foreign policy, and so forth.
And although Taube lists some of these modern Canadian conservative values, he doesnt say when this modern era of small c conservatism began. But as a speech writer for former prime minister Stephen Harper, we can all safely deduce when he believes it did. And it is at that point where I disagree with him.
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So too, would Harper. In 2007, when Brian Mulroney received the Order of King Yaroslav the Wise, the highest honour the Ukrainian government can bestow, prime minister Harper introduced him in the following way:
He is the first prime minister who defended free trade. At the time he was vilified for the free trade deal. But history will remember him as the leader who set Canada on a path to unprecedented economic growth and prosperity. He is also the prime minister who took action on acid rain and invested billions of dollars in environmental research. His environmental initiatives won him no credit from the left or right, at the time. But now hes remembered as Canadas greenest prime minister, by no less than the current leader of federal Green Party. And this is the prime minister who came to power in 1984, five years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, determined to restore Canadas reputation as a reliable ally in the struggle against communist tyranny Under his leadership, Canada took a stand. We stood against oppression in Ukraine and elsewhere We stood with the brave people of Ukraine, of the Baltic republics, and the other captive nations of Central and Eastern Europe. Today they are free people living in free nations. And they are grateful to the strong western leaders who stood firm against the communists and their apologists. Leaders like Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, John-Paul the Second, and Brian Mulroney. Thats the way it is with real, effective leaders. While in office, they set clear goals. Then they remain true to these objectives, and they see them through against attacks motivated by misunderstanding, misinformation, or just plain old political opportunism. And, in due time, they are recognized and rewarded. So it is with Brian Mulroney.
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Harpers laudatory statement about Mulroney echoed an earlier one by president Ronald Reagan, who famously said: Brian Mulroney led Canada during a remarkable time, a time when conservative leaders dominated the free world. It was a closely knit circle; Brian Mulroney, Margaret Thatcher, Helmut Kohl, and a U.S. president named Reagan.
Reading Harper and president Reagan, one gets the feeling that Mulroneys Progressive Conservative governments policy agenda sounds a great deal like Taubes list of what he terms modern conservative values.
For example:
Taube cites trade liberalization.
It was Mulroneys Progressive Conservative government that negotiated and implemented the Canada-U.S. and NAFTA trade agreements. It had taken Canada 120 years to achieve a GDP of approximately US$567 billion. With these free trade agreements, it took only 30 years to more than triple it, to US$1.74 trillion.
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Taube cites smaller government.
It was, according to the Fraser Institute, Mulroneys Progressive Conservative government that recorded average annual per-person spending declines of 0.3 per cent, making him one of only two prime ministers in Canadian history to have done so. And Harper was not the other one.
Taube cites support for the free market economy.
It was that same Progressive Conservative government that deregulated the energy, transportation, and financial services sectors. For example, on the energy side, the National Energy Program was abolished, along with the Petroleum and Gas Revenue Tax, and the Foreign Investment Review Agency was abolished and replaced with Investment Canada.
Taube cites privatizations.
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Well, Mulroneys Progressive Conservative government privatized or dissolved 39 Crown corporations and other holdings. Legislation was introduced and administrative changes implemented to eliminate or consolidate 41 agencies, boards, and commissions. Those initiatives, along with operational efficiencies, resulted in 90,000 jobs being removed from the federal payroll.
Taube cites a muscular foreign policy.
Mulroneys Progressive Conservative government was the last Canadian government to meet our NATO commitment of spending two per cent of GDP on defence.
However, Mulroneys Progressive Conservative government did other things as well. His government took the leading role in feeding the starving of Ethiopia, led the effort to free Nelson Mandela and end apartheid, and had a higher level of foreign aid spending than any government that preceded or followed his.
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That record of accomplishment is proof enough that Canadian conservatives have no need to import American or European conservatism. We just need good old-fashioned common sense Canadian conservatism.
Taube has endorsed Pierre Poilievre in the current leadership race because, he argues, Charest would be the wrong choice for Conservative leader. Hes not only yesterdays man, but he represents yesterdays ideology.
Keeping in mind that Jean Charest was a cabinet minister in the Mulroney government, Taube inadvertently makes the case that Charest is the right choice for Conservatives because yesterdays ideology doesnt look so bad after all.
The Honourable Charles J. Mayer, PC, St. Francis Xavier, Man.
Charles J. Mayer served as Minister of Western Economic Diversification, and Minister of Agriculture, in the Mulroney government between 1984-1993.
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Letter to the editor: Taube got it wrong on 'modern Canadian conservatism' - National Post
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