The Conservative party should commit itself to strengthening and sustaining the promise of social mobility in Canada. That ought to be the party’s overriding cause
Over the past few weeks, I’ve written columns in these pages that argue: (1) the Conservative party must aspire to be a 50-per-cent-plus-one proposition in Canadian politics; (2) growing the party’s base will require maintaining support from social conservatives; and (3) social conservatives should commit themselves to promoting and cultivating “bourgeois virtues” among those Canadians who aren’t currently benefiting from them.
The response to these propositions has been generally positive. But there’s been one common question from supporters and critics alike: how?
The answer, it seems to me, lies in orienting the Conservative party’s political and policy agenda towards an overriding cause. Think economic growth or poverty reduction or social solidarity or whatever issue animates Conservatives.
This is more than a mere campaign slogan. Championing a big-picture cause can enable Conservatives to apply their insights and principles in the service of an ambitious and focused policy program. You might think of it as cause-driven conservatism.
