Stockwell Day's New Alliance

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Stockwell Day's New

Alliance

Contents

Contents Now that Canada has a new political party and a new political leader on the national scene, the political landscape in Canada has shifted again. As a Introduction harbinger of the forthcoming federal election, the emergence of the Alliance and a new and relatively youthful leader raises the question of how this renewal of part of the political right in Canada will affect the overall political Is Everything Old New Again? dynamic. Stockwell Day, however, like his predecessor Preston Manning, faces the critical challenge of making a western-based party into a strong A Rough Transition national contender against the ruling Liberals, who in the past have been able to benefit from a political split on the right. The formation of the new "alliance," Another Hard Right Turn? Day's election as party leader, and the two by-elections that he and Joe Clark will contest form the backdrop for examining once again Canada's political and social history. How the System Works

A Good Reason For Uniting the Right?

Separation of Church and State?

Discussion, Research, and Essay Questions

Index

Contents Introduction Is Everything Old New Again? A Rough Transition Another Hard Right Turn? How the System Works A Good Reason For Uniting the Right? Separation of Church and State? Discussion, Research, and Essay Questions Index

Comprehensive News in Review Study Modules Using both the print and non-print material from various issues of News in Review, teachers and students can create comprehensive, thematic modules that are excellent for research purposes, independent assignments, and small group study. We recommend the stories indicated below for the universal issues they represent and for the archival and historic material they contain.

"The Clean Air Act," December 1990 "Environmental Cleanups: Who Pays?" Oct. 1998 "Sour Gas: Alberta Stand-off," September 1999

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Alliance

Introduction

Contents In July 2000, the Canadian Alliance Party selected the charismatic Stockwell Day to be their new leader, replacing Preston Manning, creator and only leader Introduction of its predecessor the Reform Party of Canada. The Alliance is not only the offspring of the Reform Party but also embodies and perpetuates its particular and fundamental principle of political reform. To date it has been a remarkable Is Everything Old New Again? success story in its own right.Whereas the Reform Party was a grassroots political movement, with a base in Western Canada that fought its way up the A Rough Transition political ladder to become the second largest party and Official Opposition in Parliament, the Alliance Party was formed directly on centre stage, and as the Another Hard Right Turn? name suggests, is an attempt to create an allied conservative political force. Canadians whose political leanings are on the right of the political spectrum had begun to despair that there was no way of unseating the governing How the System Works Liberals. Former leader Preston Manning and the Reform Party appeared doomed to remain, despite great efforts, a Western regional party with few A Good Reason For Uniting the opportunities for obtaining parliamentary seats in Ontario, Quebec, or the Right? Maritimes. However, since his advent, Stockwell Day has demonstrated both during and after the leadership campaign that he can attract attention and support on a national level. Whether or not he can win a federal election Separation of Church and State? remains to be seen but he certainly has members of the other parties looking over their shoulders. Most recently, two key Conservative members of Discussion, Research, and Parliament and even some Bloc Québécois members have moved over to the Essay Questions Alliance. Day is considered young, photogenic, and personable. In his varied Index professional life he has been, among other roles, an auctioneer, a Christian school administrator, a Pentecostal minister, and Alberta's treasurer, all of which have contributed skills and characteristics that make up his particular political style. In terms of media coverage and public appearances, he projects himself as a warm and sincere person, speaking without notes and directly to his audiences. He is known for his humour and spontaneity. Forty-nine years of age, he is new to the federal political scenewhat some consider a distinct political advantagewhereas politicians such as Prime Minister Chrétien, who is 66, started his career decades ago. Stockwell Day has also gained political credibility as a national candidate because he has lived in most of Canada's provinces. He attended high school in Montreal and speaks French. He eventually settled in Red Deer, Alberta, and his supporters claim that he therefore can truly understand the concerns of many regions of Canada and is therefore a truly national leader. More than any other federal politician in recent history, Day's religious beliefs have received considerable public attention. This is largely due to the number of religious references he makes in his public addresses as well as some of the social policies he has endorsed. He is a member of the Pentecostal church and accepts as a matter of faith that the Bible is the literal, infallible word of God. Day's critics are concerned that his religious views will unduly influence his policies if the Alliance forms the government. Socially conservative groups such as pro-life organizations hope that this is true. However, some Alliance strategists, and even Preston Manning himself, suggested during the leadership race that Day's conservative social agenda could overshadow Alliance fiscal policies, making the party unelectable. Although Stockwell Day and the Alliance Party have not been forced to provide too many details about their platform, early indications are that they represent a credible threat to both of Canada's founding parties: the Liberals and the Progressive Conservatives.

"The Clean Air Act," December 1990 "Environmental Cleanups: Who Pays?" Oct. 1998 "Sour Gas: Alberta Stand-off," September 1999

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Is Everything Old New Again?

Contents "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." This is a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby. It Introduction comes to mind because the Alliance Party is a new political force that wants Canada to return to the values and economics of the past when Canada had fewer regulations, surplus budgets, and when religious institutions and the Is Everything Old New Again? nuclear family were considered cornerstones of society. The Alliance Party seemingly goes against the current because most Canadians favour the A Rough Transition Liberal platform. Resistance to the Alliance platform comes from critics, small-L liberal interest groups, and for the most part, the Eastern electorate, who worry Another Hard Right Turn? that minorities and the less fortunate will fare poorly under a neo-conservative government. How the System Works Who then has the right formula for leading Canada in the 21st century? Stockwell Day has emphasized family, faith, and fiscal responsibility, all A Good Reason For Uniting the laudable goals. Yet he and the Alliance Party have been roundly criticized by Right? some for the effects their goals would have. The other two main political parties of concern are the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals. With the Separation of Church and State? creation of the Alliance, the Conservatives have come up against a rival party and are gamely struggling as they face either absorption into the Alliance if they accept Day's invitation to fully "unite the right," or continued Discussion, Research, and marginalization if their supporters drift away into other parties. The Liberals, Essay Questions while openly confident about winning the next election, are pondering changes to their own platform to counter Alliance-generated issues. Index Who's Where? As you watch this News in Review report, make point-form notes of the people and key policies you see and hear mentioned in the video in order to obtain an overview of the current political landscape in Canada. You may wish to divide your notepaper into three columns: right, left, and centre. When you have finished compare your results with those of others.

The Heir Apparent During a second viewing, work in small groups and formulate answers to the following questions:

1. What influence did Ernest Manning have on his son's creation of the Reform Party? 2. What evidence is there of the success of the Reform Party? 3. Why did Preston Manning gamble and create a new party? 4. What differences are there between the Alliance (or Reform) Party and the federal Progressive Conservative Party? 5. What characteristics does Stockwell Day exhibit that will help or hinder him in his quest for the Prime Minister's office? Follow-up Discussion In your opinion, should Joe Clark and the federal Progressive Conservatives agree to unite with the Alliance Party? What advantages or drawbacks exist for either option? How might this affect the political landscape in this country?

"The Clean Air Act," December 1990 "Environmental Cleanups: Who Pays?" Oct. 1998 "Sour Gas: Alberta Stand-off," September 1999

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A Rough Transition

Contents As you read the following information, think about what might or might not be unique, unusual, or unprecedented about Stockwell Day's election as leader of Introduction a new political party.

Is Everything Old New Again? On July 8, 2000, Stockwell Day was elected leader of what is officially known as The Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance Party, a name disputed by the Progressive Conservatives, who object to the use of the word Conservative. A Rough Transition Day won the leadership campaign by 66 per cent of the roughly 92 000 members who voted during the leadership convention. More remarkable was Another Hard Right Turn? the fact that he defeated Preston Manning, the person who founded the Reform Party 13 years ago, who led it from non-existence to become the How the System Works Official Opposition, and who oversaw its transformation into the new party. Day was not even a member of the Reform Party until Manning agreed to open the leadership in April. Day was the Treasurer in the Conservative government of A Good Reason For Uniting the Premier Ralph Klein in Alberta and had little exposure outside that province. Right? He moved quickly into the national limelight during the months-long campaign that featured intrigue and controversy. Separation of Church and State? The convention itself was an innovation true to its populist roots. While there Discussion, Research, and was a central gathering of some party members, which provided a focal point for the nation's cameras and microphones, the majority of the members voted Essay Questions from one of the 301 designated ridings across Canada. The initial vote took place on June 24, with the second ballot two weeks later. A traditional party Index convention usually brings delegates together into a days-long pressure-cooker atmosphere where candidates and their teams attempt to entice or cajole support. In a traditional party, the delegates, who represent hundreds or thousands of party members, can be part of the elite or old guard, who are unlikely to rock the boat. The Alliance convention shifted an immense amount of power to the grassroots of the party because each party member was allowed to vote directly for the leader, and for the most part from their home ridings. The Alliance leadership race therefore focused on the numbers of members that could be signed up and on proving that the candidate could win members east of the Manitoba-Ontario border. Alliance strategists recognized that they had to have a leader who could appeal to voters in the east, especially in Ontario where the Liberals won 101 of 103 ridings in the last federal election.

The first controversy emerged over a little-known candidate, Frank Klees, a Conservative MPP from Ontario. Klees withdrew from the race in April claiming that a "mystery donor" offered to finance his campaign if Klees would deliver second-ballot support to another candidate, all of which was dismissed by the other candidates and party organizers. Shortly after, Tom Long, one of the key backroom advisors behind the 1995 election success of Ontario's Conservatives, threw his hat into the ring. Long, who was also an aide to the Mulroney government in the mid-1980s, had never held an elected position. However, he did have the backing of many Ontario Tories who had previously maintained a strict neutrality in the fight between Reform and Progressive Conservative party members. His campaign hit an early snag when Ontario's provincial Progressive Conservative party list was somehow transferred to his campaign team, who used it to solicit support. An even greater blow was the public disclosure that hundreds of his supporters signed up in the Gaspé region of Quebec had no knowledge of their membership and little knowledge of the Alliance. And this happened the week of the convention. In the end, Long's high-powered approach was his undoing. His support from formerly hostile provincial Tories and Toronto Bay Street executives was suspect. Robert Weber, president of the Canadian Alliance's North Vancouver constituency association was quoted in Maclean's magazine saying, "It makes you wonder: are they just doing this to get the old-guard Conservative party back and return the power to Ontario?" Long was subsequently defeated on the first ballot. The biggest surprise, however, was that the first ballot showed Day running ahead of Manning, which gave him the momentum to continue on and eventually win the leadership. Long announced in August that he will not run as a candidate in the next election.

Those candidates who were marginalized on the first ballot began to choose sides, hoping they could help make or unmake one of the two leadership bids. Nerves were frayed and feathers ruffled in the last two weeks. There was an embarrassing degree of acrimony, especially from the Manning supporters who saw other candidates and supporters fleeing to the other camp. Many Manning supporters saw the moves as traitorous and opportunistic. Rick Anderson, chief strategist for Manning, was quoted in The National Post as describing Day as a "train wreck waiting to happen," during the last week of the campaign. Such behaviour made it difficult to portray a picture of Alliance unity to the Canadian public.

The hard feelings were somewhat understandable considering the array of Reform/Alliance heavyweights who threw their support behind Preston Manning. Stockwell Day was not expected to be able to overcome this opposition, and when it was clear that he would, emotions ran high. Day's campaign struck a chord with the grassroots voters, which allowed him to humble the old Reform Party machine. Deborah Grey, the interim Reform leader, supported Manning, but 60 per cent of the vote from her riding went to Stockwell Day. Keith Martin, a moderate who had also made a leadership bid, saw the same result in his riding even though he had committed to Manning after the first ballot. Even in Manning's own riding of Calgary-Southwest, Day took 49 per cent of the vote.

The affirmation of Stockwell Day as the Alliance leader was as conclusive as was the rejection of the old Reform elite. Preston Manning was nevertheless the model of a good loser and party loyalist. In a moving speech, he stated that he would stay on with the party and help Day win the next election. The dissension of the long campaign was forgotten as fences were mended. The party was euphoric as post-convention polls revealed an upsurge in popularity across Canada, much of it at the expense of the Conservatives and the Liberals.

Follow-up Discussion 1. Preston Manning did not have to open up the leadership of the Canadian Alliance Party. Despite dissension from some quarters, he could have stayed on as leader. He gambled that a strong convention vote would silence his critics and build national momentum for him and the party in the next election. In your opinion, was this a good decision on his part? 2. Life can sometimes reflect literature. It could be postulated that Preston Manning is an example of a tragic hero (like Hamlet). What elements from the leadership campaign might suggest a "tragic" element to his political career? Did he demonstrate a "tragic flaw?" If so, did it lead to his downfall, which is the classic ultimate fate of a tragic hero? Conversely, how might Stockwell Day be perceived as a Romantic hero?

"The Clean Air Act," December 1990 "Environmental Cleanups: Who Pays?" Oct. 1998 "Sour Gas: Alberta Stand-off," September 1999

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Another Hard Right Turn?

Contents A nation like Canada has always had a dynamic political landscape. Politics in any democratic system can be fluid and dramatic. In terms of the political Introduction continuum of opinion, there is always a range of views and policies. As you read the following material, consider to what extent there has been a political shift in Canada in the year 2000. Is Everything Old New Again?

Left, Right, or Centre? A Rough Transition The political spectrum is divided into left, right, and centre. Basically, the further left a party is on the spectrum, the more it advocates government Another Hard Right Turn? intervention (such as welfare, medicare, and crown corporations). The further right a party is, the less it supports government intervention, instead How the System Works advocating ideas such as private health care, lower taxes, and smaller government bureaucracy. Left-leaning supporters accuse the right of being heartless and selfish while the latter believe that the left spends a nation into A Good Reason For Uniting the debt and strangles free enterprise with over-regulation. Centrist parties attempt Right? to find a balance of government assistance and regulation. Regardless of the labels, some political observers suggest that Canadian political parties have in Separation of Church and State? actuality all resided in the centre of the spectrum, borrowing from each others' ideologies as the economy and popular mood shifts. They have done so to the degree that the terms right and left do not really exist any longer. Discussion, Research, and Essay Questions Eyes Right There is no mistaking where the Canadian Alliance Party stands, however. The Index party that underwent a metamorphosis from the Reform Party consciously moved to the hard right, both in fiscal and social policies. Fiscally, the Alliance Party has advocated reducing government spending and paying down the federal debt, ideas adopted to varying degrees by most provincial governments and federal parties.

Constitutional Change The Alliance under Stockwell Day has also promised to reform the Senate, possibly as a second elected chamber, allow more free votes in the House of Commons, and institute a system to recall members of Parliament who do not reflect the will of their constituents. The Alliance's social policies have drawn the most attention, however. Stockwell Day wants to overhaul the criminal justice system to make it tougher on criminals. Even though statistics show that the crime rate is declining in Canada, many Canadians still believe that the opposite is true and that the courts do not effectively punish or deter criminals.

The "Sensitive Issues" Factor Since he became the Alliance leader, a definitive and clear stand by Stockwell Day on the issues of same-sex rights and abortion has not been in evidence. While he has avoided controversial policy statements in these areas, he was aggressively hardline as a provincial cabinet minister. He worked, unsuccessfully, to have funding for abortion in Alberta ended. Day also urged Premier Ralph Klein to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause in order to avoid extending protection to gays and lesbians under Alberta's human rights law. He has made vague references to national referenda on these issues, but Canadians can be certain that in general he will not be soft on social values, which would be consistent with his personal beliefs, and in more practical terms, would reflect the beliefs of the socially conservative groups that have supported him. They will expect tangible changes in the way the federal government administers Canada.

Follow-up Discussion Why especially in a nation like Canada, which has a diverse geographical, regional, and cultural landscape, is it important to recognize and understand the political spectrum? For what real and practical reasons do Canadians need to somehow co-ordinate or reconcile diverse political views? In considering this question, you might think about our closest neighbour, the United States, the political diversity of opinion that also exists there but the differences between the two nations in terms of geography, economics, and population.

"The Clean Air Act," December 1990 "Environmental Cleanups: Who Pays?" Oct. 1998 "Sour Gas: Alberta Stand-off," September 1999

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How the System Works

Contents Canada's electoral system differs in many ways from that of other countries. Any number of parties and individuals may run for the 301 seats in the federal Introduction Parliament. A ballot in a riding will likely have the names of representatives from most of Canada's major political parties, namely the Liberals, the Canadian Alliance Party, the Bloc Québécois, the New Democratic Party, and Is Everything Old New Again? the Progressive Conservatives. There may also be candidates from smaller parties such as the Green Party, the Libertarians or the Communist Party. A Rough Transition Candidates may also stand as independents, unaffiliated with any party. Each election therefore reveals and offers opportunities for parties of many Another Hard Right Turn? ideologies.

How the System Works This differs from our closest neighbour, the United States, where there are essentially only two parties contesting a riding, the Democrats and the Republicans. In some nations that have multiparty systems, candidates may A Good Reason For Uniting the have to endure run-off elections until somebody has more than 50 per cent of Right? the votes. In others that have proportional representation, the seats in government may be allocated according to the percentages of votes cast for Separation of Church and State? the parties. In Canada, the candidate in a riding simply has to have the largest number of votes. This is accomplished through a system nicknamed "first past the post." If, for example, 40 per cent of a riding voted Liberal, 35 per cent Discussion, Research, and Alliance, and 25 per cent Conservative, the Liberal candidate would be the Essay Questions winner, even though most people did not vote for the winner.

Index The primary advantage of a "first past the post" system is that majority governments are created in most elections. This means that the party that forms the government has therefore won more than half of the seats in the House of Commons. A majority government ensures stability since the government can focus on implementing the programs it promised in the election. It would not have to negotiate policy with another party in order to pass its bills. Canada, which typically holds elections every four to five years, is spared the expense and disruption of frequent elections.

Political Analysis The "first past the post" system has been criticized by many politicians and political analysts in Canada throughout our history. Is it a good system? Discuss how you make decisions in the various group situations that you encounter. For example, how do large groups decide at which restaurant they will dine together? Is the Canadian electoral system a good model for making these decisions? How would Canada change if it moved to another electoral system? Contents Introduction Is Everything Old New Again? A Rough Transition Another Hard Right Turn? How the System Works A Good Reason For Uniting the Right? Separation of Church and State? Discussion, Research, and Essay Questions Index

"The Clean Air Act," December 1990 "Environmental Cleanups: Who Pays?" Oct. 1998 "Sour Gas: Alberta Stand-off," September 1999

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A Good Reason For Uniting the Right?

Contents Has the political landscape in Canada become too fractured to permit strong alternatives? Consider the following. Introduction The common complaint about the "first past the post" system is that a particular Is Everything Old New Again? party's candidate may be elected even though the majority of the voters in a riding voted against him or her. If the parties are viewed as left- or right-wing or centrist, two parties who share somewhat similar platforms might split the vote, A Rough Transition allowing a third party to sneak through the middle. Even though thousands or even millions of Canadians might vote for a particular party across Canada, Another Hard Right Turn? vote-splitting in individual ridings might result in few of that party's candidates winning their seats. This may lead many voters to believe that their vote is How the System Works wasted if their candidate is not elected. They may not feel effectively represented by a candidate that did not garner more than 50 per cent of a riding's votes. A Good Reason For Uniting the Right? The Liberal Party has had two solid majority governments since the 1988 election even though many Canadians voted for the Reform Party, the Separation of Church and State? Conservatives, the Bloc Québécois, or the NDP. This was especially pronounced in Ontario, where the vote was often split between the Discussion, Research, and Conservatives and the Reform Party. The centrist Liberal candidates often won even though most voters preferred a more conservative candidate. The Reform Essay Questions Party's solution to this problem was an offer to unite all the right-of-centre candidates under one banner. That is the principal reason the Reform Party Index became the Canadian Alliance Party. The theory is that if vote-splitting can be avoided, and with a little momentum, the Alliance Party could win enough seats to form a government.

Major obstacles are hampering this process. Not all of those on the right are comfortable with Stockwell Day and the Alliance platform. Despite the numerous Alliance overtures, Joe Clark, leader of the federal Progressive Conservatives, has steadfastly refused to unite the two parties. There have been embarrassing defections of Tory supporters and candidates in Ontario, Quebec, and Eastern Canada, but the rank-and-file are decidedly unenthusiastic about giving up on the party of Sir John A. MacDonald. Furthermore, even if all 17 Tory members were to join the 56-seat Alliance Party tomorrow, that would still leave a united right well short of the 151 seats needed to form a government.

Eliminating the split vote might give some more seats to the Alliance, but the party is still saddled with the perception that it is a regional organization. In the last election, the Reform Party elected 23 members in B.C., 23 in Alberta, eight in Saskatchewan, and two in Manitoba. There is no indication that the Conservative voters in Ontario and the Maritimes would simply vote for the Alliance if the Conservative Party were to disappear. In a Globe and Mail poll in August 2000, only 15 per cent of Maritimers indicated that they would vote for the Alliance tomorrow versus 21 per cent for the Conservatives, 22 per cent for the NDP, and 42 per cent for the Liberals. While the Alliance has apparently gained at the expense of the Conservatives and Liberals, the NDP has had even greater gains. It is unclear in the Maritimes whether the declining Tory fortunes will be of greater benefit to the Alliance Party, or ironically, the left- wing NDP.

Likewise, poll results indicate that voters in Quebec have little interest in the Western-based Alliance. While support for the Alliance has stagnated at seven per cent, the Liberals and Bloc Québécois have 39 per cent and 43 per cent support respectively. In Ontario, where the Liberals have 101 of 103 possible seats, support remains at 55 per cent. While poll results can be misleading, there are few indications that the Alliance Party has gained the necessary momentum to capture the right-wing vote east of the Manitoba-Ontario border.

The final hurdle that may prevent the Alliance from uniting the right, is the price that must be paid for attracting new supporters. To become a national party, the platform that was attractive to Westerners will have to be altered to appeal to the other regions of Canada. Many observers say that conservative social policies will have to be soft-pedalled so that urban Canadians and Eastern Canadians are not scared off. One danger for the party is that the programs will be softened too much for some of the original members. For example, Stockwell Day has asserted that Canada was wrong not to endorse the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords. He also denounced Reform's offensive 1997 election ads about Quebec. This may have won the Alliance some support in Quebec but may also have alienated those in Western Canada who voted against the two accords and who prefer a hardline against Quebec.

A second danger is that even if Stockwell Day is successful in creating a broad- based right-wing party, it may be an unstable entity. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney's Conservative government was also an alliance of interests that disintegrated in the 1993 election. Forty members left the party to form the Bloc Québécois. Today the Conservatives hold only three seats in Quebec. On August 29, 2000, two former Bloc Québécois MPs joined the Alliance Party with great fanfare. It was portrayed by the Alliance as proof of the inroads made by its party in Quebec. However, Alliance MPs and candidates had to field calls from supporters asking if Stockwell Day was playing "footsie with the separatists." Can staunch sovereignists be trusted to support a federalist party? Prime Minister Chrétien does not believe so, calling the Alliance leader "Blocwell Day" for his supposedly desperate attempt to build a national party. The concern by critics is that either the party will have to drift too far from its roots to become a national party, or that the new supporters may be "fair- weather friends" who will leave if the party is not successful.

Follow-up Discussion As a class, discuss how the Canadian Alliance might make the leap to a truly national party, that is, by winning seats in every province. To what extent do you think its present platform and success are based on a regional philosophy and therefore counterproductive to it national goals? Contents Introduction Is Everything Old New Again? A Rough Transition Another Hard Right Turn? How the System Works A Good Reason For Uniting the Right? Separation of Church and State? Discussion, Research, and Essay Questions Index

"The Clean Air Act," December 1990 "Environmental Cleanups: Who Pays?" Oct. 1998 "Sour Gas: Alberta Stand-off," September 1999

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Water: To The Last Drop Howe Sound: Poisoned Waters Canada's Water Supply (series) Watershed Stockwell Day's New

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Separation of Church and State?

Contents Politicians are always judged by the electorate on their political record, their media image, and their perceived personal values. What personal beliefs or Introduction personal values of a candidate are or should be relevant in a democracy? In Canada, we have traditionally supported to a great extent the basic principle that the state and religious institutions function separately. Bear this in mind as Is Everything Old New Again? you read the following.

A Rough Transition The sometimes tongue-in-cheek admonition often given to those who wish to have a successful dinner party is to avoid religion and politics as topics of Another Hard Right Turn? conversation. They are assumed to be sure to provoke heated arguments. Now Stockwell Day's ascension to the leadership of the Alliance Party has How the System Works placed both topics firmly together in the minds of many Canadians. Outward professions of religious faith have entered mainstream politics in the past year. In the United States, Republican candidate George W. Bush publicly declared A Good Reason For Uniting the that he was saved by Jesus, his "favourite philosopher." In the opening Right? comments of his farewell speech at the Alliance convention, Preston Manning stated that "I want to thank God and my personal saviour, Jesus Christ." And Separation of Church and State? Stockwell Day, the new leader of the Alliance Party is open and forthright about his religious beliefs and the role of the Pentecostal Church in his life. Discussion, Research, and What then has sparked this emphasis on religious beliefs when Canadian Essay Questions politicians are usually a reticent group when it comes to matters of personal faith? While there have been famous politicians such as Bible Bill Aberhart, Index Tommy Douglas, and Ernest Manning (father of Preston) they have been successful primarily at the provincial level. Federal politicians have kept their religious practices to themselves. This may be attributable to the practical need not to alienate potential voters. In the U.S. 30 per cent of Americans identify themselves as "born-again Christians," a significant block of voters that could swing the upcoming election either way. However, in Canada, only 10 percent of Canadians have stated that they are "born-again." The logic in the past, therefore, has been to avoid embracing social conservatism and the religious right in order to appeal to the broadest spectrum of voters.

Stockwell Day has defied this logic and to this point has successfully made inroads with non-Christians and mainstream voters. Faith and family are the keys to the Alliance platform. Stockwell Day has stated his support for extending funding to religious schools, which is currently constitutionally guaranteed to Roman Catholics only in some provinces. This has earned the support of fundamentalist religious groups who currently pay public school taxes in addition to tuition for their children to attend religious schools.

An increasing number of mainstream voters are attracted by the values espoused by Alliance. In a speech made in Kananaskis, Alberta, Stockwell Day blamed 30 years of social liberalism for higher crime, growing family breakdown, domestic violence, and other social problems and poorer economic prospects. As quoted in The National Post on June 8, 2000, he stated: "A self-governing society with a limited state requires citizens who respect the virtues of family, faith, thrift, civility and personal responsibility." While critics may question whether or not the crime rate is up or what is responsible for Canada's social problems, Canadians perceive that society is not as civil as it once was. Former Liberal MP Professor John English notes that a "tectonic shift" is taking place in Canadian politics and around the world, and that Day's conservative values message is one that may find favour with the Canadian electorate.

There is also a subtle backlash against Supreme Court decisions that contradict conservative social values. When the Constitution was repatriated, the profile of the Supreme Court increased dramatically as it was called upon to interpret the intent of numerous laws. In many cases, the Supreme Court has been forced to make rulings because the federal government has stayed away from controversial issues that might alienate voters. For example, Canada's abortion law was struck down in 1988 as unconstitutional, a decision that cut across religious and social lines. As well, over the past 10 years, legislation and court decisions have increased the rights of same-sex couples. The National Post's political editor, Giles Gherson, quoted an unnamed Liberal MP who contends that mainstream voters believe things have gone far enough and want to see "lines drawn in the sand."

Still this only partially explains why the Alliance's conservative social messages are more popular than was the similar Reform platform. Stockwell Day is young, compared with the other leaders, and "hip." He is telegenic and exudes charisma. His delivery is personable and spontaneous. He often makes his speeches without notes. In short, he is not the stereotypical stern and uptight evangelist portrayed in popular culture. Day's brand of social conservatism appears to be non-threatening to an increasing number of Canadians. What remains to be seen is whether this image can be sustained when he must defend his platform in an election campaign or on the floor of the House of Commons. Some political analysts and special interest groups opposed to Alliance's conservative social views have already started attacking his social policies. A particularly harsh depiction of Day was rendered by political editorialist Dalton Camp. He said: "In reality, the Alberta politician is an antique throwback to the 18th century regime of Canada's poor laws, a homophobic fundamentalist literal believer now loose in this secular age of democratic politics." With rhetoric like this, dinner discussions should be quite heated indeed in the months ahead leading to the next federal election.

Follow-up Discussion When a community or nation is polarized, it means that it has split into two groups that are as far apart in terms of beliefs as is possible, just as the North and South poles are at opposite ends of the Earth. With the Alliance moving regional and social issues to the forefront, is Canada in danger of becoming polarized? Is it possible to have multiple polarizations occurring within a nation? Or, conversely, does the advent of the Canadian Alliance and Stockwell Day actually signal a freer expression of belief? Support your opinion with evidence. Contents Introduction Is Everything Old New Again? A Rough Transition Another Hard Right Turn? How the System Works A Good Reason For Uniting the Right? Separation of Church and State? Discussion, Research, and Essay Questions Index

"The Clean Air Act," December 1990 "Environmental Cleanups: Who Pays?" Oct. 1998 "Sour Gas: Alberta Stand-off," September 1999

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Alliance

Discussion, Research, and Essay Questions

Contents 1. In the early 1990s, political columnist Thomas Walkom argued that the concepts of left, right, and centre were obsolete since political parties simply Introduction shifted their platforms to reflect polls and the changing economy. An NDP government could prioritize spending cuts in one province while a Conservative government could spend millions on programs in another. A party could almost Is Everything Old New Again? have the opposite platform that it did five years earlier. Does this theory still bear up today? Can parties remain steadfastly left or right in the Canadian A Rough Transition political environment or must their programs be watered down to realistically have a chance to be elected? Write a short report supporting your answer to Another Hard Right Turn? this question. 2. During this News in Review report, former Alliance leader Preston Manning referred to a million votes cast for Reform candidates in the 1997 election in How the System Works Ontario. The actual number of votes was 886 797, or 19.1 per cent of the popular vote. These votes resulted in no seats from the 103 ridings available in A Good Reason For Uniting the Ontario. The Conservatives took 18.8 per cent of the vote and earned one Right? seat. The Liberals took 49.5 per cent of the popular vote and gained 101 seats. Approximately half of the province did not support the Liberals, yet the province is nearly solid Liberal red. What would the results have been if seats were Separation of Church and State? allocated based on the percentage of the popular vote gained? The Reform Party would have received 19 seats in Ontario (multiply the total number of Discussion, Research, and seats by the popular vote and divide by 100, or 103 x 0.195). Perform this Essay Questions analysis on the 1997 election. Go to the Elections Canada Web site at www. elections.ca. Click on Election, then Official Voting Results, then Polling Index Results. The numbers of votes cast and the corresponding percentages are broken down provincially by party. This same analysis can be performed for provincial elections by searching newspapers or provincial election offices. After reviewing the numbers, decide whether or not, in your opinion, Canada's electoral system should be altered. 3. Define the term populism, using a Canadian encyclopedia if possible. The Alliance Party and its predecessor, the Reform Party, can be described as populist. Most populist Canadian political parties have arisen in the West. Research a populist party and write a report on its development and achievements. An alternate topic would be to consider why Western Canada is more fertile ground for populist movements. 4. Despite assertions to the contrary, the primary goal of the major political parties is to gain power. Electoral platforms must appeal to a wide enough variety of voters that a candidate will gain his or her seat, and the party will win enough seats to form a government. Elections provide wonderful opportunities to analyze a party's platform and ideology. A party's caucus and strategists plan for months in advance which hot-button issues will capture the public's imagination. Analyze an election to determine how similar or different the parties' or individuals' platforms are. A federal election will occur soon and the U.S. presidential election takes place this November. 5. In Canadian politics, political parties often adopt some part of their opponent's policies in order to prevent losing votes. For example, the Liberal government's focus on government cuts and balancing the budget stole much of the thunder from the opposition Reform Party. What aspects of the Alliance platform could the Liberals adopt to prevent supporters from switching sides?

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