Neoconservatism & neoliberalism in Canada

Neoconservatism and neoliberalism are labels given to a strains of political thought in Canadian politics, that began in the 1980s and rose to prominence in the 1990s, especially in Ontario, Western Canada and the federal government. The suffix "neo" signifies a "new" strand of Canadian political thought, breaking with many of the traditional values of Canada's two historic parties: Liberal Party of Canada and the Progressive Conservative Party.

Neoliberalism in Canada broadly parallels the rise of neoliberal policies in the United States under Bill Clinton and the Labour Party's "Third Way" in Britain. It repackages traditional left-wing values with support for some fiscally conservative (or classical liberal) policies, such as free trade, deregulation, small deficits and low tax rates.

Neoconservatism, on the other hand, broke with the old Progressive Conservatives in encouraging closer political cooperation with the United States, and was aloof towards the party's interventionist Keynesian economics and traditional support of Canada's colonial ties to Britain. Neoconservatives advocate a realist, self-interested approach to national and international relations and tend to support socially conservative policies.

The two policies are similar, and differ primarily in how they are pitched. Neoliberals, exemplified by the Liberal party, promise to reconcile the welfare state with modern, economically-friendly policies. It is endorsed as a wise alternative to the bureaucratic, highly regulated policy of state socialism or the "compassionless" policies of conservatism. However, neoliberals are often accused of making unrealistic promises.

Neoconservatives, however, arise from the populist tradition of the Reform Party of Canada which was succeeded by the Canadian Alliance and now the Conservative Party of Canada. The latter party was was formed by a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the floundering Progressive Conservative Party. The merger was widely regarded as unequal, favouring neoconservative Alliance policies over conservative PC policies. They position themselves as social conservatives, supporters of small business and grassroots democracy.

While neoliberals sometimes self-identify by the term, Canadian neoconservatives almost never use the term (unlike in the United States). It is instead a label applied by observers, often pejoratively. Opponents of neoconservatism in Canada often equate it with populism.

Shared values

Proponents of both policies emphasize tax cuts - particularly personal and corporate income tax cuts, and often accompanied by increases in user fees such as tuition - broad cuts to public spending and services, increased privatization and provision of public goods through outsourcing and public-private partnerships, reduction of individual benefits such as welfare and unemployment benefits, and workfare.

Cuts to public deficit and debt compete for priority with tax cuts. There is support for free trade, including the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and NAFTA, a closer economic, political, and military relationship with the United States, and an emphasis on competing with American tax rates and economic indicators.

Social policies commonly advocated for include an emphasis on academic "basics" and extensive standardized testing in schools, and a "tough on crime" stance emphasizing increased deterrence, especially towards young offenders who are seen as coddled by the Young Offenders Act (1984-2002) or Youth Criminal Justice Act (2002-). Private charity is advocated as a replacement for some capacities previously supported by government.

Because of a preference for an economy as unregulated as possible, the tendency of these policies is to generally emphasize economic production over environmental preservation.

Such an unregulated economy is seen as preference for the laissez-faire capitalism as advocated by Milton Friedman, as opposed to the interventionist ideas in Keynesian economics.

Differing policies

Canadians who are in favour of the above policies but also advocate social conservatism are most likely to be labelled as neoconservative. But many neoconservative politicians de-emphasize social issues like abortion and gay rights, and some may identify as socially progressive. Additionally some neoliberals are in favour of socially conservative values as well.

Strong differences of opinion may also arise among neoconservatives and neoliberals on linguistically, ethnoculturally and racially-charged issues concerning official bilingualism, employment equity, immigration, and First Peoples.

Most advocates of two-tier health care in Canada could be considered neoconservative or neoliberal, but directly proposing such a system is generally unpopular, and others may either oppose or downplay it. More euphemestic support for "an increased role for the private sector in health care," or outsourced, private sector delivery of services within the universal public health care system, is more common.

Canadian and American neoconservatism compared

Unlike neoconservatism in the United States, neoconservatism in Canada is scarcely if ever associated with former leftistss, or disproportionately with Jewish activists. Neoconservatives, in the Canadian usage, do tend to identify with American neoconservative foreign policy through the pursuit of closer integration with the United States. For instance, most Canadian neoconservatives strongly demanded that Canada join the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and most also favour Canada joining George W. Bush's ballistic missile defense program. David Frum, who is prominent in both the United States and Canada, is considered a neoconserative in both countries. The Conservative Party of Canada and its predecessor the Canadian Alliance have both supported the invasion of Iraq and ballistic missile defense program, so these two parties are seen as more neoconservative than their main competitor the Liberal Party of Canada.

However, neoconservatism in Canada may generally indicate something closer to a conservative, fiscally restrictive neoliberalism than American neoconservatism.

Chinese neoconservatism is unrelated.

Policies as applied

The dominant federal neoliberal and neoconservative parties in Canada are the Liberal Party of Canada, and the Conservative Party of Canada. They are contrasted by the social democratic New Democratic Party of Canada, the Bloc Quebecois, the Green Party of Canada, and various minor political parties.

While Brian Mulroney, Progressive Conservative Prime Minister from 1984 to 1993, sought many neoconservative/neoliberal aims, particularly free trade, his lack of urgency about cutting social spending, deficits and taxes makes him an ambiguous figure. Mulroney's opposition to the death penalty and his soft stance on abortion have also kept him from the neoconservative label. Given their strongly socially conservative values, former Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day and Conservative Party of Canada leader Stephen Harper are more commonly identified as neoconservative.

The governments of Jean Chr�tien and Paul Martin, in power federally since 1993, have also been accused of neoconservative or neoliberal economic policies, particularly in their drive to reduce the federal deficit and debt through spending cuts.

Mike Harris, Progressive Conservative Premier of Ontario from 1995 to 2002, is widely and uncontroversially considered a economic neoconservative, but he almost completely ignored issues of purely social concern such as gay marriage and abortion. Ernie Eves and John Tory, his successors to the Ontario Conservative leadership, are considered more Red Tory than Harris. Both won the leadership over more neoconservative candidates such as Tony Clement, Jim Flaherty and Frank Klees.

Ralph Klein, Progressive Conservative Premier of Alberta since 1992, is usually considered to be a neoconservative. Gordon Campbell, Liberal Premier of British Columbia since 2001, may be considered a neoliberal. While both governments share similar economic beliefs, they differ with Klein's socially conservative values.

Jean Charest, a federal Tory leader and later Liberal Premier of Quebec, has variously cast himself as a Red Tory and a neoliberal. His provincial government has adopted neoliberal stances, and one of the opposition parties in Quebec, the Action d�mocratique du Qu�bec under Mario Dumont, has advocated neoconservative policies.

Interest groups associated with Canadian neoconservatism include the Fraser Institute, a think tank, and the National Citizens Coalition, a lobby group.

Neoconservatism in Canadian media

The National Post is Canada's most neoconservative major media outlet. The paper was established by Conrad Black's Hollinger newspaper group, but is now owned by CanWest Global. The paper's contributors include some of Canada's most conservative media voices, such as David Frum, Diane Francis, Andrew Coyne and Mark Steyn. The Post has also been strongly allied with American neoconservatism, regularly publishing writers such as Ann Coulter.

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