Article: Canadian Conservatives Divided Over Trans Policies

[Carolyn Marie]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/14/canada-anti-transgender-danielle-smith-doug-ford-politics

 

 

To me, as an "outsider," it is a hopeful sign for Canadian trans people that there is divergent opinion even among conservative Canadian politicians.  That is quite different than in the U.S., where GOP politicians are almost completely of one mind on the subject.  The future in Canada seems not nearly as bleak as it does here.  But, as always, things can change.

 

Carolyn Marie

[Charlize]

That is lovely to read.  I have joked on occasion that i would be seen someday headed north with a flock of sheep.  It's nice to know that there are conservatives somewhere who haven't picked up on our gop's lunacy.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

[KathyLauren]

The division in the Conservative Party of Canadaarty is historical.  That it still exists is a slightly hopeful sign, but only slightly.

 

Canada traditionally had two parties on either side of the political divide.  Usually the more centrist parties on either side alternated power.  The far right party got tired of being shut out, so they merged with (took over) the centre-right party in the 1990s.  As a result, they were able to form majority governments.  Nice for them, I guess, but the result is that our country now has a choice between a centre-left party and a far-right party.

 

There are still Progressive Conservatives (the old name of the centre-right party) within the Conservative party, and that is presumably the source of the reported division.  They are in the minority in their party, though.

 

The only hope for moderation on the right is if there were to be a schism in the party, going back to the way things were.  However, all the Conservatives,of both types, benefit from having a single party on the right: they can get elected.  Progressive Conservatives would rather be powerless back-benchers in a Conservative majority government than cabinet ministers in a minority government or permanently in opposition.  The only hope of a split is if the far right alienates their own moderate allies enough for them to leave.  That is not likely, given  the lack of backbone among the moderates.

 

Meanwhile, the skulduggery of secretive special-interest groups sponsoring legislation that is well-known in the USA is already at work here.  There is too much money at stake for anyone to buck the trend and show a conscience.

 

While it is refreshing to hear that there are still progressive people in the Conservative party, there is zero chance that they will influence the leadership, and minimal chance that they will break away to form a moderate party.  They are the worst sort of ally: ones who will speak a nice line but will not lift a finger to help.  I won't give up hope, but I don't see much room for optimism there.

[Ivy]

Any "moderate" Republicans have either been kicked out of the party, or kissed the behind of their orange overlord.

There is no logic left I'm MAGA World.

They scream and cry about being "cancelled" and then won't even let their opponents speak in the legislatures.

They're ready to burn the country down if they don't get their way.

I have no respect left for them.