Canada’s populist conservative parties: how they campaign is not how they govern.
Why a vote for conservative parties is a vote to put more money in the pockets of the wealthy and large corporations.
The electoral dynamics related to the right-wing populism that is reshaping the politics of Western democracies are becoming increasingly clear.
Essentially, what is emerging are two voting blocks that differ profoundly from the left-right voting blocks of previous years.
One voting block (a minority of the Canadian electorate) has a “traditionalist” worldview. These voters have concerns about the increase of visible minorities in Canada and are uncomfortable with a more diverse Canada more generally. They also have a strong sense of financial insecurity, believe more in gut instinct than in evidence when it comes to public policy, are skeptical of the fact-based “mainstream” media, place little importance on expertise (whether that expertise is found in government or the scientific community), and generally believe that fighting climate change hurts their economic interests.
Finally, they are resentful – both of those who they think look down on them (think Doug Ford’s “elites”) and of those they believe are getting “something for nothing” (think social assistance recipients).
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