In less than three weeks, our new book, Rescuing Canada's Right, will hit bookstores. We've put up a holder page here if you'd like some info about it; a fancier site will be unveiled soon.
The book, its contents and its message are on my mind a lot these days. (See book site for details.) So as I've watched the news the last couple of weeks, I've been seeing it through the lens of the book's content. What I've noticed are the glaring differences between the level of organization in the Canadian and American conservative movments. I reference in particular the U.S. conservative movement flexing its muscle on the Harriet Miers nomination. This story didn't get that much play in Canada, but it was fascinating to watch.
What a story! What a democracy! This is a textbook example of how a political movement is supposed to work. That two week period in American politics should be studied in every political science 101 course. The conservative base of the Republican Party decided that this woman was an unacceptable choice for the country's top court. They organized like crazy and through the media forced Miers to throw in the towel. (Kudos to David Frum who deserves a share of the credit.) Columnist Tony Blankley is calling what happened the American conservative movement's "Rosa Parks moment" -- the day they refused to give up their seat on the bus, even for a Republican president.
Contrast this with, as an example, the aftermath of the Gomery report here. As Stephen Harper said at his press conference today -- with a hint of frustration in his voice -- this is a scandal that should bring down the head of government in a parliamentary democracy. He's right. But it won't. The way politics works in this country, Martin will likely escape from this unscathed.
Now, I'm not saying that with a robust conservative movement like the one in Washington things here would be different. Perhaps Martin would still get off. But in my view, Harper's job is made substantially more difficult without the conservative media apparatus, pressure groups and other right-wing infrastructure to back him and the Tories up.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 12:30 AM
