Blue Tory

ABlue ToryinCanadianpolitics is aconservativewho advocates forfree-market,fiscally conservative,oreconomically liberalpoliciessuch as reductions in public spending, tax cuts, opposition todeficit spending,and a more limited role of government. They also advocate self reliance, individual responsibility, personal freedom and liberty and therefore do not necessarily supportsocial conservatism.

The term has been applied to members of the modernConservative Party of Canadaand provincial Progressive Conservative parties, as well as the historicalReform Party of Canadaand its successor, theCanadian Alliance.In contemporary language, Blue Tories are sometimes described as "true-blue Conservatives".

History

For the first 50 years of Canada's existence as a country, theConservative Party(also known as the "Tories" ) subscribed to policies that required the government to play an active role in the economy. The signature achievement ofJohn A. Macdonald,Canada's firstprime ministerfrom 1867 to 1873 and from 1878 to 1891, was theNational Policy,whichnationalizedindustries and promoted hightariffsto protect domestic industries. The party strictly opposedfree tradewith the United States, and this vigorous opposition played a key role in the party's return to power underRobert Bordenin1911.As such, Blue Toryism was essentially non-existent in the Conservative Party during its governance of Canada from 1867 to 1873, 1878 to 1896, and from 1911 to 1921.

However, in the 1930s,R. B. Bennettas prime minister adoptedlaissez-fairepolicies during the Great Depression, differing himself from his previous Red Tory predecessors.

The Common Sense Revolution in Ontario

One example of a provincial Blue Tory government in Canada was the "Common Sense Revolution"provincial Progressive Conservative government ofOntarioPremierMike Harris.The Harris Tories were widely viewed asradicalby Canadian standards in their economic policies and style of governance. Harris' government embarked on a number of initiatives, including cuts to education, welfare andMedicare,privatization of government services and health care, the sale of provincial highways and the forcedamalgamationof municipalities. Provincial income taxes were also cut by 30% and corporate tax rates were nearly cut in half during the Harris mandate.

Harper era (2006–2015)

Federally, the most popular example of a Blue Tory government was that ofStephen Harper,who was prime minister from 2006 to 2015. Tax cuts were prevalent during Harper's tenure; he reduced thegoods and services tax (GST)from seven percent to five percent; reduced the corporate income tax rate from 21 percent to 15 percent; and implemented personal income tax cuts during theGreat Recession.Other economically liberal policies from the Harper government included the privatization of theCanadian Wheat Board,the negotiation offree-trade agreementssuch as theComprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement(CETA), and the introduction of thetax-free savings account(TFSA). In order tobalance the budget,Harper implemented various public spending cuts during his third term in office (2011–2015); one notable change was the increase in eligibility forOld Age Securityfrom 65 years of age to 67, though this planned change did not go into effect as it was subsequently reversed by the succeedingLiberalgovernment ofJustin Trudeauin 2015.

Most Blue Tories are at least somewhat ideologically aligned close to the economically liberal positions of the formerCanadian Allianceand as such supported the merger between the PCs and the Alliance to form the new federalConservative Party of Canada(CPC).

Notable adherents

Notable Blue Tories include:

• Mike Harris,Premier of Ontario(1995–2002)
• Stephen Harper,Prime Minister of Canada(2006–2015)
• Ralph Klein,Premier of Alberta(1992–2006)
• Preston Manning,former leader of theReform Party

See also

• Conservatism in Canada
• Fiscal conservatism
• Red Tory
• Wets and dries,similar factionalism in theConservative Party (UK)
• Small-c conservative
• Blue Grit