Posted on 08/11/2005 5:12:54 PM PDT by NZerFromHK
BRISBANE, Australia, July 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A university professor who has lived and worked overseas for 20 years, while on a return visit to Canada, described the Canadian misconception that the Conservative Party is “too right wing” as “disorienting,” when he compares the party to other conservative parties such as those in the UK, New Zealand, Australia and the US.
“It was disorienting to return to Canada and to be met, continually, with this total lack of global perspective,” James Allan wrote in his op-ed, “It's time for a global perspective,” that appeared in Monday’s National Post. Allan explained that, while in Canada, every time he expressed the opinion that perhaps Canada was due for a change in government after nearly 40 years of Liberal domination, was met with the reply, “But Harper and the Tories are so right wing. We agree in theory, but really, no one could vote for them.”
Allan described that the same message was universally preached from the media, particularly the CBC. “But here's the odd thing,” he wrote. “In global terms, it's simply not true. Take today's Tories and Stephen Harper out of Canada and plunk them in New Zealand and they would be to the left of Helen Clark's Labour government.
“The same goes for Australia,” Allan continued. “Compare the policies of the left-wing Labour Party there (on defence, immigration, the environment, health, education, you name it) to Canadian Tories' policies and Harper consistently stands to the left of Australian Labour, not the right.”
“All I can say to that is that people down in Australia and New Zealand, even in the U.K., must be made of sterner stuff,” Allan concluded. “They would never rejoice in such self-emasculation. Thank God for the natural beauty of Cape Breton and Algonquin Park. As for the politics, Canadians clearly deserve what they get.”
1. left faction of Liberal Party/National Party Coalition in Australia and right faction of the Australian Labor Party == the Conservative Party of Canada
2. Australian Labor Party's Left faction == Liberal Party of Canada
3. Democratic Party of Australia and Australian Green Party == New Democratic Party of Canada
4. The most leftist state in Australia is Tasmania, which has the Green Party and Democratic Party support at 20%. The New Democratic Party of Canada governs on its alone in Saskatcheswan, and once did in Ontario, Manitoba, and BC.
5. Federally, support of the Australian Democratic Party and Green Party stands at 5%. Nationally, support of the New Democratic Party of Canada stands at 20%.
6. And we haven't talked about Quebec yet.
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand ping!
Wow. This guy can't be a professor -- he makes too much sense.
Nooooo! The horrible truth....
The root problem of Canadian anti-Americanism is not solely with Quebec leftists seeking separation. I think these two groups are the crux of why Canada is like this today:
1) The English Canadian elites in Ontario, and the Ontario residents' trust in the elites' opinions.
2) The French Canadian federalists.
Unless Canadians themselves confront this group, it will only go worse.
No surprise at all!
When their liberal party is so far left, the right has to be far right to stablize the political scene!
That guy, stephen harper, in Canada is not well liked though!
Generally speaking, which is the more conservative, Australia, New Zealand, or the UK? An American wants to know. Obviously, after reading this, Canada is not even in the running.
After the United States, I'm almost certain that Australia is the most conservative nation and most America-like in the West. Britain is next, followed by New Zealand (in this country it is a bit like a Britain with a much more powerful Left, and in fact I think it is converging with Canada on some issues but not others).
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