Marielena Montesino de Stuart
"Conservative" Party enjoys victory in Canada's House of Commons
The erosion of what it means to be "conservative"
FacebookTwitter
By Marielena Montesino de Stuart
May 10, 2011

News of Osama bin Laden's death is eclipsing other news.

Our neighbor to the north has experienced a significant political change in the last few days. Unfortunately, the leader of these "conservative" changes wants to avoid the subject of abortion, like the plague.

On Monday May 2, 2011 Canada held its 41st federal election. Canadians had to cast their votes for members of the House of Commons, a democratically elected body, as part of the 41st Canadian Parliament.

Canada's opposition parties were confident they would reduce Conservative Party seats in the Parliament even further, after bringing about a collapse of the minority Conservative government, in March of this year. They were wrong.

Frequent visits to the polling booth

Canadians, who are tired of going to the polls (this was the fourth election in seven years) helped Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative Party win with a majority vote — a significant victory indeed, given that he was unable to accomplish this during two previous elections. For the first time the leftist New Democratic Party (NDP) is now in second place, ahead of the Liberal Party.


The election process was set in motion again after two parliamentary committees found the Conservative government to be in contempt of Parliament, for failing to disclose the details on the expenditures behind military jet fighters and anti-crime projects.

While this action by the Parliament may not have rocked the Western Hemisphere, nor disrupted the afternoon tea of the Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II — it was significant as the first-ever contempt motion by a Parliament in the Commonwealth of Nations.

The opposition parties also dislike the Conservative spending plan, which is another issue held against the Conservative Party 2011-2012 budget.

The new seating arrangement

The official opposition is now left of center — given that the NDP is known for its socialist habits. And the Bloc Québécois agenda of separatism has decreased significantly in the national discourse — considering their tiny parliamentary presence, after the elections.


Prime Minister Harper's Conservative Party won 167 of the 308 seats available. That's 24 more seats than before the election.

The NDP came in second with 102 seats, which is a gain of 66 seats. The Liberal Party won 34 seats, a loss of 43 seats from their 77 seats in the 40th Parliament. The Bloc Québécois Party was hit hard with a loss of 43 seats — going from 47 seats to 4 seats.

During this round of voting Canadians also did not show any interest in hugging trees, given that the Green Party won only 1 seat in the House of Commons, as representatives of the Saanich-Gulf islands.


The Conservative Party will forge ahead with its plan to balance the budget and introduce tax cuts. Prime Minister Harper has announced a five-year "economic action plan" — which will include tax cuts that would reduce the basic corporate rate from 18% to 15%. The economic plan also includes a formula for income calculations that would decrease personal taxes. The latter provision will not kick in until the budget is balanced — which could take, according to projections, about four years.

Harper does not want to discuss abortion

But in spite of the "conservative" label, Mr. Harper does not want to touch the issue of abortion. Canadian pro-lifers are working hard to have a more significant representation in the Parliament. The only one that could have helped is Prime Minister Harper — but he has chosen to stay away from any talks involving the defense of the unborn.

Father Alphonse de Valk is a well-known Catholic priest who often finds himself under attack for his strict adherence to the Church's teachings. Here's an excerpt of an editorial written by Fr. Valk, which was published in Catholic Insight (February 2011 issue):

Canada's Prime Minister [Harper] however, does not grasp the magnitude of the issue. On January 18, 2011 the CBC [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation] interviewed him. While he favoured a return of capital punishment, he said, he refused to touch abortion.

CBC: "
Would you re-open the abortion issue?"

Stephen Harper: "
No, no. Look, Peter, I have spent my political career trying to stay out of that issue. It is one on which people, including in my own party, have passionate views. They're all over the map...What I say to people, if you want to diminish the number of abortions, you've got to change hearts and not laws. And I'm not interested in having a debate over abortion law."

The Campaign Life Coalition in Canada issued its report card on candidates in the 2011 General election, and only Jim Hnatiuk of the Christian Heritage Party received an A.

Money comes, and money goes. Lowering taxes and balancing the budget can be championed by any leader that sets his or her mind to it, and it is certainly not a difficult idea to sell in these economic times. But defending the unborn in the political arena takes moral courage — something which Prime Minister Stephen Harper continues to lack.

Related Reading:

Editorial by Father Alphonse de Valk (February, 2011)

Campaign Life Coalition in Canada

© Marielena Montesino de Stuart

 

The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)

Click to enlarge

Marielena Montesino de Stuart

"...absolutely serious journalism, with a touch of humor."

Marielena Montesino de Stuart's commentaries cover politics, foreign affairs, religion and culture, at www.TheRomanCatholicWorld.com and www.CourageforAmerica.com. Her insightful opinions are read by thousands around the world.

Marielena is a former candidate for the United States Senate (on the ballot, Republican 2012). Her memorable campaign is regarded as a turning point in the restoration of authentic conservatism in America. Please click here to read her full bio. You may contact Marielena Montesino de Stuart through the following link.

Subscribe

Receive future articles by Marielena Montesino de Stuart: Click here

More by this author

December 20, 2014
REWARDING EVIL: Obama embraces communist Cuba


May 26, 2014
When Francis meets with Israelis and Palestinians... the explosive truth behind this story


May 19, 2014
There is anxiety in Ankara


May 15, 2014
EXTREME INCLUSION: Francis welcomes Marxists and Martians to the Vatican


May 1, 2014
NOT A GOOD MIX: John XXIII, John Paul II... and I


April 27, 2014
THE GATES OF HELL: Aborted babies used as waste to generate electricity


April 20, 2014
HOLY WEEK IN SPAIN: Honoring my Roman Catholic traditions


April 12, 2014
JESUIT CREATIVITY IN THE VATICAN: Is Francis sending mixed messages about marriage?


March 29, 2014
Francis rolls out the red carpet for Obama, the most extreme pro-abortion president in U.S. history


March 22, 2014
TOTAL DISSONANCE: When certain nuns and certain rhythms come together


More articles

 

Stephen Stone
The most egregious lies Evan McMullin and the media have told about Sen. Mike Lee

Siena Hoefling
Protect the Children: Update with VIDEO

Stephen Stone
Flashback: Dems' fake claim that Trump and Utah congressional hopeful Burgess Owens want 'renewed nuclear testing' blows up when examined

Pete Riehm
Like our Commander-in-Chief, America is clueless, feckless, and powerless

Selwyn Duke
Did anti-white, DEI bias steal a state final spot from a white basketball team?

James Lambert
It’s time to get a Republican (like Steve Garvey) elected to the U.S. Senate in CA. It’s been 30 years!

Linda Goudsmit
Chapter 10: Objective reality is required for a free society

Michael Bresciani
Gay is OK, but trans for kids is on the skids – Have Americans now become judges of evil thoughts?

Linda Kimball
Nihilism…all that exists is matter and energy: The worldview that caused the collapse of Christendom and Protestant Amer

Peter Lemiska
China doesn’t need a Trojan Horse – It has Joe Biden

Rev. Mark H. Creech
Revelation Chapter 22: Getting beyond doubt, Billy Graham’s example

Paul A. Byrne, M.D.
2024 International Gift of Life Walk – NYC

Cliff Kincaid
Biden’s bloody revolution for America

Victor Sharpe
Senator Schumer enters the annals of Shame

Linda Kimball
Prayer against evil, insane Babylon
  More columns

Cartoons


Click for full cartoon
More cartoons

Columnists

Matt C. Abbott
Chris Adamo
Russ J. Alan
Bonnie Alba
Chuck Baldwin
Kevin J. Banet
J. Matt Barber
Fr. Tom Bartolomeo
. . .
[See more]

Sister sites