Pro-lifers: Becoming a Force to be Reckoned With

By Suzanne Fortin

In my last column, I said that the pro-life movement needed competing strategies to get ahead. Electoral politics is a very good example of this. Five years ago, my money was on the Conservative Party of Canada. As far as I was concerned, the Liberal government was a disaster and had to be routed.

Today I’m not so sure that the Conservatives are such a good bet. Many MP’s are worthy of a pro-life vote. However, as a party, the Conservatives have a dismal record on social conservative matters. The final straw came when Stephen Harper promised to suppress any attempts to re-launch the abortion debate in the House of Commons. As if that weren’t bad enough, Harper has built up a 50 billion dollar deficit all the while growing the size of government.

There’s no doubt about it: The Tories have sold their soul to stay in power. I would definitely think twice before voting Conservative.

The conventional wisdom is that the Tories can risk alienating their social conservative base because so-cons have nowhere else to park their vote. But so long as pro-lifers reward the Harper Conservatives, he and his band of sell-outs will continue to throw us under the bus in the name of political expediency.

The pro-life movement will never move forward in the legislative arena if we sell our votes cheap and reward politicians who don’t deliver. Therefore, instead of supporting useless Conservatives (i.e. those who work against our cause), I recommend that, where feasible, pro-lifers vote for the Christian Heritage Party.

I have a philosophical problem with a political party drawing its members from only one religious group. Nevertheless, there are many good people in the CHP. I met party leader Jim Hnatiuk at a presentation in Ottawa. He is currently a candidate in the Nova Scotia by-election that will be held on November 6th. I like him. He’s a business owner and an ex-military officer. He exudes a very electable aura of leadership that is often missing in smaller parties. Clearly he is a man of conviction, and people who have that kind of fire in the belly don’t sell out their principles so easily. He is worthy of our support.

The main objection to supporting the CHP is that a split in the right-wing vote might allow the Liberals to gain power and implement even more lethal policies. But before we give in to fear, we so-cons should not be sell ourselves short. Ever since Stephen Harper was first elected in 2006, some have begun to treat the social conservative vote as a factor in general elections. With voter participation declining, our voting power will only increase. Even the Liberals have attempted to figure out how to lure the Evangelical vote. MP John McKay was given the task of reaching out to that community.

It is true that the Liberals could be elected in the short term. But the beauty about competition is that the Conservatives would try to figure out why they lost our vote. If we stick to this policy in the long term, it will eventually turn in our favour. After all, the Tories want to win just like Liberals do. If we keep voting as a block, the strategists will treat us like one. They know they could win back our favour with some social conservative legislation that could gain consensus across the country. And if they failed to deliver, we would vote them back out.

That’s how competition works.

It’s not as if the CHP would have to get elected in order for this strategy to benefit us. The party would only have to deprive Harper of a majority for the Conservative strategists to pay attention. This is a very achievable scenario. If the Tories see their majority disintegrate because their base is unhappy, they will work harder to win us back.

And if they don’t, they weren’t worth voting for in the first place.

The big question though is whether the Christian Heritage Party can field enough candidates to make a difference. In the last election, they only attracted about 60 candidates. To be a credible threat, they need to find 150-200 candidates, preferably in seats that are not safe for Tories.

If they fail to do this, they fail to provide Canada with the pro-life (and conservative) alternative that it so desperately needs. And the Conservatives will continue to take us for granted.

We can’t afford that kind of electoral monopoly on our vote.

Suzanne is an organizer with the Family Coalition Party of Ontario and blogs at Big Blue Wave.

Public date: November 3rd, 2009
Categories: Opinion
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comments (10) | Leave a Reply
  1. Vicki Gunn says:
    November 3, 2009

    Hi Suzanne

    I appreciate your comments. Jim is indeed a man worthy of receiving conservative support.

    Just a small correction though, we are not one denomination. The CHP is made up of both Catholics and Protestants and fields both Catholic and Protestant candidates.

    Great article!

    Vicki

  2. Mike Schouten says:
    November 3, 2009

    Suzanne,

    Excellent commentary! You bring to light one common objection to supporting the CHP, the issue of making it all the more realistic for the Liberals to rise back into power. Another response we have to combat as we attempt to raise the profile of the CHP is the sentiment amongst so-cons that a vote for the CHP is a waste of a vote. It is important to note, as you have, that for us as socially conservative people, quite the opposite is true. A vote for the Conservatives has become a waste! They take our vote, say thank you very much, and then do absolutely nothing with it. It is definitely time that we put our support behind the CHP, for then as you make so clear, it will have effect! Better Solutions begin with support for the CHP!

  3. RRC says:
    November 3, 2009

    My approach is staying inside my Conservative Party EDA, be on the board, network, be involved and active, and be an educating force. This is effective and an effective interpersonal witness for the truth.

  4. RRC, I have no objection to you staying in your Conservative EDA. Now your EDA has to go out and win so-con votes (now knowing that there could be a move towards the CHP). That’s how competition works. There’s room for all kinds of strategies. May the best party win.

  5. Vicki, it’s true that the CHP is multi-denominational, but it’s not multi-religious, which is my point.

  6. Dave K says:
    November 4, 2009

    I’m with RRC on this. Unless/until the Liberals reform, they must be considered as the worst option and must be kept out of power. The CPC is for now hi-jacked by the neo-liberals – but the grass roots are very sound and numerous.

  7. Rob Cheshire says:
    November 4, 2009

    I am presently struggling with (N.D.P.) M.P. Brian Masse, Member for: Windsor/West, who called me a Liar, thrice in a public forum at The University of Windsor CAW Centre. I have asked for an apology and both he and his office refuse to acknowledge my letter. This situation revolves around their stance on Afghanistan and the references the Party made towards our Canadian Forces there. This Party is very much: anti-Life, Pro-same-sex-marriage, and anti-Family. If anyone has any ideas on the topic, please forward them here.

  8. Ian Tuck says:
    November 4, 2009

    Rob, I got my M.P.’s attention by sending her several emails, and letters by regular mail asking for a meeting to discuss an issue she was aware of. She never responded to any of my requests to meet with her. After several months of getting no response I sent an email to Dion as the head of the Liberal party and copied everyone I could think of in the Liberal party, the NDP, Conservatives, the media and her too of course. Her office contacted me within a day telling me she would meet with me. The Members of parliament from all parties would no doubt be interested in the lack of support you are getting from that NDP bozo and the issues regarding the dispute. I would hope his Party would not look favourably on his actions. Letters to the editor of your local paper will get his attention also, as well as other people’s attention.

  9. Dave K– so long as the primary goal is to “keep Liberals out of power” so-cons are slaves of the Conservatives. I would suggest that the leadership of the Conservatives are not any better than the Liberals. If you want to get ahead, you must not reward politicians for selling you out.

    The Republican grassroots seem to be getting ahead by pressing their party for change. They don’t worry solely about keeping out the Democrats, they work to press for their agenda.

  10. Rob Cheshire says:
    November 5, 2009

    Thanks Ian. I will certainly consider these options. I am very ticked at being accused a Liar, by my own MP, for having an opinion that conflicts with his, and comments which were in the local paper. Thank you for the suggestions.

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